swift smile, that held no mirth,
no friendship, rather, a sardonic appreciation of the situation, without
rancor.

"They are very foolish," he said. "They make me cook, they eat what I
serve. They say Tamada is very good cook. But he is Jap, damn him.
Suppose I put something in that food, that they would not taste? I could
send them all to sleep. I could kill them. I could do it so they never
suspect, but would go to their beds--and never get up from them. It
would be very easy. Yet they trust me."

The statement was so matter-of-fact that Rainey felt his horror gather
slowly as he stared at the impassive Oriental.

"You would do that? What good would it do you? You would have to kill
them all, or the rest would tear you apart. And if you murdered the
whole ship where would you be? You talk as if you were a little mad.
Suppose I told Carlsen of this?"

Tamada was smiling again. He seemed to know that Rainey was in no
position to betray him--if he wished to do so.

"I did not say I would do it. And, except under certain circumstances,
it do me little good. I do not expect to do it. But it would be easy.
Yet, as you say, it would not help you to kill only few, those who will
be at the meeting, for example, even if I wish to do. No, I do not see
way out. If, at any time there should seem way out and I can help you, I
will."

He turned abruptly to a simmering pot and rattled the lid. The hunter,
Deming, stuck his head in at the door.

"Smells good," he said. "Evening, Mr. Rainey."

He seemed disposed to linger, and Rainey, not to excite suspicion toward
himself or Tamada, went back on deck. What did Tamada mean by "except
under certain circumstances"? he asked himself. For one thing he felt
sure that Tamada had some basis for his expression that he expected to
get his money. _He knew something_. Was it merely the Oriental method of
_jiu-jitsu_, practised mentally as well as physically, the belief in a
seemingly passive resistance against circumstances, waiting for some
move that, by its own aggressiveness, would give him an opening for a
trick that would secure him the advantage? What could one Japanese hope
to do against the crowd?

A thought suddenly flashed over Rainey. Was Tamada in league with
Carlsen? Had he mistaken his man? Did Carlsen plan to have Tamada
undertake a wholesale poisoning to secure the gold himself, providing
the drugs? Was it a friendly hint from the Japanese?

Still mulling over it he