 log entry the catch scarlet queen position 19 degrees 14 minutes north 108 degrees three minutes east wind light sky fair remarks cleared port of Haifeng French Indochina 9 a.m. after unlogged movement of vessel reason for move the courtship of Anna May Lamour. Haifeng is spread out on the edge of a niche in Asia's coastline called the Gulf of Tonkin it's a hundred miles south of the designated border between China and French Indochina it's at one of the seven mouths of the Songkoi River and the races that make up its population are as numerous as the fevers that swarm in from the surrounding swamps to reduce that population but only one member of Haifeng citizenry was important to us it was Max Thorn the local representative of my Chinese boss Kujikang through him we would receive further sailing orders for the voyage of the Scarlet Queen was 1 30 p.m. by my wristwatch when we skirted the southern edge of the low jungle tufted island called Kakba and stood in toward the steaming river mouth we edged into the welter of native craft outward bound on the ebbing tide I was so busy at the wheel that I didn't notice until she was alongside the tiny cockle shell of a canoe that had swept across the current to meet us my chief mate Gallagher gave me a call hey skipper we got a visitor what is it red she's a immodest Mike Gronesian she's smiling and she don't you be able not tell her we don't want any center back home I'm not this one skipper she's already secured to our side when did you say you were in a go for her to have been waiting for me at the mouth of the river all the time bring her up on red maybe she's from thorn hang nails and let me have on this is him at the wheel yeah skipper I have a missing for the hand of Phil Connie I didn't know why her young brown face lit up with a smile when I reached out with my left hand for the envelope but I didn't give her expression another thought after the contents of the note started to sink in it was from Max Thorn alright that said the girl will bring you to me be cautious the men you will meet in my office believe that I've sold my loyalty to them they're from mr. Kang's enemy Constantino since you're informed of the situation possibly we can foil their plans which are of course to halt the voyage of your scarlet Queen so mutual continues the voyage of the Scarlet Queen written by Gildowd and Bob Talman and starring Elliott Lewis the Scarlet Queen proudest ship to plow the seas bound for uncharted adventure every week a complete entry in the log and every week a league further in the strange voyage of the Scarlet Queen meter with two-story building a few blocks up from the waterfront in the commercial section left us in front of a narrow door sign in Chinese characters in English said China traders Kang and son the narrow under it motioned us up a narrow stairway to the second floor remembering at all times to be our own sweet smiling self made after you skip after you Mr. Max Thorn I'm Max Thorn and you're Captain Connie that's right this is my chief mate Mr. Gallagher your hand captain yeah I'm both happy and proud with your arrival come in gentlemen I want you to meet some old friends of mine this is mr. Cabot beacon Captain Connie ship is from the state's Cabot you three should find much in common good afternoon gentlemen I take it you're in the trade captain yeah we're looking at over after the cloak of secrecy thorn here assumed upon receiving word of your impending arrival we expected you and your crew to be at least bucking ears sorry to disappoint your bacon working men always do well thorn I I know you'd plan to spend the rest of the afternoon with the captain and his mate but I hope you don't mind if we hold you to your promise of giving us an estimate on our shipment of rubber I know business before pleasure yes yes of course so if you don't mind captain we can have our visit later yeah sure thorn go ahead we've got some ship business take care of ourselves maybe we'll drop by tomorrow good I'm sorry captain but you know how you know don't worry about us thorn we got plenty of time this isn't my style skipper I don't think we should have left depends on what thorn told him but I think he knows what he's doing he had a note palm when he shook my hand sure a calm customer we better wait till we get out of sight of the building before we look at it what do you make of that beacon he looks like a lawyer there's no beachcomber rad no insurance the Constantino men are getting smarter the closer we get to Kang's 10 million buck prize all except one who don't like now but he thinks he's tailing us that's getting closer to my style which one is it I don't know I haven't seen him I'm awful lucky to have a skipper like you you're such fun no I mean it right he's gotta be there come on we'll turn here and he too in the lead is billion weight it's the only way that friendly little huddle up there makes any sense hyphen harbors big beacon and pine want to know where the queen is more it so they're in the office and we get there they cut the meeting short and one of them tells us back to the ship does not make sense one of them follows us around the corner and then it'll make sense but Gallagher was rubbing his knuckles sort of hopefully when he said it it was pine he swung around the corner and stopped so he just remembered something he was supposed to have brought with him he never did get back after it now what do we do with him back and back to the ship and keep him out of sight if they keep coming one at a time we could clean this