Earl Derr Biggers

“ Bill told him. “You go in and lay that Englishman out. Lay him out cold, and then unlock this bath for me.”
Tatu hastened away, and again there was the sound of voices in the next cabin. Again the lock in the door leading to the bath clicked, and Tatu emerged. Bill dashed by him and turned the key in Mikklesen's door. He was sorry that the gentle click resulting didn't begin to express his feelings.
“You run along, Tatu,” he said. “I'm in too much of a hurry to learn how to be valeted tonight. Some time when we're both free you can give me a lesson.” ”

“ For Bill Hammond would attend to that personally, and he would begin in the establishment of Honolulu Sam.
But time was passing; he mustn't waste any more of it planning the massacre of an aged Chinaman. The problem was here and now. What to do? The weather was calm enough, but the Francesca was tossing about a bit. He might retire to his birth and plead seasickness. And leave Sally to the company of Mikklesen and Julian Hill? Not likely! No, he must have a shirt—must have one—robbery—a killing or two, maybe—but he had to have a shirt. ”

“ Sally—if he could bring himself to tell her—would be sympathetic, but Sally had no dress shirts to distribute. That left—hold on—that left Tatu. Thank heaven he had given Tatu five dollars.
He rang the bell, and while he waited put on his underclothes. Tatu appeared. Frankness, it seemed to Bill, was the only course.
“Terrible thing's happened, Tatu,” he said. “See”—he indicated the frightful pink shirt—“Chinese laundry returned the wrong wash. I haven't any dress shirt.”
“Chinese not reliable people,” commented Tatu. ”

“ And as a favor to me, we won't speak of this again—tonight.”
Aunt Dora was superintending the placing of two tables for bridge in the main saloon. It appeared there was just the right number—with one left over. After she had disposed of the usual impassioned pleas from those desiring to be the one left out, Julian Hill was elected to that position, and shortly disappeared from the room. They cut for partners, and to his horror Bill found himself seated opposite Aunt Dora. She had the air of being the person who invented bridge, and so she had, practically.
Bill dealt. ”

“ Through it Jim Batchelor sat staring at the table as though the matter held no interest for him. O'Meara finished, red-faced and empty-handed.
“Well, if you boys have done with your nonsense,” remarked Batchelor, “we'll join the ladies. ”

“ It is astonishing sometimes, in the crises of our lives, how slow we can be in comprehending. Bill's first reaction was to wonder how this sartorial atrocity had got in with his things. He tossed it aside and was confronted by the purplest shirt he had ever met. Next in the line of march came a green shirt that would have made excellent adornment on St. ”