Produced by Brian Janes, Suzanne Lybarger, Pilar Somoza FernAindez and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net A MAN TO HIS MATE [Illustration: The sea struck the opposite rail with a roar] A Man to His Mate _by_ J. ALLAN DUNN AUTHOR OF Jim Morse--Adventurer, Turquoise Canyon, Dead Man's Gold, etc. _Illustrated by_ STOCKTON MULFORD INDIANAPOLIS THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY PUBLISHERS COPYRIGHT 1920 THE FRANK A. MUNSEY COMPANY COPYRIGHT 1920 THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY _Printed in the United States of America_ PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO. BOOK MANUFACTURERS BROOKLYN. N. Y. _To_ J. E. DE RUYTER, ESQUIRE this yarn is affectionately and appreciatively dedicated CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I BLIND SAMSON 1 II A DIVIDED COMPANY 25 III TARGET PRACTISE 47 IV THE BOWHEAD 73 V RAINEY SCORES 82 VI SANDY SPEAKS 96 VII RAINEY MAKES DECISION 117 VIII TAMADA TALKS 132 IX THE POT SIMMERS 151 X THE SHOW-DOWN 163 XI HONEST SIMMS 186 XII DEMING BREAKS AN ARM 210 XIII THE RIFLE CARTRIDGES 230 XIV PEGGY SIMMS 241 XV SMOKE 266 XVI THE MIGHT OF NIPPON 277 XVII MY MATE 293 XVIII LUND'S LUCK 332 A Man to His Mate CHAPTER I BLIND SAMSON It was perfect weather along the San Francisco water-front, and Rainey reacted to the brisk touch of the trade-wind upon his cheek, the breeze tempering the sun, bringing with it a tang of the open sea and a hint of Oriental spices from the wharves. He whistled as he went, watching a lumber coaster outward bound. The dull thump of a heavy cane upon the timbered walk and the shuffle of uncertain feet warned him from blundering into a man tapping his way along the Embarcadero, a giant who halted abruptly and faced him, leaning on the heavy stick. "Matey," asked the giant, "could you put a blind man in the way of finding the sealin' schooner _Karluk_?"