The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1941-12-25


Granting that an ordinary man
might drop out of sight that way"
Willard said, cit still would have
been impossible for Garrett Water
son. He was too big, too impor-
tant-"
Dick was getting disguised again.
mo, he wasn't-he only imagined
he was. Once he was broke, he
wasn't of any Importance or inter-
est to anybody-except to you, and
TO you only because you thought
ne was a skeleton in the closet.
Doubtless this will surprise you, but
the fact is that Alakoa is a small,
obscure, and unimportant speck on
the map, suitable for supporting a
few hundred people, and of no other
significance whatever. The fact that
Garrett WaterSon once had hold of
1t for a while would not distinguish
him in the eyes of anybody, except
yourselves.
Both brothers looked scandalized.
eff all this can be proved" Err
nest began, 81 mean, if his actual
identity can be proved
"Of course it can be proved! It's
a plain, demonstrable fact-can't
you understand that?"
''If Dick is to be believed" Will
lard said, Jour worries are over,
Ernest. They can go ahead and in
Yestigate their heads off and it won't
get EN- a thing. And Karen Water
sons case against us falls fiat as
as"
LAS a bird in the hand" Dick
suggested.
Suddenly a new angle occurred to
Willard Wayne. 81 suppose" he
said, "since you are working for
WateTson, as you say, this boat of
yours isn't yours at all, but his-is
that right"
Certainly"
''Then," said Willard, whatever
business he's in now, he must be
enjoying a considerable success.
That alone ought to furnish proof
that he's competent"
Unfortunately, there's a catch in
that, too" said Dick, "and it's big
one.
Just what business is he in?"
Ernest demanded. "Where does his
money come from? Or is that some
thing else that isn't supposed to
concern us?"
at concerns you very much, I"
Dick said.
'Weh?"
Dick Wayne grinned sardonically,
even maliciously, and stood up,
preparatory to walking out. ASK
Garrett Waterson," he suggested.
eff he doesn't feel like telling you,
1t won't do you any good to know"
John Colt, aboard a Diesel boat
hardly better than the SampanS the
Japanese fishermen used, arrived
at Alakoa at sunset.
Dick Wayne, watching the little
vessel blunder and grope its way
through the reefs-she was sounding
frantieally with no less than three
lead mes-knew at once that the
one-eyed Captain Ramey had man.
aged to sell John Colt charter at
last, if only for an excursion.
Ramey's boat dropped anchor five
hundred yards from the Holokai.
Evidently Dicks brothers had sent
orders to the dock that John Colt
should be brought to the house i'm
mediately upon arrival for Alakoa's
~ ~ IL x11x
Hokano steering, and took off John
Colt. Tonga Dick watched this ma
neuver impassively. There was no
longer any danger that his brothers
would be bluffed into something by
Colt. The decision would rest with
WateJson himself, and no one else
He got his binoculars now and
focused them upon Ramey's boat.
The swift twilight of the latitude
was closing sharply, but the glasses
were still able to bring out every
detail aboard the Diesel boat. The
little ramp vessel sat awkwardly
on the water, her snub nose tilted
upward namely. She had a disor-
derby, family disreputable look, but
LIN MIC" bic SOllSCd1CO
ing turn of speed.
Karen Waterson was leaning over
the rail, talking to Captain Ramey.
Dick could see the stitching in her
narrow hat brim, and the shadow of
her lashes. The movement of her
lips, while he could hear no least
sound of her voice, had a strange
effect, making her seem immeas-
urably far away.
As darkness fell, Dick saw Captain
Ramey leave Karen's side, and in a
moment or two light showed in the
SeaPs galley. Tonga Dick smiled a
little, without much humor, as he
dedueed from this that Ramey had
been left in the lurch by his cook.
Now the shore boat put out from
the dock again, this time pointing
directly to the Holokai. Tonga Dick
watched it approach with a mini
mum of interest. By the time it
was coughing alongside, he had
made up his mind that if his broth
ers had sent for him he was not GO
ing to go ashore until he very well
felt hike it. But it was Charles
Wong, who, with an unexpected,
lank agility, pulled himself over the
Holokais rail.