A Man to His Mate

by J. Allan Dunn

  CHAPTER VII

  RAINEY MAKES DECISION

  "Well?" asked Lund, "what are you goin' to do about it, Rainey? Stickwith me, or line up with the rest of 'em, work yore passage, an' thank'em for nothing when they divvy the stuff an' leave you out? You've gotto decide one way or the other damn' quick, for the show-down's on theprogram for ter-morrer."

  "You haven't said outright what you are going to do yourself," repliedRainey. "As for me, I seem to be between the devil and the deep sea.Carlsen has got some plan to outwit the men. It's inconceivable thathe'll be willing to give them equal shares. And he has no use for me."

  "You ought to have grabbed that gun of his before he did," said Lund."He'll put you out of the way if he can, but, now his temper's b'iledover a bit, he'll not shoot you. Not afore the gold's in the hold. Onething, he knows the hunters wouldn't stand for it. They've got dust intheir eyes right now--gold-dust, chucked there by Carlsen, but if he'dbutchered you he'd likely lose his grip on 'em. I think he would. Idon't believe yo're in enny danger, Rainey, if you want to buckle in an'line up with the crowd.

  "As for me," he went on, his voice deepening, "I'm goin' to tell 'em togo plumb to hell. I'll tell Carlsen a few things first. Equal shares! Afine bunch of socialists they are! Settin' aside that Carlsen's bullin''em, as you say. Equal? They ain't my equal, none of 'em, man to man.All men are born free an' equal, says the Constitution an' by-laws ofthis country of ours. Granted. But they don't stay that way long.They're all lined up to toe the mark on the start, but watch 'emstraggle afore they've run a tenth of the distance.

  "I found this gold, an' they didn't. I don't have to divvy with 'em,an' I won't. A lot of I. W. W.'s, that's what they are, an' I'll tell'em so. More'n that, if enny of 'em thinks he's my equal all he's got todo is say so, an' I'll give him a chance to prove it. Feel those arms,matey, size me up. Man to man, I c'ud break enny of 'em in half. Put mein a room with enny three of 'em, an' the door locked, an' one 'ud comeout. That 'ud be me."

  This was not bragging, not blustering, but calm assurance, and Raineyfelt that Lund merely stated what he believed to be facts. And Raineybelieved they were facts. There was a confident strength of spirit asidefrom his physical condition that emanated from Lund as steam comes froma kettle. It was the sort of strength that lies in a steady gale, a windthat one can lean against, an elastic power with big reserves of force.But the conditions were all against Lund, though he proceeded to putthem aside.

  "Man to man," he repeated, "I c'ud beat 'em into Hamburg steak. An' I'vegot brains enough to fool Carlsen. I've outguessed him so far."

  "He's got the gun," warned Rainey.

  "Never mind his gun. I ain't afraid of his gun." He nodded with suchsupreme confidence that Rainey felt himself suddenly relegating thedoctor's possession of the gun to the background. "If his gun's the onlything trubblin' you, forget it. You an' me got to know where we stand.It's up to you. I won't blame you for shiftin' over. An' I can git alongwithout you, if need be. But we've got along together fine; I've took anotion to you. I'd like to see you get a whack of that gold, an' all thedevils in hell an' out of it ain't goin' to stop me from gittin' it!"

  He talked in a low voice, but it rumbled like the distant roar of abull. Rainey looked at the indomitable jaw that the beard could nothide, at the great barrel of his chest, the boughlike arms, the swellingthighs and calves, and responded to the suggestion that Lund could risein Berserker rage and sweep aside all opposition.

  It was absurd, of course; his next thought adjusted the balance that hadbeen weighed down by the compelling quality of the man's vigor but, forthe moment, remembering his earlier simile, Lund appeared a blind Samsonwho, by some miracle, could at the last moment destroy his enemies bypulling down their house--or their ship--about them.

  "Carlsen says that the skipper's life is in his hands," he said, stillevading Lund's direct question. "What do you make of that?"

  "I don't know what to make of it," answered Lund. "If it is, God helpthe skipper! I reckon he's in a bad way. Ennyhow, he's out of it for thetime bein', Rainey. I don't think he'll be present at the meetin' ifhe's that ill. Carlsen speaks for him. Count Simms out of it for thepresent."

  "There's the girl," said Rainey. "I don't believe she wants to marryCarlsen."

