The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-05-01


ssThis girl has been hurt-stabbed.
You stay here with her-do any
thing you can for her. until get
back"
The face of the Chinese was star
ing with confusion and alarm. Very
probably he had never seen the girl
before in his life, and now supposed
that Dick himself had done her in.
He remained silent, however, and
stayed where he was told.
Inyashi slid down the hand rail
and landed at the foot of the ladder
as Dick turned.
Someone was knitted here a min
ute ago." Dick told him, when you
heard that scream. Has anyone
come up the ladder since them"
"No, Captain Dick. But there's
a man standing by the taff-rail. He
acts queer-maybe he is the one.
He stands naked by the rail
and looks at the sea, and the crew is
afraid to go near him. Maybe he
came up from here by the skylight?"
Dick snatched rifle from rack
upon the forward bulkhead. '"That's
it! Who is he-do you know him?"
''It's that big new Kanaka."
81 hired no new Kanaka!"
"Ee came over the side out Of the
water. Just before we sailed; he said
you sent him. His name is Hokano,
I think"
Dick seized Inyashi and pushed
him up the ladder. "Stop your en-
gines," he ordered, following close
on Inyashi's heels.
"Full astern?"
''No! If you do that the propellers
will catch him as he jumps. Man
the dinghy with the four Kanaka
boys, and lower away"
eyes, Captainl" In q moment
more everyone on the ship was
snapped into action by Inyashi's
shrill, sputtering commands.
Emerging on the deck, Dick saw
at once the immensely tall, broad
shouldered figure of Hokano stand
ing against the rail in the extreme
stern. Hokano faced the sea, mo-
tionless as a mast. The tall figure
was no more than twenty-five feet
away, and for a moment Dick was
strongly tempted to try bringing
down Hokano with the butteof his
rifle. He gave up that idea: even If
he succeeded in telling the big Ka-
naka before Hokano could leap into
the sea, the stunned man would be
extremely likely to slither over the
rail and sink like plummet.
''Kamaku! Roll the searchlight
Quit"
Karen was at his elbow, her face
white and frightened.
''What is it? What's happened?"
''Lilu's lover has come after her
and got her." Dick said.
s'She' killed."
Probably"
Her eyes were on the rifle in his
hands. ''What are you going to do?"
"Going to call a policeman" he
snapped at her. "Get that boat
over! What are you waiting for?"
Now the Diesel quit, so that the
Holokai seemed suddenly silent. The
rush of the water at her bows dinin-
ished as she lost way.
AS if awakened by the shutting
down of the power, the motionless
figure in the stern came to life
abruptly. Hokano sprang lightly onto
the rail itself, and for a moment
poised upright. Then he launched
into the night in q beautiful clean
arc, arms outspread, turning down.
ward to disappear almost silently
into the black water.
Now the big searchlight came
trundling out on its unwieldy tripod.
In moment more it began to sweep
the surface Of the sea, searching for
the place where the swimmer would
come up. The Holokai's dinghy took
to the water fiounderingly, and inn
mediately shot astern.
Dick said to Karen, 81 knew he
was going to do that" He walked
after without hurry, and took his
place at the rail where Hokano had
stood. There wasn't any way to
stop him. He'll be easier to handle
in the water
s'Would he try" Karen gasped-
''could he possibly swim all the way
back to-"
.'Of course not. He doesn't expect
to get back"
The searchlight picked up the
swimmer now, fifty yards back in
the Holokai's wake. In moments
when the waves favored, those ON
the deck Of the vessel could glimpse
a flash of wet shoulders, but nothing
else. Hokano was swimming face
down, taking advantage Of the swells
like a seal. The Holokai had lost
steerage way, and was rolling sickly
in the swells. Dick braced . knee
against the rail and brought his rifle
up.
Karen cried out. would you shoot
him in the water7"
s#sg~ t4