The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-10-02

StIduOlGu dilOtIiCI neg ucoApys Ivy
den came up behind the two and
now offered his first voluntary re-
mark of the day.
cam / 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 a 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 airfield.
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 Senior Montaya, if you
must know. l know only my own
job"
Curtis temper had been building
up for 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 short laugh, when he could
trust his own voice. To help cover
his feelings he fumbled with his
| pipe, knocking out the ashes, stufing
it again. Then he sirnmered down
and added grudgingly, "Of course,
he's right in a way, but aren't we
all working toward one end here? I
need a drink. How about your"
He was about to turn into the cam
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 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 a stool, ordered 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 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 a notebook
from his pocket, scrubbed 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.
ssAlso, 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
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.
AS tHey TSIuIASo W ulS uOCh ELIIll-
lilo had the radio message sent of, ,
and by eleven they were on their
way back to Tempujo with the one
machine this steamer could carry.
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
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.
But it had been strenuous, tir-
ing job. After an early supper at
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