ently at a Mesdag picture in blue and white tile set in the
compartment wall. He smiled at his friend's exuberance and dropped
pencil point to paper.

"How in thunder do you figure this confounded Dutch money, Little?" he
asked. "What's the fare in real money? Fifty gulden sounds like conic
sections to me."

"Why, fifty gulden is--But what for, son? Why the financial statement?"

"Want to start right, that's all. You've paid for everything so far,
Little, and I'm busted clean. Keeping tally, that's all."

"Forget it," smiled Little. "I've got a note on Houten's bankers in
Surabaya for the exes. Pitch that pencil out o' the window before it
gives you indigestion. But there's something else," he accused, watching
Barry closely. "Darned if I don't think you've started an affair! Who
was the lady?"

Barry got up quickly, stepped to the window and drew Little after him.
After a swift scrutiny, he pointed out a graceful figure in cool white
and answered Little's query.

"See her? Yes, that woman just going into the crowd. Same one you nearly
bowled over in the doorway. Came to me the minute you went out; greeted
me as an old friend, though I never saw her in my life before. D' you
know her?"

Little stared hard at the retreating figure, trying to glimpse her face.
The woman turned, gazing up the track towards Samarang, and the vivid
sunlight irradiated her face with startling clearness. It was a striking
face, full of mature loveliness, yet holding something in the deep
expressive eyes that hinted at more than a woman's share of hard contact
with the world.

"No," Little said slowly, "never saw her, Barry. But I believe I'd like
to meet her at that. Some queen, hey? What's she want?"

"Wanted a passage in my ship!" exploded Barry. "See here, Little, I
thought this job was on the quiet. I haven't said a word to anybody,"
and he fixed an accusing eye on Little.

"Me too," retorted the ex-salesman, as warmly returning the other's
quiz. "Maybe you're oversensitive, though. How much did she seem to
know?"

"Can't tell," hesitated Barry. "Perhaps she startled me by simply
talking ship. I suppose almost anybody can spot me for a sailor. But she
seemed to be so darned certain that I was in command of a vessel leaving
Surabaya, and she asked me for a passage, and be darned if I savvee why,
since even Hawkeye himself couldn't tell where the ship is bound for,
unless we blabbed it."

"What did you tell her?"

"That my