Boy's Cinema (1935-39)

Every Tuesday "But not an exorbitant pric*, my friend, wlien you consider tlmt you and Wlicelcr might bo in gaol now with (ho rest of your gang—if it hadn't been for nic." Whooler nodded emphatically. "That's right, skipper," he said. "Tt was lucky for \is that 1 knew whore to find you, for if you hadn't snnigglcd us into this dump we'd probably luive been picked up by the oops in no time." "Oh, I'm not grumbling." Crawford made haste to announce. " I appreciate •vhat you've done, Captain Sanderson. l?iit toll mo, how were the rest of my liarty caught?" " They tried to beat it in the car and trailer that you'd left back of the water- fiont," was the reply, "and it seems that this man Bruce and his bunch caught up with 'em before they coidd drive away. That's what I heard, any- !io\v—and I reckon you owe a vote of thanks to Wheeler for pulliu' yoii down a side-street and leadin' you straight to the dive where I usually hang out." Crawford had to agree that he was indebted to Wheeler, but at the same time reflected that (he man had been acting in his own interests. Ciawford had money—money with which to buy passages out to Sujan. That was why Wheeler had not abandoned him to the fate which had overtaken the remainder of the gang. "And talkin' of that thousand dollars on account," Sandor.son continued, " don't forgot that I collect another two thousand bucks when I set you down where you eventually decide to land— after j-ou leave Sujan, I mean." " That depends on the way things break for us, captain," said Crawford. "When we reach Sujan, we've still got to grab that god horse, and it's possible that we'll fail." Wheeler tapped him familiarly on the shoulder. "Not if we play our cards right," he drawled. "Let me tell you something, Crawford—something I found out while I was a prisoner in the hands of the natives there. You know, some of them Sujanese wasn't so mad at the black Arabian havin' been stolen." "What do j'ou mean?" Crawford de- manded. "1 mean that there's a faction on the i:>land that's up against Tauaga, the high priest," Wheeler replied. "This faction is led by two guys called Dehor and Kinso. They've got a certain fol- lowing, and they seemed to think that with the god horse out of the way, Tanaga would lose favour." Wheeler leaned towards the bigger man and eyed him cunning-ly. " Now, if we got in touch with Debor and Kinso as soon as we landed," he went on, " and "If we told 'em Rex was comin' back, they might do all they could to help us to stop the god horse from ever reachin' Tanaga's sacred stables." Crawford was silent for a moment, and then he drew in a long breath and squared his powerful shoulders. "That's worth knowing, Wheeler," he said. " If we can win over these men that you've named, I leckon oin- chances will be improved a hundred per cent." "Meantime your chief difliculty li5s in getting aboard the Vulcan without (he cops seein' you," Sanderson inter- )>osed. "But I'll fix that all right. I'll pick you )ip here after dark, and smuggle you to your cabins. So long as you stay where you are until I show up, you've got nothin' to fear," Three weeks had elapsed, and in a remote, moonlit clearing of the jungle BOY'S CINEMA that clothed (he tro|)ical isle of Sujan a number of men had asseridjlod. With two exceptions (hoy were natives of the warrior (need. The two excep- tions wore Crawford anil Wheeler, who had arrived in Sujan forty-eight hours before, and who had snccoocUnl in making contact with Kinso anil Dehor, leaders of (he rebellious fad ion which was op |)Osed to the high priosi, 'J'anaga. Dehor was not present, but ICinso was there, a tall, lean personage of doniineci'- ing chai'acter, with a pair of cruel, male- volent eyes and a truculent mouth. "According (o your calculations," he was saying, in stilted but otherwise faultless English, " the ship bearing the god horse ought to be here by now Therefore wo may expect to hear from Del)or soon." Jle had addressed himself to Crawford and Wheeler, and these had listened to him earnestly, as if hanging on his every word. Then Crawford spoke. "Suppose Bradley lakes (he god horse straight to the high priest Tanaga," he nmttered "If the stallion leaves the ship, Debor will see that a message reaches us." "How?" Crawfortl demanded. "By signal-drum—what you people call 'jungle telegraph.' We shall know then that we must ride and intercept this man Bradley." There was a pause, and then Kinso went on talking in a low and sinister voice. "Whatever happens, Tanaga will never see the god horse again. The faction led by Dehor and mo is a small one as yet. But if we can remove the stallion for ever, a blow will be struck at Tanaga's prestige. The vo'y key- stone of his rule will be swept aside, and we can strike swiftly and seize the reins of power—substituting gods of our own choosing for this animal worship which has sufficed in the past." An exjiression of uneasiness had 23 dawned on tlio faces of Ciawford and Wheeler, nn expression whicli had bi^crc inspired by one particular jihraHo that (h(; na(ive liad used. "Say," CrawfoKJ nmttered, "let nic got llus H(rai(fli(. ^'oll talk of ' removing (he s(.illion foi- over.' Just what do you mean by that '!" 15cfore Kinso could volunteer any ex- |)lanalion (ho driniuMing of hoofs in(er- rup(ed the crjnvorsation, and a low seconds later Ihroi' horsemen galloped into (he cicaiing. They were Debor and two odior (■onsplra(ors belonging (o the pally Hhich was' scheming I'oi Tanaga's downfall, and, drawing icin al)ru|)tly. they s;diilcd Kinso and the ii'- mainder of (he baiiil with upraised hands. "What news. Dehor?" Ivinso asked in terse accents. Debor swung In'nisolf from the s.nddle of his pony. Jle uas a small, sliif(y in- dividual of yellowish conij)lexion, cIcmm- shaven except for a thin moustache (hat grew on his uiijicr lip. "Wheeler and his friend here wore right," he said. "The :»liip known as the Oriental cast anchor at the moudi of (he I'alang River. Three jjoople came ashore—a young nuin, an older man and a girl. They had a dog \\i(h them." "The wolfhound," put in Wheo'er. "That would be J3iadlcv and the Biiices all light." " Thoy sci ()ii( I'oi (he liilcrlor." Debor roniinued, "and tliey readioil (he SacrcfJ 'femple, where llicy had an audience of Tanaga." Kinso laid a hand on his sleeve. "Bid (lie god liorsc." he said urgenlly. "The god horse -«ha( of him?" "The god hois(' was not with them." came (he rc)ily. "or 1 would have sum- moned you by the signal-drum and you would have known that you must in- tercept them. As it was, I followed ilie '•Down that street which leads off the pier," Pasha moaned. "Don't let him get away I " Jaaiiary Otb, :937.