thing up this afternoon yeah what about the ones notes kipper nobody's gonna see you read it now yeah what does it say we aren't doing so good red it says we'll try to see you on your ship tonight meantime if anybody follows you do your best to evade him by no means show our hand by trying to stop him or we lose our advantage I guess we should have read it before yeah well anything could have happened to pine he could have got run over or something couldn't he sure read anything could have happened to pine I feel better if anything else had we cleaned pine up a little held him like he was intoxicated in an erect position between us and trundled into the Queen I thought that one twist like reading the note after we'd had our way with pine would be enough for one day even in high fun the one at the ship was of a different type but it was just a startling hey what's all that kipper the afterdeck of the Queen looked like a Chinese junk on laundry day lines were on helter skelter across the cockpit and back and they were loaded with underwear socks dungarees and all of it was mine Gallagher took pine forward to lock him up in the fourth peak my temper and I went to the cabin what are you doing here you return with eye of somber fire what is all this a cloud on your face dimmed instantly my beaming looks I became your menial what's that stuff doing out on deck it is to draw that isn't the way I keep my ship I think that looks from shore it must look most clean that is a great distinction of lowly lords the book said that what book of a man of your race with the extensive naming of Robert Lewis Stevenson the book also has extensive naming of the South Seas a footnote to history and you read it from it alone save a missionary teacher I learned to read and speak the English that is why I speak so alluringly yeah I noticed now we're about this washing and stuff who sent you to do it my own volition I am your menial and companionship I wish to take care of you well forget it where do you come from my village is up river I came here not unwilling to visit like a ghost and be carried like a bale among scenes that had attracted me in youth and health yeah sure what's your name I am called Anna may la moon I am called that by another of your race who has since returned to my old life of house and sick room yeah that's fine now well look here I want to pay you for the washing you did what is that well that's money five dollars American it's worth a lot in the city I do not want it when I am for a long time your menial and guardian then you will repay me we got a housekeeper skipper and her name is Anna may la more look La more you can't stay here where do you want to go I do not I've got troubles enough if you want to help me you go away for a brief period of time yeah even that would help here here's the five dollars red take her up to town will you take her where she wants to go and lose her are you're hurting the feelings and she hurt mine laundry when the time comes that I can't do my own washing I'll find a farm and a wife someplace I cleared the mess off the deck and went back into the cabin to worry about my major problem I know that the orders I was supposed to get from thorn would be directions that would lead to a meeting with Kang himself the next part whatever it was was probably the most important one on the voyage when Gallagher came back without La more we worried together about whether we followed the deal by jumping pine we worried until nine that night and then we heave two sides of relief and stopped born came into the cabin looked excited and nervous captain Connie what happened with pine pine while we we were either too cautious or not cautious enough we caught him telling us before we read your note sit down believe me gentlemen our situation was on the verge of complete collapse luckily I was able to contact a friend of mine with the local police who told Cabot that pine had been arrested for drunkenness and violence we'll have to cooperate more closely from now on from now on can't we clean this up and get out of here didn't you bring the orders from Kang the verbal orders he gave me a few days ago when he was here yes the sealed envelope I'm sorry but it was too risky I think I can get that to you tomorrow you understand what about the verbal orders listen closely there are a number of addresses at 437 Napoleon road there's diving equipment you ought to pick it diving equipment huh 437 I got it at 488 Abelard there are three boxes for you they are marked paint stores but they actually carry dynamite diving equipment dynamite all right and mr. Kang suggested that you replenish and repair the arms you carry and lay on a good supply of ammunition this sounds like a happy party don't know do you want me to repeat them for you hmm no no I think I got everything red count one and come out on deck with me the ship is a drift what stupid boy dissipate time in trouble I stupid buccaneers what's with the ship beacon you cut her a drift why it might be to sink it kept well what do you think of that red I think that it would be a shame to sink the ship Gallagher knew what I meant beacon had walked into the cabin unarmed he was well built but slim he wore rimless glasses Gallagher prowled around behind him to hit him from the low point I started moving in from the front beacon looked like he was in the middle of a ballroom as we moved in he took his glasses off and Gallagher hit him first and he didn't get up Gallagher I mean then before he turned away from red I made my rush with my