The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-07-10
CHAPTER II

Lee in the curve Of his arm, Buddy
and Chuck Juggling at his trousers,
with TERRA Libre rising up out OF
the morning sea, the buildings OF
Cabeza de Negro taking shape. His
arm unconsciously frightened about
Lee.
Long before they drew close
enough to make out details of the
sturdy new docks and receiving
sheds they saw the motor launch
cutting along the coast as though
to intercept them. It, too, was head
ed for the port, and at last Curt
recognized the figure standing in the
cockpit.
He yanked off his hat to wave it
wildly.
GERRY, you old muckle-head," he
shouted. 81 might've known you'd
come down to meet U.S."
"Yeh, got your wireless you were
coming through Cabeza. Hiya,
Curt. Hiya, Lee," called the stocky
man in the launch. cts good to
see you folks again. Where're the
kids?"
Curt and Lee each picked up a
child and stood him on the broad
rail. Buddy, from his new vantage
point, piped up: Mummy, what's
a muckle-head?"
"a muckle-head, darling" she an
swered gravely, sis your Uncle Jer-
-ry down in the little boat. See?"
There was no opportunity for dali
lying here. The launch drew away
and by the time the Pisces warped
up to the dock Jerry McInnis-leath-
cred face, close-cropped hair,
weather-stained clothes-was wait
ing for them.
A dockhand delivered a message
from Senior Montaya on company
.briefhead. The senior had been de-
layed in getting down river to meet
them but would reach Cabeza in
another hour or so.
"That one of their river boats?"
"Yep. They have two. But we
can talk later, Curt" Jerry scooped
up the children, one in each arm.
Lets find a more comfortable spot
for the wait. Lee, you're looking
great! If / didn't know better I'd
guess you were twenty. Hard to
believe these are yours. Marta
sends her love and can't wait to
see you.'
McInnis, chuckling, nodded from
Curtis piled luggage to his own
launch boy, and the mestizo imme-
diately took possession to stand
guard. Then the Associated man
led the way from the dock to the
one main street of the town. There
were signs Of recent construction.
The new company was booming the
village.
ssThat's a good dock they've
built" Curt said. 81 suppose Mitch
ell did it?"
sSure."
Just the one word, and it sounded
strange. Clipped and odd, for Nc
Innis. Curt threw his friend side
long glance. J.
big here"
Associated Fruit Growers-where
Curt and McInnis, fresh from
M. I. T., had their first years Of
practical engineering - stretched
along the north bank of the Rio
Negro, a hundred kilometers or
more of banana plantations in an
almost unbroken line. These were
fed by q narrow-gauge railroad, and
there was one handling of fruit from
farm pickup platforms to conveyor
belts at shipside.
But the new Compania Agricola
Tropical, south Of the Negro, had
more of problem. It wasn't pos
sible to run q railroad through to
the sea. Salt marshes lay between
! their concession and the coast and
made it necessary to handle fruit
by rail from farm to river port, and
by steamer or lighters from there
to Cabeza where ocean vessels could
pick it up. Not SO good, two han
dlings of perishable fruit. Costly,
too. And the delay and expense Of
hauling construction materials up
river was sharp In Curtis mind.
well, here we are"
MSA1nAAb SSOPPCu bcAOkC o4AAcn
cantina, the facade binding, bill
ious green in the raw sunshine. Nc
Innis put the boys down, led them
inside. Lee and Curt followed.
tits nearly lunch time,'. McInnis
remarked. Shouldn't the kids be
fed, Lee? You know what the cook
ing is like here, but we can proba-
bly, get canned soups"
Lee smiled.
II don't need Q brick wall to fall
on me. Go ahead, you two. Have
drink. ] know you have plenty to
talk over. I'll drag out my rusty
Spanish and get along"
The men turned to the deserted
bar at the end of the room, mount
ed uncomfortable stools and ordered
gin rickeys. While the native bar