Trial by Typhoon by Albert Richard Wetjen Read online

  afterwards it is useless even for small boats.

  “That’s a stroke of luck.”

  Gentleman Harry had calculated things

  Altogether that night seven of the most

  to a nicety, except he had not planned to make

  famous buyers in the South were deftly his clean-up until the following night. The knocked out and robbed, and in the riotous

  presence of Typhoon Bradley and the fact that

  whirl of the pearling beach their absence that night there was a favorable wind had passed almost unnoticed.

  induced him to act sooner than he had

  expected. At the three or four knot speed the

  OUT in the lagoon the rakish and fast bark

  Wanderer was making she would be several

  Wanderer slipped her cable and began to hours reaching the channel and clearing for move silent as a ghost away from the rest of

  the open sea. And she would just have time to

  the shipping. Two whaleboats, filled with men

  scrape through before the tide turned. If

  ahead of her, were towing her. Two miles out

  pursuit could be delayed for only an hour after

  the canvas was set and before the urge of a

  that the Gentleman was reasonably safe.

  gentle wind she moved toward the channel.

  Behind her a stab of red flame HE rubbed his hands together and walked up suddenly spurted up from Chang’s schooner

  and down the poop with Tench. He was highly

  the Lotus Bud, followed almost at once by a elated. He had pulled off one of the most

  similar red flame from Cumming’s brig the

  spectacular raids in the history of the Islands;

  Hyacinth. On the poop of the Wanderer had made a laughing stock of Typhoon

  Gentleman Harry chuckled.

  Bradley and was in a position to dispose of his

  “Neat work,” he boasted. “That’ll keep

  old enemy for good. He could not resist the

  the whole beach busy for a while saving the

  temptation to tell him so and he and Tench

  ships.”

  went down to the main cabin.

  Action Stories

  10

  Bradley was conscious now, his head

  track.”

  and one side of his face covered with dried

  The other shrugged. Captain Tench

  blood and his limbs cramped from his bonds.

  poured a drink and tossed it down with relish.

  He blinked in the sudden flood of light when

  “We ain’t fools,” he growled. “We set

  Gentleman Harry opened the door of his fire to two packets so the others would be kept prison and with Tench’s aid hauled him into

  busy. And we’ll be at sea just ahead of the tide

  the main cabin and sat him in a chair.

  turn. That’ll shut ’em in for a while.”

  “Well,” he said coolly, although his

  head was throbbing as if it would burst. “You

  IT was true. Bradley thought hard. From the

  seem to have pulled off something.”

  looks of things the Gentleman would get away

  The Gentleman lighted a cheroot and

  with it. If he wasn’t stopped this side of the blew smoke into Bradley’s eyes.

  channel there wouldn’t be a chance in a

  “I have,” he boasted. “I’ve cleaned out

  hundred of catching him. He had a big crew

  the beach.”

  also, nearly all white men, and heavily armed.

  Typhoon stared at the little pile of There’d be a bloody fight even if the pearling canvas belts and chamois leather bags that lay

  ships did overtake him by some miracle.

  on the table. He recognized Chang’s belt by

  Typhoon groaned and the Gentleman laughed.

  the ornate embroidery. He recognized

  “I suppose you wonder why I’m

  Cummings’ chamois sack, and Peira’s initials

  keeping you?” he jeered. He leaned forward

  showed he had been cleaned too. The and with savageness struck Bradley’s face Gentleman laughed.

  with his open hand, struck him again and

  “Seven of ’em,” he sneered. “Two-

  again, his features convulsed and his eyes

  thirds of the season’s output and the cream of

  burning fire.

  the lot.”

  “Damn you, Bradley! I’ve got you

  “Clever.” admitted Typhoon evenly. now. You’ve had a long run, over ten years,

  “How did you manage it? Kill them?”

  and you’ve got in my way too many times.

  “Not at all. No need for that. Merely

  You remember the first time, eh? On Balata

  had ’em knocked out and tied up. Limpy Beach. You smashed my face there. You’re Smith knew all the buyers by sight so I going to pay for that, savvy?”

  brought him along to handle the deal.”

