Sword in Sheath Read Online Free Page B

mine.”
    “Fair enough,” Kane agreed. “Then you will take us?”
    “Before the war the Sumba carried a few passengers at times. I have two extra cabins. One of them is yours, if you wish, since Capt Boone sent you to me. I have the pleasure of his acquaintance.”
    “Do you have any other passengers?” asked Sam.
    “One. A countryman of mine, who, before 1941, had extensive business interests in the Indies. And now, if you wish to embark on the Sumba, I would suggest that you get your gear aboard tonight We sail early in the morning.”
    “What is the passage charge?” Kane wanted to know.
    Van Bleeker shook his head. “Since you do not know as yet how far you will travel, I cannot say. Let us settle that when you leave the Sumba. Will that be satisfactory?”
    “Certainly. You sail very early?”

    “Yes. I would advise being aboard by midnight I trust you will find the Sumba a pleasant ship. Until we meet again, gentlemen.” He raised his glass in a half-toast as Kane and Marusaki got to their feet.
    But Sam was frowning as they walked out to the street. “Our worthy captain is not quite the simple soul he would have us believe him. And what about this other passenger — who or what is he?”
    “Boone steered us to the Sumba, and Dead-Eye knows his stuff. You think that there's something wrong with the set-up?”
    “A little too smooth. Van Bleeker is so obliging that one could almost believe our passage had been all arranged before we ever showed up.”
    “That may be Dead-Eye's little present to us.”
    “I certainly hope so. We'll be stuck on this tub a good long time, and lots of queer things could happen to us without any awkward questions being asked later.”
    “You don't trust van Bleeker?”
    “I don't know. He's sea-shipped cream. But I’d hate to be on the other side of any bargains he's making. Oh, blast! Maybe I'm just off my feed. Too much paper work in that oven this afternoon. Let's get our stuff and pull out of this swelter. There may be a breeze hanging around down on the bay.”
    When Kane opened the door of their room and felt about for the light cord he allowed himself a slightly annoyed comment.
    “You are off the beam. Forgetting to lock the door— ”
    “What d'you mean — forgetting to lock the door! I tried it, and it was tight enough when — ”
    “I think then” — the light snapped on, Kane's mouth became a thin line, his eyes burned green — “we've had a visitor. Pity he didn't stay to meet us. Untidy creature, wasn't he?”
    Sheets and pillows had been pulled from the bed andlay in a muddle on the floor. From the sides of both pillows feathers gushed through rents in the ticking. Their kit bags had been emptied by the simple method of turning them upsdie down upon the mattress of the denuded bed. After that the linings had been ripped from their interiors. There was not a lid left on any box, and Sam gave a soft, furious exclamation as he stooped to pick up a tube of shaving cream, the contents of which had been squeezed out across the front of a clean shirt.
    “Somebody wanted something and wanted it bad.” Kane started sorting through his maltreated wardrobe. “I wonder what they thought we were transporting — crown jewels?” He found a neat coil of tooth paste on one pajama leg and swore — hurling the flat tube across the room.
    “No hotel theif did all this,” began Sam.
    “Don't you suppose I've guessed that?” snapped Kane. “This guy — or guys — was hunting for something special. Only it would be kind of interesting to know what it was we are supposed to be carrying.”
    “They weren't after these anyway.” Sam picked two papers out of the general mess. “These are Boone's — ”
    “No. They must have thought we carried something from the States. See, that package over there — the one of tropical slacks we bought today? It isn't even open. This smacks of the good old days before the war was over — ”
    “What d'you mean —