 Log entry the catch scarlet queen Philip Carney mastered position 119 degrees 12 minutes east 21 degrees seven minutes north wind fresh sky fare remarks departed port of Swatau China 9 a.m. After about with Abel of the Portuguese reason for bout the story of the eight historic periods Swatau sprawl loosely out at the mouth of the River Han a hundred and eighty miles north of Hong Kong the city of great filth of Roads dusty or muddy according to the weather Of warehouses rich with pewterware and Chinese linen of citizens poor with malnutrition and a variety of resulting diseases And to us a city of great menace after the affair in Shanghai's Street of Weeping Women The Scarlet Queen knifed up against the sullen muddy current As I swung her into a narrow channel that forked off from the main river I noticed an English-made sedan keeping pace with us on a road parallel to swim The Chinese characters on its side designated it as a local police car I'd expected a reception but not quite the kind we got after we docked in a smiling uniform figure left the car and scrambled the board Which one is Philip Carney a master of this excellence yet? I am and you yeah like a chief mate. What's up? Obviously you have the admiration I cherish for those of great heroic action Knowing what this is all about will affect my reception and say the newspapers in all the cost of cities of South China Have paid you a most honorary tribute in two languages For your intelligent bravery in the safe rescue of non What the beautiful daughter of the illustrious Kuchik Kang from the hands of Lord Ketnapa's and puts off Also kindness in saving half some parents your great character make the efforts of your enemies as those of earthworm Attacking cobra. I have spoken Yeah, thanks very much Charlie. It is what I was honored to give you gracious welcome Yeah, it is order from higher office of humble swap our police that you remain in Protective cost all day wait a minute order that we may better then from your admired persons The balls from any adventure. Oh, well, we can take care of ourselves. It is understood But but your humble officer is powerless under weight of order from high office. You will come Two more uniform figures jumped out of the car at his shouted orders and Manhua Gallagher and I were hustled off the Queen and jammed into the rear seat of the sedan a Minute later. I asked our smiling officer a question. He was in the front seat and when he turned around to answer it He was holding an automatic on us That's when the custody dropped any appearance of being protective And so mutual continues the voyage of the Scarlet Queen written by Gildowd and Bob Tollman and Starring Elliot Lewis 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 I Didn't know whether the three men in the front seat were genuine Swatow cops are not when we left the harbor area But as long as that automatic was staring me in the face. I figured it didn't make any difference We skirted the business district and bumped along a dirt road that followed the riverbank About five miles out of town. We pulled up in front of a lonely two-story building that looked like it had once been an end Our guards pulled us out of the car Fristus and shoved us into the building Room was fitted out with rickety furniture and two men One of them was a heavy set swarly Latin The other was non-Hawai Shanghai kidnapper Colonel smite Forester Come in come in come in I I trust you all had a pleasant sale down from Shanghai Oh, come now. Don't be afraid heart. They're accommodations for all sit down sit down. We'll have a chance I've heard you talked before I didn't like it close water under the bridge kept it come then why be seated I will stay here or a lax man. What go ahead sit down There you are my dear you may sit close under the protecting arm of your galant captain Mr. Gallagher I can find my own Now then may I present one of my associates mr. Avala mr. Avala has journeyed up from Hong Kong I am most happy to be all right that makes us all great friends at the charming circle. What do we do with it? Come off it captain And now captain Connie I can make known to you the splendid news That is the subject as well as the cause of this meeting Then why they should please you particularly your father is well and in no danger you lie Where is my father? Oh, I understand your natural inclination to distrust my dear, but hear me out Why don't you get off of your fancy language and say something? Mr. Gallagher, please please please the news is this gentlemen at this very moment mr. Kang and mr. Constantine are what together in Hong Kong peaceably peaceably discussing the common problem is the 10 million dollar prize That has been the basis for the many discomforts which have befallen all concerned there now Is that not a stunning bit of news I do not believe it you are lying well then permit me to refer you to mr Avala who has himself just brought me the information It is true. I saw the two together myself They are making business together. What's the deal? It is somewhat the same as dividing the value of the treasure if mr. Kang will turn over five million dollars a senior Constantine Agree to return this young lady Nanhua to her father and Senor Constantino we save the expense of