Sword in Sheath (16 page)

He found the mate near the somewhat blunt bow of the freighter. The first officer’s cigarette was a tiny dot of light in the dark as he lounged against the rail, his attention all for the dark bulk of the island. Kane glanced landward too. The hump of the mountain was a misshapen lump of black with the silver water lapping hungrily at its foot. But it might have been a dead land on another planet. If the cave dwellers had lights they did not use them or else such illumination could only be seen from the west.

Tang turned. He was tall even for a half-caste, taller than the American. His beardless face was smooth, unreadable. But he stood in an attitude of polite inquiry, waiting for Kane to speak first.

“Can you set me aboard the schooner?”

“If you wish it, mijnheer. Now?”

“I suppose so. Are they going to try something tonight?”

“I think not, mijnheer. To attack in the darkness, when we know so little of the land— that would be only foolishness. No, they plan for tomorrow. But I will give orders for the boat to be lowered for you. A few minutes only will it take.”

He didn’t turn away from the rail, however. Instead he hunched forward suddenly in one supple movement, the whole length of his body outlining the effort he was making to see through the night. And Kane crowded up beside him.

“What is it?”

“There is a swimmer in the water. See, from the beach there, someone is swimming toward the
Sumba
!”

For a long time the American saw nothing, then a break in the silver surface of the water showed so clearly he wondered at his own blindness. He caught the flash of what could only be a swimmer’s arms.

“Hakroun sent a man ashore —”

“He returned before their council. This is not one of ours.”

There was something bright in T’ang’s right hand. He was raising an automatic — but the American moved first.

“Don’t shoot! If there’s only one, let’s get him. He’ll have information.”

“To render a serpent harmless, cut off his head.”

“All right, but do your head cutting after I have had a chance to ask a few questions. Yes, he’s coming up about
here. Let’s go and be a reception committee.”

“Where?” T’ang sounded amused. “The ladder has been taken up. Having suspicions of just such visits I ordered it hauled up after the captain’s party left —”

“Can’t we put it down again? We may not have another chance like this. Do something, won’t you?” But Kane’s impatience did not add any speed to the mate’s deliberate pace.

“There is time,” he reproved the American. “And we can handle the ladder, yes.”

With the American’s help the ladder was put in place, then they waited above, keeping to the shadows where the moon could not finger them out.

“He is no native,” T’ang whispered, “and he is not a good swimmer either. He is beginning to tire.”

Kane could see little difference in the progress of those arms and the body which they must be propelling, but then T’ang was more islandwise than he.

The swimmer was beside the
Sumba,
and one hand clawed upward to hook on the ladder. But he made no move to drag himself out of the water, only held to the wood and rope as if that alone had been the goal for which he had battled.

T’ang venturned out of the shadow and peered down.

“He is done.”

But the words, or perhaps just the sound of a voice, injected a last bit of energy into that limp body below.

“For God’s sake — give me a hand! Help!”

Kane slipped over the rail, his feet finding the rungs of the ladder. He went down as quickly as he could in spite of his burning shoulder, down to that voice out of the night — the voice which had called out in very good English!

16

THE ROAD OF THE GODS

Between them, the mate and Kane got the swimmer to the deck, then T’ang, refusing help, carried the limp body into the wardroom, where, for the first time, they were able to see their prize in the full glare of the cabin lights.

He lay quiet, an amazing amount of water oozing out of his few rags of clothing and his matted hair and beard. The skin, stretched tightly over his too-apparent bones, was tanned brown, but it had once been white, as white as Kane’s own. This man was no island native.

But it was just as plain that he had been having a hard time. There were purple bruises on his face, and when T’ang brought towels and they began to rub him down, numerous cuts and scrapes were only too evident. Together his rescuers worked over him until at last he opened his eyes.

“Hello — ?” That voice might be weak, but it was steady enough, and there was the light of reason in the eyes above the tangle of neglected beard.

“Hello,” Kane returned cheerfully. “How do you feel?”

Teeth showed in a wide grin. “Just tops, brother, after hearing you. When did the marines arrive?”

“Were you expecting them?”

“Well, a guy can always hope. Seriously, though, what outfit is this, buddy?”

“We’re sort of a mixed dish — Dutch, American, and Moro. And you?”

“Technical Sergeant Tucker Watson, United States Army Air Force. You took long enough getting here, fella. When did you pick up our signals?”

“Your signals?” Kane’s astonishment was equaled by the other’s surprise at his reaction.

“Didn’t you come because you heard Pete’s calls?”

“Who’s Pete? No, we just drifted in here, mostly by blind luck. Do you mean that there is a bunch of you fellows ashore here — along with the pirates?”

“There were several of us,” corrected Watson. “They got Pete a few weeks back, and that left just me. If it hadn’t been for old Toothless hiding me out in the mountain, they’d have added me to their bag. We took a chance trying to make the radio work — that’s how they caught Pete. He’d been fussing with it ever since we pulled it out of the drink, thought he could patch it up. But I guess it wasn’t much good —”

“How long have you been here?”

“Dunno. A guy sort of loses track of time. We had a calendar we did a lot of guessing on. Say — is the war over?”

