The Ely miner., 1942-10-15

He stood on one foot, the other
planted firmly on a keg. Emilio
straddled another keg nearby. Ry-
den came up behind the two and
now offered his first voluntary re-
mark of the day.
'Am I handling satisfactory so
far?"
There was no mistaking the gut
tural-voiced sarcasm. Curt swung
around leisurely, looked at Ryden a
moment, and his lips framed nat
ural reply. But, determined not to
quarrel with the man, instead of
answering insolence with insolence
Curt indicated huge, square case
then being hoisted by the thick-rope
cargo carried to the deck of the riv-
er steamer. The box lowered over
the open hatch, then slowly disap-
peared into the hold. There was
twin to the box on the dock awaiting
its turn.
Both cases were of heavy lum-
Der, were marked from Hamburg
via Vladivostok, and the labeled in
scription said they were generators.
Electrical equipment was of prime
interest to Curt, who was response
BILE for the electric plants at San
Alejo and Tempujo, if not for the
small plant at the airfeld.
Pointing with his pipe stem, he
asked mildly, "Those generators.
Are they for me? didn't know of
any on order"
The Swede stared through and
through Curt. At length he said
thickly, "Ask Senor Montaya, if you
must know. I know only my own
job"
Curtis temper had been building
up for a blow-off ever since his en-
counter with Montaya yesterday.
Still, he'd nursed himself along so
far and nothing was to be gained
by words. With a jerk of his head
at Emilio he strobe angrily from the
dock. Vargas, his features set in
curiously, followed, trotting to keep
up.
"Clubby chap, what?" said Curt,
with a short laugh, when he could
trust his own voice. To help cover
his feelings he fumbled with his
pipe, knocking out the ashes, stuffing
it again. Then he simmered down
and added grudgingly, "Of course,
he's right in a way, but aren't we
all working toward one end here? I
need drink. How about you?"
He was about to turn into the can
tina he'd visited the day of landing
here, but Emilio held back.
There's another bar down the
street," he said hurriedly. "You
may like it better"
Curt, however, was in a mood.
"Man, what's the difference, this
one, that one? Come along!" He
pushed Emilio into the room and to
the bar.
Fresh from the glaring sun, his
eyes didn't take in the scene imme-
diately. He was half blind as he
mounted stool, ordered a drink,
and indicated with a wave of the
| hand that Emilio should order for
himself.
Then his pupils expanded. In the
mirror behind the bar he saw the
TERRA Libre customs official and his
lieutenant. They were drinking and
playing poker dice with a man
whose face was vaguely familiar.
Curt had noticed on the dock that
morning that there had been no
| customs official to inspect freight as
it was unloaded. He'd given this
no special thought at the time.
To cover his thoughts, but still
frowning, Curt pulled notebook
from his pocket, scribbled few
words, ripped out the page. He
pushed the paper toward Emilio.
81 need a hundred men at Tenn
pujo by one O'clock" he growled.
"Also, the launch will have to make
another trip to the levee camp to
bring down Monahan. Get this mes
sage off for me, will your"
All the while, however, he was
racking his brain over the third man
with the customs officers. He was
a Nordic, certainly. At last it came
to him. The man was one of the
mechanics who'd been working at
the c. A. T. airfield the day of his
visit there.
And now what had he stumbled
across? He didn't know.
AS they returned to the dock Emf
lio had the radio message sent off,
and by eleven they were on their
way back to Tempujo with the one
machine this steamer could carry.
The other shovel would follow on the
second river ship in another couple
of hours.
Reaching the river port by one
thirty, he found Collins and the rap
idly gathering gang of men. Mona
han arrived by two o'clock, and the
rest of the day was spent in getting
the two machines assembled, serv.
iced, and on their way to pick UP
I their sectors of levee work.
This job went smoothly, however,
and it was just as well, Curt was
thinking, that he hadn't made an is.
sue of his plan to unload on the riv.
er bank at the job. If things went
as well tomorrow, the two shovels
would be at work Monday morning
That was soon enough to satisfy
anyone.
But it had been strenuous, tir-
ing job. After an early supper al
the Tempujo mess-hall-with Collins
and Monahan occupying table not
far from Curt and Emilio-Curt re-
turned to his bungalow.
| He switched on the lights, flung
his hat to the table by the door.
Emilio settled himself on the porch,
with magazines and his ever-ready
pack of native cigarillos. Curt had
his trip across the river in mind