following you Captain Carney over the other half of the world and at the same time Well There was always the chance we might lose And now it is a good gamble from both of the sides. You got a funny idea gambling Yeah, I'll bet you're a real plunger in the game of stud. Talk how you like he called it investment The senior Constantino is paid five million dollars and he promises to forget all about the treasure You mean he leaves Kang and the Scarlet Queen alone from now. Yeah, that is right And we're supposed to swallow this. I do not believe it my dear girl I ask you only to contemplate your immediate situation If there were not clear horizons ahead for us all would we be gathered dust in such a Amicable discussion for ideas say you all know mr. Constantino's tendencies toward the violence well enough to realize that we would not I still do not believe I'll lay off Nanhua, but you said it enough. I think the colonel gets the general idea drop it What do we go from here colonel? Far as I'm concerned captain you and your company could return to your ship, but It is the expressed wish of both mr. Kang and mr. Constantino that since they are together in Hong Kong We remain together lending the completion of the negotiations and rest assured sir mr. Avalon I will make every effort to make it as pleasant as possible I'll be easy just show me to a room that's as far away from you as I can get He gets a Europe brash one He was a tough one to insult but it made me feel better anyway They had very definite ideas about what would make my state pleasant one was that I needed company Not Gallagher, but beautiful Oriental company Nanhua Another was that I needed a room locked from the outside But furnished for relaxation with just such company Including a bamboo bar stuck with an array of liquor perfectly suited for relaxing in just such a room with just such company The only thing wrong with their ideas was that I had my own Shut up. You are angry with me. I'm fed up. I'm fed up with you Your father this whole fouled-up mess Why not probably being tossed into the pot along with that five million you don't believe that why don't I I don't believe that. Why do I believe any part of it? I've never seen anything. I've been living on words It's not a great San Francisco ten million bucks But it's what how I can't stomach it. It won't stay down Ten million bucks. I'll have to see it to believe it. I haven't seen it Please the value is much greater than that from where I sit not from what I've been through to get where I am locked into This hole with you I'm sorry. So am I when it's finished hanging son can find themselves another sailor. I don't like the way it's being played We did not make a mistake. Well, then I did but what will we do? That's up to you. I Just know I've been slugged and shot out for the last time. I just know I'm through sailing after that phantom pile of junk That Phantom pile just that you should know what makes up that phantom pile of junk that in it is the story of China I'm fine. It's very pretty in it. I'll relics passed down through the eight historical periods There are two ivory tablets from the Yin dynasty which existed before the year 722 BC Upon them are carved the first and second of the sacred formula. That's fine, too That's mean much to me. There are chests of jewels from the course of challenge in There are great gold incense ends from the temples of town. There are treasures from every dynasty Feel what my father is attempting to recover for our country cannot be measured in terms of money or even in terms of life and death Perhaps if you would stop thinking of it as merely ten million dollars Then of course it is better that you do not go on with I'll get you out of here and stop It's a Hong Kong or Shanghai or any place you want to go, but that's all I'll You can find somebody else to dig up the story of China Slugging her would have been easier for both of us than the sellout But it was my idea so I stuck with it The hardest thing for me to take was her acceptance of it the cool dignity that crept over The inbred pride that like the end tablets with the sacred formula Have been passed down through the eight historical period But it worked Too silent uncomfortable hours after dark the door was opened slightly and a familiar smiling face looked in Almost admirable Captain come what do you want laughing boy? My desires are simple But I am once more waited with order from high office. You will come How about the girl? Jerry's lady will remain in protective custody Rest easy What's up laughing boy? Fortune smiles upon you. Oh, although the smile is hidden behind the fan of King fish of ebbers for sake of delicate secrecy With the stealth and silence of a hunting spider you will follow me where we going on Sudden regrouping of thoughts caused by mention of hunting spider. I will follow you Please to quickly tip to rear what in the hallway. Hmm. I couldn't quite figure the stealth act But the rest of it was right for a while We slipped out of a rear door Holding to the shadows. We stumbled across about a quarter of a mile of field Then we turned toward the road got into a car that was waiting for it Twenty minutes later we bumped our way back into town avoiding the business district again