  "If she does," said Lund, "she ain't the kind we need worry about.Carlsen 'ud marry her if he thought it was necessary to git her share bybein' legal. He may try an' squeeze her to a wedding through theskipper. Threaten to let her dad die if she don't marry him, likely'llgit the skipper to tie the knot. It 'ud be legal. But if you'reinterested about the gal, Rainey, an' I take it you are, I'm tellin' youthat Carlsen'll marry her if it suits his book. If it don't, he won't.An', if he wins out, he'll take her without botherin' about prayer-booksan' ceremonies. I know his breed. All men are more or less selfish an'shy on morals, in streaks more or less wide, but that Carlsen's justplain skunk."

  "The men wouldn't permit that," said Rainey tersely. "If Carlsen startedanything like that I'd kill him with my own hands, gun or no gun. Andany white man would help me do it."

  "You would, mebbe," said Lund, nodding sagely. "You'd have a try at it.But you don't know men, matey, not like I do. This ship's got a skippernow. A sick one, I grant you. But so far he's boss. An' he's the gal'sfather. All's usual an' reg'lar. But you turn this schooner into afree-an'-easy, equal shares-to-all, go-as-you-please outfit, let 'em gittheir claws on the gold, an' be on the way home to spend it--forCarlsen'll let 'em go that far afore he pulls his play, whatever itis--an' discipline will go by the board.

  "Grog'll be served when they feel like it, they'll start gamblin', someof 'em'll lose all they got. There'll be sore-heads, an' they'llremember there's a gal in the after-cabin, which won't be theafter-cabin enny more, for they'll all have the run of it, bein' equal;then all hell's goin' to break loose, far's that gal's concerned.

  "A bunch of men who've bin at sea for weeks, half drunk, crazy overhavin' more gold than they ever dreamed of, or havin' gambled it away.Jest a bunch of beasts, matey, whenever they think of that gal. They'llbe too much for Carlsen to handle--an'"--he tapped at Rainey'sknee--"Carlsen don't think enough of enny woman to let her interferewith his best interests."

  Rainey's jaw was set and his fists clenched, his blood running hot andfast. His imagination was instinct to conjure up full-colored scenesfrom Lund's suggestions.

  "You mean--" he began.

  "Under his hide, when there ain't nothin' to hinder him, a man's plainanimal," said Lund. "What do these water-front bullies know about a goodgal--or care? They only know one sort. Ever think what happened to awoman in privateer days when they got one aboard, alone, on the highseas? Why, if they pushed Carlsen, he'd turn her over to 'em withoutwinkin'."

  "You hinted I was different," said Rainey. "How about you, Lund, howwould you act?"

  "If Carlsen wins out, I'd be chewin' mussels on a rock, or feedin'crabs," said Lund simply. "I'm no saint, but, so long as I can keepwigglin', there ain't enny hunter or seaman goin' to harm a decent gal.That's another way they ain't my equal, Rainey. Savvy? Nor is Carlsen.There ain't enough real manhood in that Carlsen to grease a skillet. Howabout it, Rainey; are you lined up with me?"

  "Just as far as I can go, Lund. I'm with you to the limit."

  Lund brought down his hand with a mighty swing, and caught at Rainey'sin mid-air, gripping it till Rainey bit his lips to repress a cry ofpain.

  "You've got the guts!" cried the giant, checking the loudness of hisvoice abruptly. "I knew it. It ain't all goin' to go as they like it.Watch my smoke. Now, then, keep out of Carlsen's way all you can. He maytry an' pick a row with you that'll put you in wrong all around. Go easyan' speak easy till land's sighted. If you ain't invited to thisI. W. W. convention, horn in.

  "Carlsen'll try an' keep you on deck, I fancy. Don't stay there. Turnthe wheel over to Sandy if you have to. I'll insist on havin' youthere. That'll be better. They'll probably have some fool agreement tosign. Carlsen would do that. Make
'em all feel it's more like a biznessmeetin'. They'll love to scrawl their names an' put down their marks.I'll have to have you there to read it over to me; savvy?"

  "What do you think Carlsen's game is, if it goes through?"

  "He's fox enough to think up a dozen ways. Run the schooner ashoresomewhere in the night. Wreck her. Git 'em in the boats with the gold.Inside of a week, Deming an' one or two others would have won it all.Then--he'd have the only gun--he'd shoot the lot of 'em an' say theydied at sea. He ain't got enny more warm blood than a squid. Or he mightland, and accuse 'em all of piracy. What do we care about his plans? Heain't goin' to put 'em over."

