按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
was gone。 Most probably his crew mutinied and to torture
him tied him up the way you saw。 They did the same thing
with Hilton of the Coral Lady； you'll remember。〃
〃No；〃 he said。 〃No。 The crew did not。 Nobody there on
board when Olaf was tied。〃
〃What！〃 I cried； startled。 〃What do you mean？〃
〃I mean；〃 he said slowly； 〃that Olaf tie himself！〃
〃Wait！〃 he went on at my incredulous gesture of dissent。
〃Wait； I show you。〃 He had been standing with hands behind
his back and now I saw that he held in them the cut thongs
that had bound Huldricksson。 They were blood…stained and
each ended in a broad leather tip skilfully spliced into the
cord。 〃Look；〃 he said； pointing to these leather ends。 I
looked and saw in them deep indentations of teeth。 I snatched
one of the thongs and opened the mouth of the unconscious
man on the bunk。 Carefully I placed the leather within it and
gently forced the jaws shut on it。 It was true。 Those marks
were where Olaf Huldricksson's jaws had gripped。
〃Wait！〃 Da Costa repeated； 〃I show you。〃 He took other
cords and rested his hands on the supports of a chair back。
Rapidly he twisted one of the thongs around his left hand；
drew a loose knot； shifted the cord up toward his elbow。
This left wrist and hand still free and with them he twisted
the other cord around the right wrist； drew a similar knot。
His hands were now in the exact position that Huldricks…
son's had been on the Brunhilda but with cords and knots
hanging loose。 Then Da Costa reached down his head； took
a leather end in his teeth and with a jerk drew the thong
that noosed his left hand tight； similarly he drew tight the
second。
He strained at his fetters。 There before my eyes he had
pinioned himself so that without aid he could not release
himself。 And he was exactly as Huldricksson had been！
〃You will have to cut me loose； sair；〃 he said。 〃I cannot
move them。 It is an old trick on these seas。 Sometimes it is
necessary that a man stand at the wheel many hours with…
out help； and he does this so that if he sleep the wheel wake
him； yes； sair。〃
I looked from him to the man on the bed。
〃But why； sair；〃 said Da Costa slowly； 〃did Olaf have to
tie his hands？〃
I looked at him； uneasily。
〃I don't know；〃 I answered。 〃Do you？〃
He fidgeted； avoided my eyes； and then rapidly； almost
surreptitiously crossed himself。
〃No；〃 he replied。 〃I know nothing。 Some things I have
heardbut they tell many tales on these seas。〃
He started for the door。 Before he reached it he turned。
〃But this I do know；〃 he half whispered； 〃I am damned glad
there is no full moon tonight。〃 And passed out； leaving me
staring after him in amazement。 What did the Portuguese
know？
I bent over the sleeper。 On his face was no trace of that
unholy mingling of opposites the Dweller stamped upon its
victims。
And yetwhat was it the Norseman had said？
〃The sparkling devil took them！〃 Nay； he had been even
more explicit〃The sparkling devil that came down from
the moon！〃
Could it be that the Dweller had swept upon the Brun…
hilda； drawing down the moon path Olaf Huldricksson's
wife and babe even as it had drawn Throckmartin？
As I sat thinking the cabin grew suddenly dark and from
above came a shouting and patter of feet。 Down upon us
swept one of the abrupt； violent squalls that are met with in
those latitudes。 I lashed Huldricksson fast in the berth and
ran up on deck。
The long； peaceful swells had changed into angry； choppy
waves from the tops of which the spindrift streamed in long
stinging lashes。
A half…hour passed； the squall died as quickly as it had
arisen。 The sea quieted。 Over in the west； from beneath the
tattered； flying edge of the storm； dropped the red globe of
the setting sun； dropped slowly until it touched the sea rim。
I watched itand rubbed my eyes and stared again。 For
over its flaming portal something huge and black moved；
like a gigantic beckoning finger！
Da Costa had seen it； too； and he turned the Suwarna
straight toward the descending orb and its strange shadow。
As we approached we saw it was a little mass of wreckage
and that the beckoning finger was a wing of canvas； sticking
up and swaying with the motion of the waves。 On the high…
est point of the wreckage sat a tall figure calmly smoking a
cigarette。
We brought the Suwarna to； dropped a boat； and with my…
self as coxswain pulled toward a wrecked hydroairplane。 Its
occupant took a long puff at his cigarette； waved a cheerful
hand； shouted a greeting。 And just as he did so a great wave
raised itself up behind him； took the wreckage； tossed it high
in a swelter of foam； and passed on。 When we had steadied
our boat； where wreck and man had been wasnothing。
There came a tug at the side； two muscular brown
hands gripped it close to my left； and a sleek； black； wet head
showed its top between them。 Two bright； blue eyes that
held deep within them a laughing deviltry looked into mine；
and a long； lithe body drew itself gently over the thwart and
seated its dripping self at my feet。
〃Much obliged；〃 said this man from the sea。 〃I knew
somebody was sure to come along when the O'Keefe ban…
shee didn't show up。〃
〃The what？〃 I asked in amazement。
〃The O'Keefe bansheeI'm Larry O'Keefe。 It's a far
way from Ireland； but not too far for the O'Keefe banshee
to travel if the O'Keefe was going to click in。〃
I looked again at my astonishing rescue。 He seemed per…
fectly serious。
〃Have you a cigarette？ Mine went out；〃 he said with a
grin； as he reached a moist hand out for the little cylinder；
took it； lighted it。
I saw a lean； intelligent face whose fighting jaw was soft…
ened by the wistfulness of the clean…cut lips and the honesty
that lay side by side with the deviltry in the laughing blue
eyes； nose of a thoroughbred with the suspicion of a tilt；
long； well…knit； slender figure that I knew must have all the
strength of fine steel； the uniform of a lieutenant in the
Royal Flying Corps of Britain's navy。
He laughed； stretched out a firm hand； and gripped mine。
〃Thank you really ever so much； old man；〃 he said。
I liked Larry O'Keefe from the beginningbut I did not
dream as the Tonga boys pulled us back to the Suwarna bow
that liking was to be forged into man's strong love for man
by fires which souls such as his and mineand yours who
read thiscould never dream。
Larry！ Larry O'Keefe； where are you now with your
leprechauns and banshee； your heart of a child； your laugh…
ing blue eyes； and your fearless soul？ Shall I ever see you
again； Larry O'Keefe； dear to me as some best beloved
younger brother？ Larry！
CHAPTER VII
Larry O'Keefe
PRESSING BACK the questions I longed to ask； I introduced
myself。 Oddly enough； I found that he knew me； or rather