In the next turn knocked everything into place. We swung around a warehouse, and I saw the river I Shot a look at laughing boy, and he was smiling over his automatic again And then we pulled to a stop on the dock next to the Scarlet Queen What's this? Ship brings great joy to a lot of fun. I'm pleased to Johnny above Where's my crew? Surrounded by most helpful conditions and on a start in nearby Any of them hurt? No. No, they are most cooperative crew in face of many weapons Even handsome parrot was picture of calmness Please remain unexcited and in the cabin knowing that I will prevent intro Hey, come in the company. What are you doing on my ship? I wanted to talk to you Plenty of places to talk but not so good as these In the city there are too many who watch and too many who listen this meeting between you and me would not be good for them I don't think much of it myself You and I are men who are led by similar things captain. I think too. We are pushed around by the same thing I wish you would sit down with me as a friend. I hope you know what you mean I think you and I we could be great team. How do you figure that? You've been checking my references or something. I have stayed alive for 31 years because I know men Why don't you try making sense of a lot this afternoon? I learned to know you when I listened to how you talk to the girl captain huh You got a lot of tricks out of it when we put you together after this story about Kang and Senor Constantino We thought we would hear something else. What could you hear that would do you any good? Position on that Chinese stuff made. Oh, that would have been very good for us But not for you could have saved all of us some time. She doesn't know where it is You know, I believe you Kevin and got me and I think maybe everything could be all right. I Speak of what you say in that room. You told me one thing that I like to know You told me that the only thing that loyalty really counts with you is the one you have for yourself. I Wonder if I do know what you mean I Think you do I have those same feeling about loyalty. So there is the similar I am to send your Constantino much the same as you are to Kang high in the organization similar again You say you live long enough on words and promises. I am hungry for something more myself We are much alike but Why then are we fighting one another? We aren't I'm not fighting anybody over anymore. I Just want to get out of Swatow. That's all You can have everything I know about it, which is nothing Again, I believe you again. Thanks. Yeah, but captain. Don't you see the possibilities you and I pulling the strings He looks the same, but the big ones are now working for us Then after the treasure and you and I disappear they find out, but it is too late Yeah, and after you and the treasure disappear, I find out but it is too late. Oh, no, it is no good that way We work together Who else is in the colonel Mike Forrester, and it's no good too many people How about your chief made Gallagher you leave him out? Yeah Gotta be just the two of us or it's no go Can you send the Colonel back to Hong Kong? Captain Carney, I think you don't trust me yet. I mean what I say about this plan I will do everything I can to make you trust me. I will leave the colonel out I will send him away tonight Then when you get rid of your mate, we will be partners. No, that's right. That's right, and it'll be you and me That's good with me One more thing for you See go to the colonel tell him to come here Tell him Avila has a very important thing for him in the cabin of the Scarlet Queen So far I figured I've done pretty well with what I had to work with in Swatow At least I've had the right instinct about their friendly approach and their wild lie about Kang and Constantino And my sell-out act with none who I had the reaction I halfway expected anyway The finding Avila on the Queen in a loan instead of with the Colonel was something that didn't quite fit It fell into place an hour later the car got back We heard the colonel coming aboard This is big test captain. This is the first thing we do together. That's right, Avila Avila hey, what's the game Avila? Put down that weapon sir the captain. He says I must send you away Have you gone nuts No, you like it. Don't you the big test captain? I do this bad thing only to show you you can trust me Now you show me how I can trust you One more trip this time you bring the chief mate mr. Gallagher That next hour was the shortest one I've ever spent Avila never took his eyes or his gun off of me Toward the end of it. He pulled the chair into the center of the cabin facing the door gestured me into it And he pulled another one up behind me Sat down with a muzzle of his gun resting against my spine Then he handed me my own automatic By that time we'd stop talking We just sat there Waiting for the sound of red feet on the deck above The hour passed and we still sat there An hour and five minutes An hour and ten red still didn't arrive An hour and 20 an avila took the automatic out of my hand An hour and 30 he expressed himself foully in Portuguese and stood up How many men did you stand after us? I don't think you did men were enough. Yeah, maybe but they didn't come back today And that is very bad for you, captain. I