The man dismounted and stood beside Tan. Like Bradley he was garbed
after the fashion of the surrounding warriors; but there was a subtle
difference between him and his companion. Possibly he detected a
similar difference in Bradley, for his first question was, "From what
country?" and though he spoke in Galu Bradley thought he detected an
accent.
"England," replied Bradley.
A broad smile lighted the newcomer's face as he held out his hand. "I
am Tom Billings of Santa Monica, California," he said. "I know all
about you, and I'm mighty glad to find you alive."
"How did you get here?" asked Bradley. "I thought ours was the only
party of men from the outer world ever to enter Caprona."
"It was, until we came in search of Bowen J. Tyler, Jr.," replied
Billings. "We found him and sent him home with his bride; but I was
kept a prisoner here."
Bradley's face darkened--then they were not among friends after all.
"There are ten of us down there on a German sub with small-arms and a
gun," he said quickly in English. "It will be no trick to get away
from these people."
"You don't know my jailer," replied Billings, "or you'd not be so sure.
Wait, I'll introduce you." And then turning to the girl who had
accompanied him he called her by name. "Ajor," he said, "permit me to
introduce Lieutenant Bradley; Lieutenant, Mrs. Billings--my jailer!"
The Englishman laughed as he shook hands with the girl. "You are not
as good a soldier as I," he said to Billings. "Instead of being taken
prisoner myself I have taken one--Mrs. Bradley, this is Mr. Billings."
Ajor, quick to understand, turned toward Co-Tan. "You are going back
with him to his country?" she asked. Co-Tan admitted it.
"You dare?" asked Ajor. "But your father will not permit it--Jor, my
father, High Chief of the Galus, will not permit it, for like me you
are cos-ata-lo. Oh, Co-Tan, if we but could! How I would love to see
all the strange and wonderful things of which my Tom tells me!"
Bradley bent and whispered in her ear. "Say the word and you may both
go with us."
Billings heard and speaking in English, asked Ajor if she would go.
"Yes," she answered, "If you wish it; but you know, my Tom, that if Jor
captures us, both you and Co-Tan's man will pay the penalty with your
lives--not even his love for me nor his admiration for you can save
you."
Bradley noticed that she spoke in English--broken English like Co-Tan's
but equally appealing. "We can easily get you aboard the ship," he
said, "on some pretext or other, and then we can steam away. They can
neither harm nor detain us, nor will we have to fire a shot at them."
And so it was done, Bradley and Co-Tan taking Ajor and Billings aboard
to "show" them the vessel, which almost immediately raised anchor and
moved slowly out into the sea.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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