Trial by Typhoon by Albert Richard Wetjen

fury and pain, and he flung something almost

  of the Gentleman. Even if he failed to get the

  at Bradley’s feet before he turned and ran

  pearls the others would get them, would scour

  again, wobbling badly.

  the whole wide circle of the atoll and run

  Typhoon checked. A large bag lay on

  every last thief to earth. But in his heart the sand. He picked it up, hefted it and Bradley wanted that honor himself. He was

  laughed. The Gentleman had flung him the

  responsible.

  pearl loot in an effort to stop him. And it had

  DRIVING with wind and oars the stopped him.

  Gentleman’s boat rammed into the shelving

  Typhoon thrust the heavy bag into his

  sand of the beach so hard it ploughed half

  shirt, tried to start running again and found his ashore before stopping. The mast snapped off

  legs were trembling so much he dared not

  and fell, stunning one of the seamen. Tench

  attempt a step. He lifted his gun at the fleeing

  and the Gentleman and the other two stumbled

  Gentleman’s back but his eyes were misty and

  over the gunnels and started for the fringe of

  he could not see. He had gone through too

  the palms fifty yards away, where they might

  much. He had used up all he had. He cursed,

  temporarily at least find breathing space and

  pressed the trigger, but the bullet went into the shelter.

  sand not twenty feet ahead of him.

  Scarce half a minute behind them

  He heard the Gentleman’s final bitter

  Typhoon’s boat beached with a jarring crash

  curse as that worthy vanished into the shelter

  and Typhoon himself with a flying leap was in

  of the palms and then, staggering, Typhoon

  the shallows and ploughing for the sand. None

  turned to see the pearling fleet swinging up

  Action Stories

  18

  one by one and dropping anchor off the beach

  They could not hear him, of course,

  while the whaleboats were flung overside and

  and when they came running up the sand

  raced toward him.

  toward him they found him lying unconscious

  “All right, fellers,” he said wearily.

  on his face, his guns still gripped in his hands,

  “It’s all right. Nothing missing, I guess. I may

  and the loot of Funafuti lagoon safe inside his

  be a hell of a magistrate but I figure the slate’s shirt.

  clean!”