right arm over his shoulders a pivot for the cartwheel my feet flew up and I landed the floor my desk and ruled off his judo so it made my right arm useless I tried to get up but he walked calmly over to me and just as calmly sapped me behind the air hey I wouldn't wonder I never saw anybody slugged as many times as you were in one night on me didn't use the sap huh but that don't mean he didn't hit me right between my neck and my shoulder and when he got through I couldn't move my arms what's that guy got skipper brains red and a good judo teacher someplace they moved the ship where are we we're up one of the Suncoy channels moved to a mudbank in a blasted jungle beacon brought some Indians aboard to bring us around our crew they're locked in the focus room but I think they're all right thorn we got troubles enough of our own skipper they kill him red after that double cross I don't know skipper but it was a dark trip and he isn't here is he where speaking he left right after we got here in pine they found him too all they left to watch us as a whole blasted tribe of Indians squatting all over the deck listen to him what that is beacon in this crew coming back or all those cannibals have got this do pot boiling for us take your choice one more oh no mine skipper say something to her yes lamo or your menial and guardian you wish to reward me can you get us out of here lamo or only you feel funny I have looked forward with enticing eyes at the leader of the guards he accepts you as my charge if you will but accept me as your menial and comradeship he will allow us to vanish together what are you waiting for skipper all right lamo or with the memory that I wash your clothes and yet now save your life yes lamo you owe me great debt I return forth with your $5 come on Lord we will vanish I made a lousy Lord but I tried my best because it was better than being cooped up on my own ship was no doubt of one thing her service was good we got into a narrow dugout canoe she paddled us a few miles downstream when we beached I could make out the faint trace of a road leading through the jungle like magic a wagon pulled out of the brush there was a short chattering conversation between Lamour and the driver who looked at me appraisingly then nodded she and I got into the wagon and left in an hour and a half later we stopped in front of Max Thorn's office my Lord has business in this place I wish I knew you better Lamour I wish I knew how smart you were or how stupid and how much you know or how much you don't know you already owe me a great debt my Lord but perhaps I will help you further you will go into the office now I will okay Lamour anything you say the experts have said that the native mind is simple but impenetrable at that point I wasn't sure the first half but I was convinced of the second I waited outside the office door for a half a dozen breaths listening there was no sound and there wasn't any light coming from under the door when it bent down to look it was unlocked I pushed it open suddenly jumped back to hug the wall and waited some more then I walked in found the light switch and snapped it on no one was there but someone had been the place had been torn to pieces I didn't go to much trouble in my own search for the sealed envelope Thorn had told me about the one who'd searched before me had done about all I was to do I fumbled through some of the junk that have been dumped in the desk drawers I was just moving toward an overturned file cabinet when I heard the floor creak under a shoe behind me following an outthrust automatic into the room was Cabot Beacon and following him more alive than I was was Max Thorn well captain you've gone to a lot of trouble here in the office looking for a non-existent sealed envelope wait a minute thorn whose side are you on to be quite candid I found the constant you know money irresistible I had no idea he was so interested in Kang's ten million dollar secret he'd throw his money away on you in a sense I agree with you county you were stupid to trust that girl thorn but there's our arrival must reveal to you captain county there are also informers working against her we haven't failed yet nor are we likely to what have you gained beacon what was this fancy double-cross you were passing around that was my idea county rather good I think you're overeducated beacon sufficiently county is it possible that you don't know what Constantine a once no what he wants I've been bucking him all the way from San Francisco for what he wants I don't know where Kang's prize is so there's no way you can sweat it out of me it's like this captain my orders from Constantine a were only to stop you so that he will have time to plan new strategies while Kang finds someone to take your place you are stopped your ship hidden in the jungle will stay there to be dismantled and scuttled yes but there is one way out yeah I know the one you took thorn you don't need to bother with it you're an odd man I'm a bad loser when somebody out smarts me I never get rid of the urge to kick him around I kill you the first time either one of you turned your back on me you're really quite picture as candy aren't you yes it's too bad you feel that way I know I lost a lot of friends don't try anything kind of where you're going let him go thorn but on his first attempt at anything shoot him don't worry about me feel like moving around feel free to do anything you like honey thanks what I'm really doing is holding your attention like thorn held mine while you were slipping the moorings