Kane nodded. “Little more than a year since the Japs surrendered.”

“What did we do to them — blow them off the map?”

“Just about. We let go with an atom bomb.”

“Atom bomb!”

“Yeah, we used it twice. Then they gave up. Germany
had folded before that.”

“We kind of suspected that— after the Nazis got here. Boy, they were plenty burned up and scared. The Jap leader, Sukimato, tried to stand up to them at first, but he wasn’t tough enough. It took Red Turban to pull the right sort of bluff. Now they all play second fiddle — and half the time they’re so busy watching each other they forget all about us —”

“Red Turban?”

“Uh-huh. He’s top guy here now. Pete said he was either a European gone native — or else a native who lived in Europe a long time. But when he gives orders — do they step! He isn’t here all the time, though — goes out with their raiding praus. We sure keep out of sight when he’s around.”

“Who’re we?”

“Well, in the beginning there were Dan, Pete and me. Only Dan pegged out with the fever — we’ve all had it bad. Then Pete said we’d better take cover with Toothless’ gang, they know the island’s insides — the whole mountain is hollow with passages. We went in with them when the first gang of Japs arrived. That is, we thought they were Japs — but now I’m beginning to wonder. They were peaceful cusses, kept to their own place down on the point and actually left out some trade goods for Toothless’ folks. Then this other crowd under Sukimato breezed in, and there was a grand blow-up. Sukimato’s men won out. So we took to the mountain with Toothless — while Pete tinkered with the radio. He wanted to broadcast the whole business with the hope that someone could pick up the message. I was laid up with a bad foot, cut it on coral and had a devil of a time getting over the infection. So one day Pete went out with one of the native kids, and the Japs got them both. After that I just stayed on in the mountain with the rest of the islanders.

“Then we heard about this ship, and I was sure Pete
had done it after all — got the message through, I mean. I was doubly sure after the cat came —”

“The cat?”

“Yeah. She crawled into our hideout this morning, made herself right at home. I kind of thought she came from a ship with white officers ’cause she was friendly with me from the start. So tonight I took a chance and swam out.”

“Do you know a way across the mountain — one the Japs haven’t found?”

“Sure. They aren’t so smart, and old Toothless knows this place through and through. The Nazi crowd moved into some of the caves, but they haven’t even found all of them. If we’d had anything but those old rusty swords and spears Toothless nurses, we could have cleaned ’em out ourselves. But of course we’d have to do it while most of them were at sea — like right now.”

“Boy, oh, boy!” Kane grinned down at Watson. “Are you a find! Did you hear that, T’ang? This tuan” — he slipped into Coast Malay — “knows of a secret way across the mountain. He is of my nation and has been hiding from the pirates.”

The mate nodded. “Shall I send for Capt. van Bleeker? He should know of this.”

“Where’s the big guy going?” Watson watched T’ang out of the cabin.

“Most of our gang is over on Hakroun’s schooner holding a gabfest about how we’re going to cross the mountain without being shot up in some ambush. T’ang’s going to send for them. Now, how about some nourishment — ?”

“When you say that, fella,” commented the skeleton on the lounge, “you’d better mean it! I’ve been dipping into caveman messes so long I wouldn’t know how to use a fork —”

“Then maybe soup’d go down better. We’ll try that
first.”

So when the party from the schooner stormed into the cabin some time later it was to find Kane feeding Watson, spoon by steaming spoon. For the gunner, having burned out his strength in that last desperate swim, was unable to raise his wasted hands to his mouth.

“Take it easy,” Kane growled at the newcomers, “he’s about done in.”

But that they had already seen for themselves, edging back from the lounge to allow the American room in his self-appointed task.

“How’s that?” he asked as the spoon scraped the bottom of an empty bowl.

“Swell, just swell. Haven’t got a real smoke on you, have you?”

It was Lorens who produced the cigarette, put it between the thin lips, and lighted it, almost all in one swift movement. After Watson had drawn deep the Netherlander withdrew it for an instant while the rescued man puffed out the fragrant smoke. Then Watson sighed.

“Swell — just swell,” he repeated drowsily.

Lorens was feeling for the pulse in a bony wrist. Then he nodded almost imperceptibly at Kane.

“Suppose you take a nap.” The American caught the message and acted upon it. “We can do the rest of our gabbing later — we have all the time in the world now —”

“Sure — all the time in the world — ” The eyelids closed, and Watson was in the heavy sleep of exhaustion.

Kane pulled the cotton blanket up over the bruised shoulders and followed the rest out of the cabin.

The sun was already climbing when they gathered there again. Outside the voices of the men, overhauling fighting equipment under the watchful eye of T’ang, made a steady murmur. But within Watson’s hesitating words were the only sounds to break the silence of the wardroom.

“Past the outcrop and then straight up and in. You can’t see it at first — not until you are almost on it —”

“Go into the small cave.” Van Bleeker repeated earlier instructions. “And then climb up —”

“Yes. You may find Toothless’ man there — if he isn’t too scared. Most of them won’t venture in that far — they’re afraid of ghosts — it’s all connected up with some old chief or king who cursed the place. They think that he engineered the earthquake which killed off most of the people here in the old days. And that climb is no cinch. It’s a darn sight easier to come down than go up. Take it slow and easy.”

