up, he
heard the thick breathing of his unknown assailant. He lunged for the
sound, met flying fists, smashed his man against the rail. The blow
knocked the wind from his antagonist, or broke his back.

Peter did not pause to make inquiries. As the limp body thudded to the
wood, the operator sprinted after the vanished figures.

A lone light on the after spur illumined a dim confusion in the cargo
well. The stern of the junk was backed against the rail. Oars flashed
faintly as the crew of the junk strove to keep her fast against the
steamer's side. But where was the crew of the _Vandalia_? Had Captain
Jones consented to and perhaps aided in this mid-river tryst?

Another source of illumination sprang into being. A dong was burning
yellowly on the junk's poop deck, casting a plenitude of light upon the
scene.

As Peter dropped down the precipitous ladder into the well, he made out
two figures struggling against the rail. From the junk, imploringly, a
giant Chinese with pigtail flapping held out his long arms. Silent,
his face was writhing with the supplication to hurry.

Peter drove in between the two figures, one of which suddenly collapsed
and lay inert. The other sprang at his neck, sinking long claws into
his throat. Slit eyes glinted close. Before his wind was shut off he
caught the oppressive fragrance of a heavy perfume. A woman!

He struck the clawing hands loose, and she stemmed a scream between
convulsing lips. The woman above Ah Sih King's!

He hurled her back, and she staggered against the iron flank of the
well. A chatter of Chinese broke from her lips. Shaking, she
extracted an envelope from her satin blouse and pressed it into his
hands. Thoughtlessly he stuffed the envelope into his pocket, not
reckoning what it might contain.

The junk swung out, closed in with a smart smack, and the giant on her
deck crouched to spring. He squealed, a high-pitched ululation of
anger. Another sound was abroad, the jangling of the engine-room bell.

Peter struck down the groping hands of the woman and sprang to the
rail, bracing his feet on the smooth iron deck-plate as the Chinese
leaped. A knife glinted. Peter seized a horny wrist with both hands,
bent, and wrenched it. The knife struck the water with a sibilant
splash. The _fokie_ lost his balance. His legs became entangled.

He gibbered with horror as he slipped--slipped----

The Chinese woman sprang at Peter with the frenzy of a p