on a scarlet queen so somebody can sneak up behind you I did overestimate you didn't I that isn't that you're just too intelligent to fall for an old gag like that even when it isn't a gag this one more I'll take thorn don't react on it's a stupid they didn't believe me even when I shouted at her I had more respect for beacons judo than for the 45 but he went down like a dead man under her blow and I had gone off balance from the surprise he pulled the trigger twice in desperation but the slugs just chipped the ceiling he relaxed when I hit him and lay next to beacon I looked at lemur she was leaning on her war club leaning over beacon was only a stake from the wagon but the stealth of her movement up the stairs across the hall and into the room been pure beautiful savagery this one is no longer dangerous you clubbed him well more he's entirely drained of danger I have been your salvation again have I indeed not my lord yeah I'm afraid you have more you would have reached quickly the end of your span of years if I had not arrived so vigorously but I have a feeling of concern that I cannot always arrive what do you mean I have brought to you yet your constant ally before me wait a minute you don't mean you've brought down it was quite shoving quite shoving will I'm getting there as fast as I can rad skipper hey skipper what's going on who's that beacon and pawn yeah how'd you get here red well it seems I got a friend in that tribe too but he's old and ugly and they don't talk like yours though how'd you come around the queen the queen right after you left the Indians hoisted anchor and we come around she's lying enough birth now she all right oh nothing worse than a few tree branches following Oregon I'm telling you red this one is the fourth with enticing eyes upon the leader I know you talked them into bringing the ship around indeed I did just that when you are prepared and rested and ready for travel we will proceed to your ship okay you heard what the boss said Gallagher boss I thought she was your slave things have changed mate things have changed if I could have found anything to complain about with the way things had gone it would have been the way my debt to her developed that the fact that there had to be a payoff and the fond look in her eye that gave me a hint of what kind of a payoff it would be she held my left wrist with a new possessive touch all the way to the ship she was still holding it when we all went into the cabin feel funny your debt to me has grown like a palm tree it now transitions to a mountain with the message I derived from the envelope I found in the office of Max Thorn you certain instructions from some man named Koochee Kang what you some man named Koochee Kang Lamora that's the only reason I came to have fun to get instructions from Kang what are they remembering that I and me alone give them to you I say yet you will sail to Singapore you will find Koochee Kang in room 207 in the Metropolitan hotel is that not stunning yeah in your country you are forced to pay all debts well in my country we seldom have debts like this one but look Lamora you are a splendid man yeah but really Lamora well you're not cut out to be a menial you you ought to marry some fine strong man from your own people I know what I owe you and how you feel about things like this how did you learn of my marriage you you're planning on marriage to someone you know he is tall and fine and I will teach him to speak as I speak oh you don't want to be my menial and comrade whatever it was I wish now to end my service to you it has been very great mm-hmm you perhaps wish to repay me anything I have watch it skipper from the beginning I have greatly admired that which you wear on your left wrist it is of shining brilliance and it's tick-tock tick-tock would lull my future my wrist watch you mean you've done all this for my wrist watch indeed yes how could I have hoped for its attainment if they had killed you and the watch would carry down the river with your body Bill Connie the great lover yeah here's the watch anime Lamor by 9 the next morning we cast off and threaded our way through the downriver traffic we picked up the deep water swell and the breath of the trades when we skirted the southern rim of cock by glad to feel a fresh breeze after the listless heat of high-fung may scramble to their stations to hurry us out where the winds were even fresher and cooler unfolded filled pull the mast over into a bow to the power of wind and sail mizzenboom swung over my head the scarlet queen fought at the water of Tunken Bay with a bow and left it churned and beaten in her wake right red they like this all the way to Singapore and I'd like and so we're finally gonna meet your boss that's the word I got a few things to say to him myself how you'll like him I'd better after what I've been through for him but you like your work read why was just thinking what's gonna happen when we run into something like that high-fung rat race and you don't have a watch to make some poor little Indian girl think you're worth saving I felt that one coming around and you afraid you were breaking off oh you better have a drink skipper yeah for my injured male vanity after you mate after you log entry the catch scarlet queen 11 30 p.m. miles traveled from San Francisco 11,658 sky fair wind rising mainsail and mizzen reef ship secure for night signed Philip Carney master the voyage of the scarlet queen has come to you through the worldwide facilities of the United States Armed Forces radio and television service