  Bradley shrugged though he was white

  Bradley nodded. Limpy Smith was a

  and tense.

  vicious little rat of a man, one of the worst

  “Seems like you’re talking too much,”

  characters of the pearling grounds, but one

  he said calmly. “Why not get it over?”

  who gained his ends by cunning rather than by

  “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” the

  force. Bradley had wondered why he hadn’t

  Gentleman sneered. “Yes, you’d like a bullet

  shown up this season but this accounted for it.

  through your damned head, a quick death! But

  The Gentleman had got hold of him and used

  that’s too easy. I owe you too much. I’m going

  him.

  to watch you die slowly, see? Dying for days

  The beach was all but cleaned, no and days.

  doubt of it, and all the verandahs of the

  “When we’re at sea I’m going to tie

  Islands would tell the tale how Gentleman

  you in a boat and trail you along astern. I’ll

  Harry had finally bested Typhoon Bradley.

  strip you so the sun can get at you. I’ll watch

  Bradley swore under his breath.

  you go mad with thirst and hunger, watch you

  “You can’t get away with it,” he stated

  try to break free to throw yourself overside

  harshly. “There’ll be a dozen ships on your

  and drown. I’ll enjoy all that. Maybe now and

  Trial by Typhoon

  11

  then I’ll bring you alongside and dribble a

  impossible that death would follow him there.

  little cold water on your chest, just where you

  Yet for all that comforting thought

  can’t reach it. There’ll be a good many in the

  Bradley was bitter. To go out lashed in an

  Islands who’ll thank me for all that. And

  open boat, to go mad with thirst and hunger

  maybe some time some skipper’ll pick up a

  while his old enemy watched and laughed and

  ship’s boat with a dried-up mummy in it that

  gloated. Bradley swore through tight teeth and

  was once Typhoon Bradley.”

  struggled furiously with his bonds. In a few

  He was insane, working himself into a

  hours there would be no hope. Once the

  fury. Even Tench stared at him with some

  Wanderer cleared the channel and the tide amazement. Tench had no liking at all for

  turned he was done.

  their captive but he was rather appalled at the

  sheer ferocity the Gentleman was exhibiting.

&n
bsp; “Bah!” snapped the Gentleman at last.

  CHAPTER IV

  “Let’s pitch him back in the cabin to think it

  TYPHOON STRIKES

  over.” He flung a glass of gin and water into

  Bradley’s face, so the shattered fragments cut

  his cheek and the fiery spirit made his eyes

  AN hour passed and then another. Typhoon

  run.

  gave up struggling with his bonds and lay

  “I’ll kill you for that!” he said between

  panting and sweating on the cabin deck. He

  his teeth. The Gentleman laughed, recovering

  could hear the shoes of men on the poop

  his calmness.

  above and sometimes caught the sound of

  “Your killing days are over,” he their voices and a mutter of laughter as the sneered. “Give me a hand, Tench.”

  wind blew into the open port. They were

  walking on the opposite side of the ship,

  THEY dragged Typhoon back into the cabin

  which was the windward side, and that fact

  again, Hung him inside, kicked him half was fortunate for Bradley.

  unconscious and then left him to stare at the

  Occasionally two of the men would

  round circle of the open port where the stars

  drop below and there would follow the clink

  shone big and flickering. The Wanderer

  of glasses in the main cabin. But Bradley was

  slipped along, the wind humming in her not disturbed any more.

  rigging, the level water of the great lagoon

  He was just struggling to his feet with

  lap-lapping along her hull, and Typhoon’s the idea of hoisting himself to the bunk for eyes grew hard as flint in his drawn face.

  comfort’s sake, when a dark shadow appeared

  A fine end it would be all right, a fine

  in the open port and there came a sibilant hiss.

  end for Typhoon Bradley who had dominated

  Bradley grew rigid.

  the South for over a decade now. His friends

  “Who is it?” he said cautiously. The

  would revenge him, of course. Shark Gotch

  shadow in the port, it was a man’s head, spoke

  would scour the seas. Cassidy of Apia would

  rapidly in a combination of beche-de-mer

  set in motion all his vast interests. Jack Barrett English and Samoan.

  would oil up his guns and lurk around

  “Ai, this is the man who was whipped

  Singapore.

  today. I learned you had fought for me. I

  Sometime, somehow, Gentleman learned also you were here and I came as soon Harry would drop before hot lead to pay for

  as I was able.”

  this night’s work. He might of course fly to

  Bradley suppressed an exclamation.

  Europe with his winnings, but it was not He remembered the half-caste Tench had

  Action Stories

  12

  flogged over the theft of a cheap belt. He had

  and Tench come below and take a drink. The

  completely forgotten the man was a member

  Gentleman came to the cabin door and

  of the Wanderer’s crew.

  hammered on it, obviously in a jovial mood.

  “How’d you get out there?” he

  “Think of the open boat, Bradley! It’ll

  demanded swiftly. “What are you on board?”

  be a long, thirsty time before you croak.”