“We come then to the passage which will bring us to the quarters of this chief, and he will provide a guide for the rest of the way?”

“That’s right. Toothless doesn’t like the Japs one little bit. All he wants is to be let alone. He’ll help you ’cause I promised him that you just wanted to run the Japs off. I don’t know why you showed up here anyway” — Watson’s f ace, shorn of its mat of beard, was boyish, but there was an odd sort of authority in the way he faced them now — “only I promised Toothless that my kind of American wasn’t out to grab all he could get.”

Kane shifted uncomfortably. Sam seemed uninterested in the ethics of the case, but the American saw Lorens’ grimace of distaste. It was the Netherlander who, after looking to van Bleeker, turned to Kuran who represented his formidable father at the conference and asked, “Does such a promise hold with you?”

“We came for pearls — and for vengeance on the Japanese. We have no need for land. Nor do we wish ill to the men who dwell here rightfully. It is the word of Hakroun that they are not to be troubled.”

Van Bleeker was no man for heroic speeches, but his answer was to the point. I’m a trader. I took a beating in the war. All I have left is the
Sumba
and a stake to give me
one more try at the islands. A wise trader does not make trouble for himself. And your island is no good to me. I’d rather have the good will of this chief —”

Watson slipped down against the bolster which propped him up.

“Okay. I’m betting on your meaning that, all of you. Toothless is a right guy, kind of simple and straightforward. He thought a lot of Pete. ’Course Pete was smart, he’d been to college, was some sort of an engineer before the war. You ought to see the water pipe he rigged up so we’d get water in the caves after the Japs moved in — a slick job! Toothless thought Pete was a big chief too, used to consult him about running things. Say, Sukimato might still have the stuff he took off Pete. I’d like to have it back if you find it. Want to send it home to his folks — ”

“I’ll get it for you.” Sam’s promise was confident. He turned to van Bleeker. “When do we start?”

“If they are the men we believe them to be they will have a watch on us now — perhaps from the crater. Therefore we cannot move openly — I say wait until sundown.”

Lorens and Kane nodded in agreement, and a second later Kuran gave his approval, but Sam was not convinced.

“The longer we let them alone the more time they’ll have to cook up something good to meet us with,” he warned. “And, if they don’t know about this back door in the mountain, what can they do once we’re inside? I say move now and be quick about it.”

Watson agreed with Sam.

“Toothless will have a hard time holding his men long. They don’t like the cave passages on this side at all. And we are sure that the Japs don’t know this way. All any scout could see would be you walking into the jungle. He’d wait awhile for you to come out again, not knowing just where you would appear, and that should keep him
busy long enough for you all to get into the cave. They will be expecting you to move against them sooner or later anyway — ”

“Well?” van Bleeker challenged the rest of them. “What do you say?”

“I say try it now!” That was Sam.

“Guess I’ll go along with that.” Kane came in a moment later. “What Watson says sounds like sense.”

“Go now.” Lorens added his voice.

“My men are ready to move,” promised the Moro.

“Very well,” van Bleeker gave in. “We shall go now. I make every man responsible for his own arms and do not forget your torches — ”

Without Watson’s patient insistence about keeping their eyes open they might have missed the back door to the mountain. As he had said, it could not be sighted even a few feet away. But they were welcomed by a waiting sentry, a sentry who looped herself lovingly around Kane’s ankles and almost tripped him up.

“It’s that fool cat!”

“Sure. Didn’t Watson say she’d been roosting with him.” Sam looked down at the sleek form. “Look out — there she goes — ”

Go the
Sumba’s
cat did, into a narrow slit, with the party from her ship and the Moros right behind her. The fault in the rock through which they struggled was so narrow that at times it was necessary to turn sidewise and scrape through. The big Samoan and the tall Kane fared the worst at these spots, and the American wondered if he would have any skin left across shoulders and hips when this little trip was over.

He began to envy the cat who had four feet and no baggage to encumber her in the scramble over the uneven floor of the passage. The light of their electric torches, strong as it was, could not show all the pitfalls, and someone was continually stumbling.

“No wonder Watson looked as if he had just gone ten rounds with a champion,” commented Kane. “It’s the worst footing I have ever seen. This beats even the New Guinea mud trails!”

“Shut up and get on with it!” snapped Sam from behind. “We haven’t all day before us — ”

After a particularly nasty climb they pulled themselves into the round mouth of another cave, one of such size that their torches only made a circle of light where they stood. The ring of their boots on the stone echoed loudly, and a formation of bats began dive-bombing their position. The cat was thrown into a frenzy and leaped wildly into the air in pursuit, yowling in fury when she missed.

“Well, where do we go from here?” asked Sam. “Isn’t
this where the guide was supposed to show up?”

The Moro leader pointed to the right. “There is one who hides there,” he stated matter-of-factly.

Jungle wise as they were, none of them could see what Kuran had noted. Van Bleeker moved toward the wall.

“Can you speak with him?” he asked softly of the Moro.

The man shrugged. “I can try.” He lapsed into a slurred speech of which Kane could not understand a word.