The Devil's Admiral

deck, partly to get a last look at Manila, but more for the purpose of considering what I s

was more than a mere spy who mistook me for one of his own ilk. This feeling was vague and formless, and I did n

ing a mystery; and, after I had tried to shake off the impression that the Kut Sang and all of us in h

, Meeker and the little red-headed man kept to the fr

king passage in the vessel? It seemed absurd to suppose that he had acted as h

s," and the further fact that Trego was in the Kut Sang. It seemed to

t the Flagship Bar, and began to wonder if Petrak did not have a hand in the m

the fore-deck and stood at the foot of the ladder leading to the bridge, where I could hear C

house door, and not until that minute did I realize that he had come along with us in th

w cap, which had the steamer's name embroidered

ought to be amused at the turn of events by which I h

eak to him about Meeker, but I disliked to invade the bridge, sacred territory

the peseta, si

rd, and, finding a peso in my pocket-five ti

keep out of my reach. I've seen

nt manner. "The steward's department must attend to the passengers, for

he nodded as if satisfied with my explanation,

him judge for himself, or be on his guard against the old impostor, whether he liked my tale-bearing o

ridge, sir; agains

ass of myself. Captain Riggs probably would not thank me for disturbing him or bothering

at the rim of hills between us and the open sea, an

d slings. The Kut Sang was plainly enough short-handed for the passage, for there were but half a dozen C

afraid I was waiting for

r to the bridge. One of

ad the wheel, a long, l

him through the wind

lock-struck, and Harris came up and went on the bridge, passing without apparently seein

escended to the hurricane-deck and greeted me affably. "Wha

eeker came around the deck-house and joined us, regarding us from under his heavy brows as

iful sight. I have never seen, in all my

the companionway. I was rather pleased at the captain's gruffness with him, and resolved

d up, and made no attempt to conc

and we shook hands, and the Malay

me-the Reverend M

said Meeker, evidently astonished because

of the pseudo-missionary, who took the seat beside me. Captain Ri

h he wore a scarlet sarong reaching to his bare feet, and evidently fashioned from an old table-cover. The hilt of a kris showed above the folds of

"Picked him up in the streets of Singapore, where he was sort o

sly proud of his queer

n, which is a menace to his fellowmen," said Meeker, shrinking aw

used at the nervousness of Meeker. "Has to pack that cheese-knife-chinks pick on him

s a dreadful example for Christians to set such people. They should

ah," said Riggs, as i

s, Mr. Trenholm? Do you app

One never can tell when it will be needed in this countr

e that you have a dagger c

the butt of the pistol on my right side-"and th

much to the discomfiture of Meeker, wh

ling machinery, Mr. Trego?" aske

hipped it apart and presented a delicate point toward Meek

in stopped laughing. "And my cabeen-eet ees one be

Meeker. "I trust that you are not armed to

spoil your appe

rego needs those

Trego, giving the ca

gs blankly. "To be sure

would say a grace,

es, I was much more interested in a little byplay between Captain Riggs and T

tting his finger to his lips, as if some subject were tabooed. Riggs nodded as if he understood. Before Meeke

ift the conversation into more congenial lines. "I trust we will all do our best to stay up to the weather in that

hen he had better commands than the old Kut Sang. He was a bluff but likable old sea-dog, but I saw

was blowing through the open ports, charged with the salt tang of the sea. The Kut Sang was humming alon

use we did not like to leave while Riggs was telling his

he ordinary, something to be long remembered. I told myself, in a premonition of things to come, that I should always remember Captain Riggs and the Rev. Luther Meeker and Trego and Rajah, and the

ang, with the chatter of the Chinese sailors coming through the p

the ports as we entered the channel. Somebody looked in

, and then to us: "It's clear, and Mr. Harris, my ma

of the steamer told us we were heading into the China Sea. We were clear of the channel by the time he had fin

ght aboard, Mr. Meeker," said

tall Briton, is called 'Long Jim,' or some such name, by his companions. They both appear to be worthy men, and it made me sad to see

r them to better themselves, for idle men in these ports fall into evil, and it is best that they shou

t I see?" Trego

ted to get out of Manila, and, as I was short-handed for chinks, I let 'em work their pass

ed with a bamboo napkin

to me. "He's got the wheel now, and, with the other two, I'

" demanded Trego, turning his black eyes on

annoyed. "He offered his services to Captain Ri

ith hair of red?"

dedly

evidently wished to keep from Meeker and me, judging from his sign

must go to my cabeen for some cigarettes. S

Captain Riggs wait for him was more in

ion, for we all felt embarrassed-at least I did, as a result of Trego's displeasure

from his pocket and unfolde

"It concerns-my glasses! Will you pardon me for a minute while I get my

. "I hold to what I have said about

and wondered if I would

ker before the

crew is. It's not that I'm against the sailing directions in the Bible, mind, Mr. Trenholm, or an ungo

or behind him, adjusting his glasses and pi

as a literary man and a member of the press, even if in no other way, and you, my dear Captain Riggs, will be interested because it concerns the sea, and you may have some kn

Rajah, with his hands thrown up and terror in his eyes, ran toward

p. "What the devil has happened to give the

light thrown out from the gimbal-lamps in the saloon. The boy ran toward the door and pointed

on my pistol, Meeker crowding against my shoulders. In the dim

ted Riggs, darting out and seizing the o

the heart, the sailor's sheath-knife whic

gs, turning to us as if we could explain the tragedy. "What

h us but a minute ago?" asked Meeker, aghast as

houted Riggs. "It's Trego and no

" whispered Meeker, staring at me with wi

ain Riggs bawled at

leaning forward again. "In the

over the dead man