  “I am the steward,” the other

  He laughed and returned to the bottle.

  whispered. “Be still. If you turn your back to

  After a few minutes the two men went on deck

  me I will cut the ropes.”

  again. Bradley breathed hard and pressed his

  Typhoon heaved himself to the bunk

  ear to the door. He heard a faint foot pad on

  with a tremendous effort, rolled over and the companion, and then a key slid into the inched toward the bulkhead. He felt a hand

  lock, turned and was withdrawn. The door

  touch him, searchingly, and then a keen knife

  opened the merest crack.

  sawed through his bonds. His wrists fell apart

  “I was ordered not to come below

  and he was free. A few moments he spent

  while you were prisoner here,” muttered the

  bringing some life back to his numbed fingers

  half-caste. “And I am afraid. I go now.”

  and then seizing the proffered knife he cut his

  Bradley opened the door swiftly and

  legs clear. That done he took a deep breath

  grasped the man’s arm as he was about to

  and wiped sweat from his forehead.

  make for the companion and get away. He

  “I am grateful, my friend,” he said

  gripped his hand.

  simply. “You have given me a chance to die

  “You’re not quitting on me now,” he

  like a man . . . and perhaps to do even more.”

  said shortly but quietly. “You have been a

  The other gave a little grating laugh.

  man tonight.”

  “Keep the knife, master. I will unlock

  The half-caste struggled for a moment,

  the door for I have stolen a key. And then you

  fearful that one of those above would come

  will kill Captain Tench for me.”

  below, and then something about the white

  “I wouldn’t be surprised,” said Bradley

  man’s steady gray eyes and strong jaw gave

  grimly and the head vanished. He hefted the

  him courage. He drew himself up.

  keen knife for a moment, grinned and thrust it

  “I will fight with you,” he agreed

  in his belt. He wasn’t a knife man but if no

  reluctantly and Typhoon nodded. The man’s

  other weapon came to hand this blade would

  spirit was almost broken but some trace of his

  serve.

  fighting Samoan ancestors remained in him.

  He thrust his head out of the port and

  There was the sound of someone at the

  discovered how the half-caste had reached scuttle above and the half-caste gave a gasp him. Along the hull of the Wanderer ran a and almost wilted. Bradley gripped him by the

  narrow beading about four feet below the shoulder and dragged him back into the cabin.

  scupper edge. By holding on to the scupper

  They waited, crouched by the door. It was the

  edge and resting the toes on the beading an

  pockmarked mate coming down and they

  active man could inch along and go right

  could hear him discussing something with

  around the ship if he chose. Had the Wanderer another man Bradley presently identified as

  been at sea, or heeling much to leeward the

  Limpy Smith who had evidently engineered

  feat would have been impossible. As it was,

  the shoreward end of the raid. They had

  however, she was on an almost level keel and

  several drinks before going on deck again but

  there was little pitch or roll to her.

  made no attempt to approach the cabin.

  It was evident those on the poop were

  BRADLEY waited. He heard the Gentleman

  taking it in turns to hit the bottle. Limpy Smith

  Trial by Typhoon

  13

  and the mate went up at last and the main

  better make a big swing to clear it.”

  cabin was still save for the creakings of the

  “I guess west b’ north ought to do it,”
r />   hull and muffled water noises. Bradley came

  observed the Gentleman. “We’ll wait until

  out of hiding and listened. Up above they were

  we’re abeam of Becke’s point before

  idly walking the weather deck. Bradley swinging.”

  slipped toward the companion and went up,

  They turned and paced for’ard.

  silent as a ghost, the trembling half-caste at his Bradley heard them halt to speak with the

  heels.

  pock-marked mate and Limpy Smith.

  The poop was in darkness, and as the

  “We’re going below for a snort,”

  scuttle faced for’ard it was no task for Tench growled. “Give us a shout when you’re Typhoon to crawl to the lee rail and then aft

  abreast of Becke’s point.”

  along the scupper. The main cabin scuttle, the

  “Aye, aye,” said the mate gruffly.

  skylights and a long locker that reached

  The Gentleman and Tench went

  almost to the binnacle shielded him from below. Limpy Smith and the mate came possible discovery by those across the deck.

  slowly aft. Bradley waited. They turned and

  The half-caste came fearfully with him, his

  went for’ard again and then Bradley leaped,

  teeth chattering but by now more afraid to go

  silent as a panther making its kill. His iron fist back than to go on.

  took the astonished helmsman on the jaw and

  Bradley hesitated when he could see

  the man fell on the wheel with a grunt.

  the loom of the helmsman against the stars

  Bradley lowered him to the deck, searched

  and the glow of the binnacle against the man’s

  him and cursed. While steering the man had

  white shirt. He could slip overside and swim