The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-04-19
Eddie Gets a Surprise

screeched. DO you see anything funny in that?"
 He nodded gravely. T do,'' he said. Look, Val, don't you know he's just ben itchin' to pull fast one of some kind on you2"
 But that" she growled. That was too fast"
 Steve patted her on the back. Better get into some cry clothes and see if you can work up smile of some sort by che time they get back"
 She looked at herself in the mirror when Hansen had left, and her face slowly broke into a grin.
 "You''e right, Stevie," she said softly to herself. T think I'll shock Mir. Cavalier with my sweet nature when he returns"
 She changed back into slacks and moccasins and rejoined Han- sen on deck.
 Were taking on about three tons of salmon,' he told her, nod ding to the crates which were be- ing swung aboard the ship. Rest of the hold will be filled with Halliday lumber. We ought to be able to up anchor sometime to- morrow morning."
 The fights next Thursday, you know" she reminded him. "That gives us five good days to get back to Frisco"
 "We1l do it in four" he prom ised.
 Eddie and Pop got back just in time to take a shower and rubdown before evening mess. Pops face was beet-red and he was breathing heavily. Eddie's face was covered with precipitation. They had logged all the way through town instead of taking a cab down to the water front. Muscles get stiff and sore when they cool off to suddenly and Pop wasn't taking any chances.
 Eddie shaved and got into some fresh clothes. Val -1ashed him a big smile. And where were you when the rains came?" she in- quired sweetly.
 High and dry in barn down the road" he replied easily. But rumor has it you weren't so for tunate Too bad" 1fe made a sympathetic, clicking noise with his tongue.
 T can see you're breaking down with grief. Y'know, you're one lucky guy that I have sense of humor. I was all set to put the curse of the Clan Douglas on you, but I remembered" she said gravely. T remembered it wouldn't | do for you to fool around with | jacks and tires and staff. Might | smash finger or tear ligament | by accident, and then where you'd | you be-"
 He glanced sideways at her and decided he didn't like the way she was offering his excuses or fram- ing his own alibis for him. Nope, he ddn't like the way she was taking it. He'd feel much better if she had turned the old frigid blast on him. Now he didn't know what to expect from her.
 By the wave she continued. How'd you feel this afternoon? How far did you run? How's your wind and all that sort of thing? might as well file a couple of hundred words on your first land excursion"
 "Oh, fine. Swell. Tip-top. Want any more adjectives or will those do?'
 They'll do,' she murmured, Anyway, I get the general i'm oression. You'll murder the bum -unquote."
 Dusk was setting over the when a winged nonoplane droned out of the south. Steve Hansen, putting meditatively ,n his pipe, watched it come.
 Don't see many of those things ID this way" he observed.
 Eddie, squinting at the ship closely, saw 1t slant down toward he bay.
 Hey, it's a seaplane and it's ;etting right down there in the 1arbor.'
 :Nothin' to get excited about, don't suppose"
 'Seaplanes don't set down at Prince Rupert every day, you know."
 "Mebbe he lost his way"
 It was Duffy Kelso wandering