H. Bedford-Jones

“ His mind went back to those men who had been with Maguire. He knew at once that they must have out-smarted him, must have stolen past while he lay there idle and helpless in the fog. An agony of apprehension seethed within him, but he gave no sign of it. He sat staring into the blackness, a stricken man. There was almost no sea at all, and the ceaseless long thunder-roll of surf had sunk to a distant rumble. The boat swayed on the slowly heaving water, and Klang, taking the bailer, fell to work.
"We are not far from the ships," spoke up Sumbing abruptly, and lifted his face. ”

“ Carson rose, looked out at his whaleboat. She was standing in for the beach, Klang and Sumbing alone in her. Maguire’s boat was off across the lagoon, a couple of miles distant, still fishing.
Going to Benders, he stooped over the man, who was unconscious, and removed the money-belt with its pearls. Then he turned to the dead Maguire, and from the body took the chamois bag. Here in his hand was everything for which men had sinned and died, everything for which these ruffians had brought crime and terror into a woman’s life. An ironic grimace twisted Carson’s features. ”

“ HE shifted the subject, spoke of the Nautilus, and she nodded quickly. Easy to see how Carson loved this little trim schooner of his, how she was his whole life, his world.
"Nothing like her afloat," he said, a glow of pride in his eyes. "You’re safe enough now, so cheer up. Nothing with' sails can catch us. Later on, I’ll show you some pearls, maybe. Real pearls. This is no pearling lugger, but she’s made the grade all the same. I know every plank in her, every bit of teak and brass, every line and spar, like I’d built ’em."
"She’s a lovely craft," said Helga, and looked him in the face. ”

“ DISREGARDING a commotion, a spatter of shots, from the other schooner, Benders flung open the cabin door, saw it was empty, then turned and dragged Helga into the light. He unced upon her eagerly, his eyes aflame neath the bandage around his head. With his knife, he slit the breeches of the dead Limey into strips, and bound the wrists and ankles of the girl. ”

“ Carson, a quiet, deep-eyed alert man, had found pearls after many a weary year, and had found the schooner as well. Then luck had come still faster, since he had no need of it.
There were not many in the crew. Looey, the wrinkled, sharp-eyed Chinese cook. Klang, the mate, a Malay of princely blood, as his fine, regular features testified, who had taken this name of "wanderer" to avoid using his own. Three other Malays, and his faithful man Sumbing, "the Scarred One." Not many, but every man worth while.
When Carson fell heir to the Nautilus, he inherited her secrets also. ”

“ He must have the men with him, for if becalmed in that lagoon without oars, the whaleboat would be helpless.
The whole thing was distasteful to him, abhorrent. He was more than anxious to wash his hands of it entirely. He cursed the hour that had brought the woman aboard him, and then ashamedly took back his curses and damned destiny instead. Having given her his word to get back her lugger, he was bound to it. By good luck, however, he found a steady breeze and the whaleboat swept on toward Southeast Island, which commanded the entire lagoon. ”

“ The sun struck down steady, warm, glittering. There was scarcely a wave breaking the surface of the shallow lagoon, protected as it was by miles of outflung reefs. The islets that rimmed its long oval rose only a few feet above the water. The Nautilus was long since out of sight, and Carson was not worried by his inability to sight the Arafura Lass. He knew that from a small boat, in a calm sea, the horizon is limited to three miles.
Southeast Island, for which he was making, lifted ahead, a mass of coral and guttering sand. Carson lifted his glasses and again inspected the islet. ”

“ One could forget —sometimes—that she was not a man. Carson, at least, was the sort who could forget.
"Let’s have it, now," he said casually, as they ate, while the Nautilus swung up the seas and went skidding down the long descents. "Who are these two chaps?"
"Maguire and Benders are the names."
"Hm!" The steely eyes narrowed. "I’ve heard of Maguire. Old-fashioned bullying type. Good pearler, and little good said of him. Who’s this Benders ?"
"More dangerous," she replied. "It was he who shot my father. He’s a small man, smooth-faced, looks like a boy. He wanted me." ”

“ He perceived that both Maguire and Benders knew pearls, also, and as the partition went on, it was clear that a fortune had been snatched from the hand of the luckless Cap’n Skyborg.
TIME passed; although he watched sharply, Carson saw nothing of his returning boat. The four men ran out one of their two boats and departed with the Filipino divers, heading across the atoll to one of the reefs just awash as the tide ran out. The division of pearls came to a snarling conclusion. Benders tucked his share into the pockets of a belt which he donned under his shirt. ”

“ Benders lit a cigarette and gave Carson a look.
"Don’t care about whether we found any babies, huh?" he inquired. "Ain’t interested in it a bit, huh?"
Carson’s eyes dwelt upon him for a slow moment—a steady scrutiny that brought the angry blood into the man’s face.
"Not a bit," he responded lazily. "I’m not interested in your property. If you want to pick a quarrel, you’ll have a hard job."
"That’s just his way, Cap’n," said Maguire. "He don’t mean—"
"You blasted fool, will you speak for yourself?" snarled Benders, whirling on him for one blazing instant. ”

“ Maguire went over to the rotting shell, filled a bucket with water, got out his big clasp-knife, and fell to work opening shell. Carson watched the boat, tacking down toward the islet, and presently made out that she held but two men. This showed that Klang had found the Arafura Lass, had taken the lugger and sent her around to join the Nautilus.
He could see clearly enough why Maguire was glad to be rid of Benders. The vicious little murderer of Cap’n Skyborg was no household pet. He was out for trouble all the time, he was irresponsible, one could not predict what he would say or do. ”