think maybe there was a trick. I think maybe it's target from you. You're crazy You've been dealing this game. How could I pull anything use your head? Started inching back trying to get into a position for a rush just the door open, but I never made it It wasn't avila that stopped me. It wasn't I was too late It was the voice from the deck. It was a laughing boy And he was alone We are troubled with bad fortune. What happened the southern one Galaga He is made from the certain parts of 9000. What happened my face is gone In spite of the extreme heaviness of your orders. We could not bring him to the ship alive What you do to him is he hurt not unless he has fallen from his great height He is flying in the wings of intoxication Go ahead captain follow him. Yeah With the luck maybe he's left the drink for us The building on the river was as quiet as a tomb when we got out there. I Didn't know whether Lin Yee was smiling or not as he let us in I knew I wasn't avila followed That's scab ten inches behind me with the muzzle of the automatic in the same spot in the middle of my back When we got to the room I shared with Nonho are we stopped Lin Yee edged away from the door as though he expected it to explode in his face Since my face is already gone. I shamelessly hesitate before the den of the tiger captain I would leave myself if I could keep this gun in your bag at the same time Go ahead. I opened the door expecting to see the room torn to shreds But it wasn't I expected to see the bamboo bar covered with empty bottles, but it wasn't I expected to see Gallagher sprawled out on the floor, but he wasn't He was sitting next to nonhua on a low couch, and they both stood up as we came in Hello skipper. We've been worrying about you. Yeah, I've had a few uneasy minutes myself Before you start thinking about pulling that trigger I ought to warn you that you'd be the next one I need over here. Keep this to cover up. Please to accept a review of our Having found higher percentage who has more weight the order you lose your skin for this most Unfortunate words have been spoken Now rapid steps must be taken to save When you use rapid steps would have looked good matters the square garden He hid out all the below the knees and a rolling block from behind I went down at the same time For a split second the three of us were tangled on the floor I got up first put the arch of my seaboot across the wrist above that was done Then I kicked the gun across the room at the other foot. I let him get up when he was straightened I hit him with every ounce I had Baby it was released after having that gun in my back for so long But I didn't wait for him to come back to me. I went after him Maybe it was just the temper that goes with the name Connie For a while, I forgot there was anyone else in the room, but Abela and me or in the world for that matter Need any help? Calm down skipper you got it out of your system, haven't you? I guess we can go now, huh? Yeah, I guess so Oh Man, oh, I I guess you understand that sell-out act. I handed you don't you? Yes, sir. I understand now Shall I apologize for believing you? Oh, no, the good thing you did it wouldn't have worked if you had And you laughing boy. Oh, oh admirable never laughing captain I'm surprised at you, you know, you double-cross with the best of them. Oh, oh, no It's instead more real sincerity after overhearing true story of great Chinese treasure From perfected mouth of non who are even greater Chinese treasure. I have spoken you sure I now return to a protective custody of my position in swap our police Before one who is now prone awakens to new dawn of hateful anger By 8 the next morning after I'd apologized for the 12th time for my sell-out act and explained for the 13th time that I knew Kang wasn't in Hong Kong selling out the constantino. We got none of our space on Air Cafe to Shanghai. I Freed my crew with the help of laughing boy and gave him the handsome parrot as a parting guest And an hour later we coasted out of the river Han into the deep rolling water of the South China Sea and the trades whistling up from the lower latitude To where the will and snap to their positions of the main sheet Climbed up the mass for the morning sky filled with the wind She's trapped in the place and the mizzen swung out The scholar queen buckled down to the beam wind crossing How do you feel if they're better red Better with every mile. It goes astern. Yeah, well, there's plenty of them out there if you want them where we bound Well, I got a little surprise for you red Kang told me that if we ever ran into a stone wall like what how we would have had each Well, fine. Let's take a little cruise someplace just for a change. Shall we skip it? Where'd you like to go red Brooklyn? It's a little two-way Would you settle for Manila? Hey, you really mean it sure? I've said it to myself. I'll say it to you You're the most understanding skipper. I've ever failed under why sure I even take a little nip on watch once in a while when my mate gets around to offering it That's easy Drink skipper. That's better after you mate after you Log entry the catch scholar queen 530 p.m. Miles traveled 8,764 when brisk sky fair see cresting mental and masonry ship secure for nice sign Philip Carney master