A Man to His Mate

he owned jointly with another man, both of them members of the Corinthian Club. While the Curlew had made no blue-water voyages, they had sailed her more than once up

he-with a throat that seemed to be coated with ashes, strangely contracted-a nauseated stomach-eyes that saw things through a haze-limbs that ached as if bruised-the sounds

sunlight the roll and pitch of cabin walls, listening to the low boom of waves followed by the swash alongside that told him the Karluk was bucking heavy seas, a

t's this?"-the question of a blind man who coul

e they thought he might print the story of the island treasure beach in his paper, or babble of it an

position the girl would take in the matter. He could not think of her approving it. Yet she would naturally side with her father, as she had done against Lund's accusations. And Rainey suspected that there was something back of Lund's charge

revert to savage type, and their minds and actions are swayed by the primitive urge of lust. Treachery, s

come down from the frozen North, in from the deserts an

ged with leaving a blind man on a broken floe. Lund was the type whose passions left him ruthless. The crew-they would be bound by shares in the enterpr

got well out to sea before they disposed of him, so there would be no chance of his telltale body washing up along the coast for recognition and search for clues?

k. But they would not suspect foul play at first. He had no immediate family. His landlady lodged other newspapermen, and was used to their va

be a front-page wonder for a day, then drop to paragrap

the main room of the schooner. Why had they treated him with such consideration? He dozed off, for all his wretche

uled, going north against the trade. He fumbled for his watch. It had run down. His he

that had held him to idle thinking had given way t

cabin opened and the doctor appeared, nodded coolly as he saw Rainey moving,

"Pull you together. Then we

fuming to his brain. He took the glass and hurled its contents at Carlsen's face. The doctor dodged, and the stuff splash

raid it's drugged? I would not be so clumsy. I could have given you a hypodermic whil

urself again after Tamada has fed you. Then we'll thrash out the situation. Leave it, and

surgeon. But Rainey felt that he had made a fool of himself, and he took the second draft, which almost

manded. "Pretty high-handed.

etween us and Unalaska but fog and deep water. Before we get back you'll see the payment i

g the way he did. It's a wonder some one did

thinks everybody else is watching him. It's a genuine risk. If they followed us, they'd crowd us

e might have done it ashore before you brought him aboard

given yo

island when Lund blurted it out. You knew too much. Suppose the Karluk fought up to Kotzebue Bay and found a dozen power-vessels hanging about, waiting for us to lead them to t

a red-blooded man. If we win-and you saw the gold-you win. We expect to give you a share. We haven't taken it up yet, but it'll be enough. More than you'd ea

rgument, though he didn't like the man. He didn't trust the doctor, though he

bit?" ask

es

ou nav

ught a hint of empha

said. "Got a gen

re you open to reason-and food? I'm sorry about your friends and folks ashore, but you're

s no help for the situation, save to make the most of

. Have a

istible craving for a smoke. Besides, it wouldn't do for the doctor to know he mistrusted him. If he was to be a part of th

question?" a

l the talking, making me offers. You drugged me on your own impulse. Where's the skipper? H

e, Rainey. I came to you partly as your doctor. But I spe

esist the shot. He had gathere

s eyes n

uld not judge the statement for threat or friendly promise. "As for my sta

ehow he could not place the girl as the doctor's fiancée. "I suppos

lsen enigmatically. "

n Rainey entered, but there was a place set at the table. Through the skylight he noted, a

there. A canary chirped up and broke into rolling song. It was all homy, innocuous. Yet he had been drugged at the same table

some ham and eggs, strong coffee, sliced canned peaches, bread and butter. He served as Rai

said as he pushed asi

ight, sir?" pur

ney felt for his own cigarettes. He hesitated a little to smoke in the cabin, thinking of the girl, wondering whether she was

dicapped with his blindness, would live perpetually suspicious of Simm

nd made him turn, to face the girl. She looked at

said Rainey. "Are

nt. He had yet to know how she stood concerning his presence aboard. Did

go with us," she said, pleasantly enough

n helped me to

t stood lightly swaying to the pitch of the ves

she said. "I hope you ar

up his mind to ignore them. There was nothing to be gained by telling

he said. "I was going

rl. They were not to be intimates. She was to marry Carlsen. He was an outsider. Carlsen ha

door. "Mr. Bergstrom, who was mate, died at sea last voyage. Doctor

so that they had taken in no replacements, no other men to swell the little corporation of fortune-hunters who knew

to waken Lund. At last

thes, his glasses in place. Rainey wondered whether he slept in them. Lu

s my eyes, though the optic nerve is dead. Se

o be satisfied with half answers, and undoubtedly felt that he held a proprietary interest in the Karluk by virtue of his being the original owner of the secret. Rainey wond

ey ended his recital of the inte

Here you are on the road to a fortune. I'll see yore share's a fair one. There's plenty. It ain't a bad billet you've

his voice m

ard enough. I'm blind. I've bin done dirt once aboard the Karluk, and I don't aim to stand for it ag'

ause for bein' suspicious. I don't call the skipper Honest Simms no more. And I ain't stuck on that doctor. He's

y. "He doesn't look extra well, wha

"He ain't the same man. Mebbe it's his c

y the captain's dau

lk in the cocoanut. She's a stranger to me. Lived ashore with her uncle and au

for Rainey's knee, found it as readily as i

ey've played me once they may do it ag'in. And they've got the odds, settin' aside my eyes. But I can turn a t

her. We'll be mates. Treat 'em fair if they treat us fair. But don't forget they fixe

to Rainey's leg above the knee with a grip that l

Now you an' me'll have a to

freedom and sureness, chuckling as he handled bottl

they's other things comes to ye. I know the run of this ship, blindfol

glass, though Lund went on lowering

ant asked presently. "An' a scholar.

"I know the general principles, but I've never tried to use a se

es a doctor know about na

the girl had said,

. "Wish I could. But it 'ud be hard without my eyes. An'

y had both Lund and Carlsen seemed to lay stress on this matter? W

his hand laid on Rainey's shoulder, perhaps for guidance but with a show of familiarity, Rainey saw the girl looking at him wit