  Rainey had to relieve Hansen. He left Lund primed for resistance againstCarlsen, against all the crew, if necessary, resolved to save the girl,but, as Lund stayed below and the time slid by, his confidence oozed outof him, and the odds assumed their mathematical proportion.

  What could they do against so many? But he held firm in hisdetermination to do what he could, to go down with the forlorn hope,fighting. Blind as he was, Lund was the better man of the two of them,Rainey felt; it was better to attempt to seize the horns of the dilemmathan weakly to give way and, with Lund killed, or marooned, trysingle-handed to protect Peggy Simms against the horrors that would comelater.

  He did not believe himself in love with her. The environment had notbeen conducive to that sort of thing. But the thought of her, theirhands clasped, her eyes appealing, saying she needed a friend aboard the_Karluk_; the young clean beauty of her, nerved him to stand with Lundagainst the odds. Lund was fighting for his rights, for his gold, but hehad said that he would not see a decent girl harmed as long as he couldwiggle. Rough sea-bully as the giant was, he had his code. Raineytingled with contempt of his own hesitancy.

  The _Karluk_ was bowling along northward toward landfall and the crisisbetween Lund and Carlsen at good speed. The weather had subsided and thehalf gale now served the schooner instead of hindering her. Raineyturned over the wheel to a seaman and paced the deck. The bite in theair had increased until even the smart walk he maintained failed tocirculate the blood sufficiently to keep his fingers from becomingbenumbed, so that he had to beat his arms across his chest.

  It was well below the freezing point. If they had been sailing on freshwater, instead of salt, he fancied that the rigging would have beenglazed where the spray struck it. As it was, the canvas seemed to himstiffer than usual, and there was a whitish haze about the northernhorizon that suggested ice.

  The tall, olive-tinted seas ranged up in dissolving hills, the wind'swhistle was shrill in the rigging. Over the mainmast a gray-breastedbird with wide, unmoving pinions hung without apparent motion, its rubyeyes watching the ship, as if it was a spy sent out from the Arctic toreport the adventurous strangers about to dare its dangers.

  As the day passed to sunset the gloom quickly deepened. The sun sankearly into banks of leaden clouds, and the _Karluk_ slid on through theseething seas in a scene of strange loneliness, save for the suspendedalbatross that never varied its position by an inch or by a flirt of itsplumes.

  Rainey felt the dreary suggestion of it all as he walked up and down,trying to evolve some plan. Lund's mysterious hints were unsatisfactory.He could not believe them without some basis, but the giant would nevergo further than vague talk of a "joker" or a card up his sleeve. Andthey would need more than one card, Rainey thought.

  He wondered whether they could win over Hansen, who had spoken for Lundagainst the skipper. And had then kept his counsel. But he dismissedHansen as an ally. The Scandinavian was too cautious, too apt toconsider such things as odds. Sandy was useless, aside from hisgood-will. He was cowed by Deming, scared of Carlsen, too puny to domore than he had done, given them warning.

  Tamada? Would he fight for the share of gold he expected to come to him?Lund had described him as neutral. But, if he knew that he was to beleft out of the division? It was not likely that he would be called tothe conference. The Japanese undoubtedly knew the racial prejudiceagainst him, a prejudice that Rainey considered short-sighted, takingsome pains to show that he did not share it. At any rate, Tamada mightprovide him with a weapon, a sharp-bladed vegetable knife if nothingbetter.

  But, if it came to downright combat, they must be overwhelmed. Carlsen'sgun again assumed proper proportions. Lund might not be afraid of it,but Rainey was, very frankly. He should have snatched it from the cabincushions. But Tamada? He could not dismiss Tamada as an importantfactor. There was no question to Rainey but that Tamada was, by caste,above his position as sealer's cook. It was true that a Japaneseconsidered no means menial if they led to the proper end.

  Was that end merely to gain possession of his share of the gold, or didTamada have some deeper, more complicated reason for signing on to runthe galley of the _Karluk_? Somehow Rainey thought there was such areason. He treated Tamada with a courtesy that he had found otherJapanese appreciated, and fancied that Tamada gradually came to regardhim with a certain amount of good-will. But it was hard to determineanything that went on back of those unfathomable eyes, or to readTamada's face, smooth and placid as that of an ivory image.