West from Singapore (Ss) (1987) by Louis L'amour Read Free Book Online Page A

islands. Ponga Jim's jaw set hard, and his eyes narrowed.
    Suddenly he laughed. He caught the rail of the companionway to the deck outside his cabin and swung up. His hand was on the door, the Luger ready. A light flashed across him from the bridge. The Luger snapped up and roared. The light crashed out. He heard the tinkle of falling glass and then someone moaned. There was a shout from the wheelhouse.
    Ponga Jim jerked the door open.
    "Get 'em up!" he roared. He stopped, amazed. The room was empty!
    He sprang inside and rushed to the adjoining cabin. It was also empty. Wheeling, he raced for the door. From above came a shout, a shot. Aft, he heard sounds of confusion.
    He leaped to the deck outside his cabin door. A blast of wind and spray struck his face.
    A guard stood in the opening of the amidships passage. Even as Jim's eyes caught the flash of movement, the rifle roared. A shot clipped by his head. Jim fired. The man staggered and then jerked up the rifle again. Jim fired again. The man dropped the rifle and grabbed his stomach with both hands.
    Jim made the bridge in two jumps. He came face to face with Brophy. The Irishman was grinning.
    "Everything under control, Cap! You got one, I got one, an' the other got away. Get Dussel, Dormie?"
    Jim's brow creased. He was staring aft. Something had slipped up somewhere.
    "No. They weren't in the cabin."
    He strode into the wheelhouse. Longboy was standing there with a rifle. The man at the wheel was grinning.
    "Steady as she goes," Jim said. He turned to Longboy. "Get in the chart room and open the port aft. Watch carefully. Shoot to kill."
    Abdul appeared around the corner of the deckhouse. Behind him were Chino and Hassan.
    When they reached the bridge, Ponga Jim looked quickly from one to the other.
    "Two we kill. Mohamet, he die, too."
    Ponga Jim sighed wearily. "Chino, you stand by here. Brophy, keep this bridge. Don't let anybody but our men come up." Jim slipped cartridges into the Luger. He started down the companionway. It was blowing a gale now. Every few minutes the sea came roaring over the bow and swept aft, gurgling in the scuppers.
    Selim was standing in the door of the galley when they went aft. Sakim was just beyond.
    Both were watching the door of the crew's mess.
    "How many?" Ponga Jim asked.
    "Two. They stay still, Tuan. Something funny."
    Ponga Jim stepped quickly to the mess room door. The two men sitting at the table were dead. One was the man he had shot in the passage. The other was probably one of those killed below. They had been propped up to delay pursuit.
    Five men killed, and one of his own. Gunner Millan came running down the passage, gun in hand.
    "Where'd they go? What the devil's happening?"
    Ponga Jim shrugged grimly. "I wish I knew. We got five of them. There are five left, besides Dussel, Lucieno, and Sag Dormie. We got them outnumbered two to one, but half our boys are on duty."
    "Listen, Cap," said Slug Brophy, running. "That guy Dussel radioed some ship. I heard him tell Lucieno they were going to meet us in Himana Bay."
    "That's the answer," Jim cried. "Dussel decided to hole up until help comes. He doesn't want to waste his men."
    "But where is he?" Milian asked.
    "Somewhere aft. Either the poop or below." Ponga Jim turned to Brophy. "You better get back on that bridge. No traffic in here, but you never can tell. Swing north about thirty degrees. I'll give those guys at Himana something to think about. "
    Brophy went forward, teetering with the roll of the ship. Jim motioned to Selim.
    "You and Sakim stand by with the rifles. If one of them shows his noggin, blast it off. Abdul, you and Hassan turn in and get some sleep. Gunner, radio Amurang, Gorontalo, or someplace. Get in touch with Major Albert or Li Wan Chuang. Try to get some dope on a converted merchantman."
    "You don't think it's a sub?" Milian asked.
    "If it was, they'd never pick Himana Bay. There's a native village, and a sub would attract too much attention. It's only a