“ All were of living coral.
"The beds are all inside the lagoon," said Helga, pointing. "There’s about fifteen fathom, in the deepest part, and most of the reefs are steep-to. The oysters are among the coral. The reefs outside the atoll are dangerous, with bad currents. We had to anchor fourteen miles off—and here, at Southeast Island, we had a camp. No big shell. The largest was about seven pounds."
"How many men are there now?" asked Carson again. "Kanakas?"
"No, whites. Two Filipino divers, Maguire and Benders; six hands forward, including the cook." ”

“ Somehow, Klang managed it. When Carson came on deck, the line had been flung and caught. The single figure was just coming aboard, the schooner falling away again before the wind. The boat was drifting away down the seas. A glance told everything; Carson turned to the figure now lying face down on the deck, senseless.
Klang joined him. Together they lifted the limp figure down the companion into the cabin. Then Carson sent the Malay to order coffee. He threw aside the lashed-down oilskin hat, exposing a coil of braided golden hair. A woman! ”

“ We’re all friendly. You, Steve, get to work and fix up grub. Gettin’ on to noon, and the Cap’n joins us. Ben, you change your tone—"
"You mind your own business and I’ll ’tend to mine," snapped Benders viciously. "No offense meant, Carson. We got a good thing and I don’t aim to see nobody do us out of it, that’s all."
"Don’t blame you a bit," said Carson amiably. "You have a lugger of your own?"
"Aye," said Maguire, seating himself in the sand. Carson’s whaleboat had disappeared, and apparently no one had paid it further attention. . . . Two men aboard the Arafura Lass, he reflected. ”

“ I’m not worried about it A lot of women just want to marry a man; seems cheap to me, somehow. I want to marry more than that. It’s hard to explain—"
"I get you," and Carson nodded quickly. Then he subsided. He was amazed at himself for discussing such things.
"Pearls in the Hermes reefs? Are you sure about it?"
"A ten-per-cent yield," she said. "We’ve been there two weeks."
Carson whistled. The usual percentage was one pearl to every thousand shell.
"Virgin bed, eh?" he exclaimed. "Deep?"
"No. Beyond fifty feet there’s coral mud. Oysters can’t live there." ”

“ All of them watched Carson fearfully, and the girl Helga, standing there straight and slim in the moonlight, held her gaze steadily upon him. He puffed at his cigarette for a space, then tossed it away, up and over the rail. In the silence, they heard the hiss as it struck the water. Carson held up his hand.
"Give me a lift, Helga, will you?" She helped him to his feet. He looked out over the water, then turned to Klang and smiled.
"Good! " he exclaimed. "As Allah liveth, ye are true men. Better that the ship is lost, than you. Get to work here ”

“ Come aboard and hand over the pearls, and you can have your schooner. Give you my word of honor, Cap’n!"
"Aye?" returned Carson. "How about the men with you? They agree?"
Benders turned and spoke. Voices broke out around him In quick assent. Carson listened, his senses set to distin guish them. The two Filipinos and another. Three men with Benders, then, on the lugger. Probably three on the lugger, since there had been six in all. He scarcely heard what the little mur derer had said about his pearls, although the words showed that Benders was speaking the truth and had found them. ”

“ Benders let loose a volley of startled oaths.
"You try it, and we’ll drill youl" he yelled, then calmed down. "Tryin’ a bluff, are you? Bailing your head off. Yah! Don’t come anything like that over me, Cap’n! You’ll do no running with a hole punched in your boat! We’ve got both craft, and I’ve got your pearls right here—your pearls, savvy that ? Out of your cabin safe behind the panel! You step along here and hand over them babies you got off me and Maguire, and I’ll let you take your ruddy schooner and clear outl That’s a fair offer, aint it?"
"Aye," said Carson, "if you mean it." ”

“ He’s got her, Looey! They’re coming with herl"
Both of them took for granted that Carson was coming with the lugger. So they paid little heed to the fog-bank that so swiftly enclosed and hid the reefs. The lugger had circled well out of it, and held the faint breeze, and the fog did not quite come to the Nautilus, for she lay moored in the south channel where the wide rush of water broke the fog and checked its course. The Arafura Lass closed in gradually, the wind dying out by degrees, but it was a long while before she drew down within hail. ”

“ Klang leaped to his feet. "Tuan-ki," he cried, giving Carson the title of royalty, "only God knows the destiny of manl We who follow you, are proud to be your men."
He made a gesture to the others, and they leaped into action. But Carson turned to the girl and laughed a little, and pressed her hand.
"Helga, thanks for waking me to sense," he said abruptly. "What a fool a man can be at times! ”

“ There was a Jap lugger here when we come, but she was in among the reefs. That blow we had the last three days got her. Drove her over there to the east and finished her among the reefs. Not a man got clear."
"Hml" said Carson, and met the other’s gaze. "Sure it was the blow?"
"Yes, said Maguire, and laid down his rifle. "Oh, I know what’s in your mind, blast you! But it aint so. No use fighting over this. There’s enough for them that comes first, and then the game’s up. We’re here ahead of the season, and it’s been damned unsafe, let me tell you ”

“ They were drunk, all of them; they had broken into the liquor store. We went aboard and slew them, but the ship was sinking. We tried to get her papers, your things, but she went down very swiftly, slid off the ledge. She is gone. ”