Sword in Sheath (19 page)
Authors: Andre Norton
Sam chuckled. “Stock in a pearl bed? How about it, Watson? That sound good to you?”
“Let it be that way.” Van Bleeker ground out his cigarette. “We split the stock three ways, and each then decides who he will share with.”
“But it does not go beyond this present company!” Hakroun warned.
“That is understood,” Lorens agreed. “Let us have a hundred shares. One to go to the head of these cave people, thirty-three to each of us. Then — ”
“Not more than five altogether for us — how about it, boys?” Kane asked his countrymen.
“Okay. After all, we more or less came along for the ride,” Sam returned.
“Geez!” Watson pulled himself up. “Do I rate an in on this too?”
“Well, you found Capt. van Bleeker’s back door for him,” Kane reminded him.
The captain of the
Sumba
had been writing on a page torn from his pocket notebook and now he made a copy
of his work and passed them both around the group for signatures. One he kept, and one he handed to Hakroun.
“How soon does the business start humming?” Sam wanted to know.
“Tomorrow — or after the government ship has gone,” Hakroun answered. “My divers are aboard my ship. Already they look for a place to build their village here — ”
“All’s well that ends well — or has that been said before?” Sam stretched his arms wide over his head. “Just think, brother, we’re now regular, dyed-in-the-wool — or maybe soaked-in-the-water — pearl fishermen. Wonder what Ironjaw will have to comment on that. Of course, there was absolutely nothing said in San Francisco against side line projects — ”
“If we put this on his desk he’ll forget all about us.” Kane picked up the briefcase. “And if, before we face out of his life, we are able to offer him Baumer on toast he may even love us — ”
Sam managed a very realistic shudder of abhorrence. “What a beastly idea. But I don’t doubt that there will be dancing and feasting the halls occupied by the High Intelligence when we are able to report. Only then we shall be the forgotten men.”
“Well, then we can come back here and be stockholders protecting our interests. How about it, Lorens, can you use a couple of good inside or outside men? We can bring testimonials — I think.”
“Whenever you wish to come, you shall be welcome — and there will be work to do.”
Kane sobered. “D’you know, I think that you mean that!”
“But naturally. Do you think that this affair is the end of all our journeying? No, we are but beginning. For you there can be beginnings too.”
“That we shall keep in mind — for reference if Ironjaw
is not in the best of moods.” Sam caught up the offer with his usual lightness. “What about you, Watson? Does Stateside have any appeal?”
“Does it!” The light which came into the thin face of the gunner made the force of his answer double. “Lordy, fellas, when do we sail?”
“After the red tape merchants have had their way with us probably. You know” — Sam ran his fingers through the thick waves of his hair — “there’s only one loose end which we can’t tuck neatly into the pattern.”
“And that?” asked Kane.
“What were those Johnnies looking for — the ones who made hay of our stuff back in Manila?”
“The answer to that quiz question is easy.” Kane slung his gun over his shoulder and tied the briefcase to his belt with his handkerchief. “They were probably looking for two other guys — ”
All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 1977 by Andre Norton
ISBN: 978-1-4976-5681-9
This edition published in 2014 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.
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