you as well. Good, good. No harm in that.â He moved closer to Harry, who was leaning against a gasoline drum. âBut youâll be focusing on the job in hand, I take it?â
âI will. Trade goods may be useful in drawing information from some tightlip chieftain.â
âOf course youâre right. But Harry, Iâd have you certain in your quest. I want to see George back in ten days. If not, I plan to confiscate the Hunt family masks and treasures, to be held against his handing himself in.â
âThatâs a damned insult, Halliday.â
âAnd I know, Mr. Cadwallader, that not all you trade is smiled on by the law. Still, you donât sell the rotten brews, and youâre particular who you sell to. Oh, donât think I donât know you. But there are worse along the coast. Nevertheless, there are some would have had me bring you to the assiers before now.â
Harry began to speak, but Halliday held up his hand. âIâve kept my counsel till now, and mostly for your family and for your place as white man here. Iâd hoped running the Hunt family store might put such trade behind you. Thereâs only you and Crosby in Rupert that is pure white. But know this. You fail in finding George, or do anything else untoward, and Iâll be bringing down all force upon the Hunt family. And on you, Harry. You may see your boat impounded, and you will spend time in jail.â
âDamnation!â Harry said. âThere ainât need for this.â
But Halliday stepped back and spoke loudly so that all might hear him. âGood, good,â he said. âIâll be wishing you well.â And then quietly once more, âYou bring him back to me, Harry. Whatever it takes. Iâll have no excuses.â He pulled at his jacket. âIâll see you in ten days. I know Charley here will have an inkling as to his whereabouts.â
Harry had no words to say. Instead, he turned and hefted the gasoline drum up onto the gunnels of his boat, and Charley came over and helped him.
âA fair voyage,â said Halliday, and walked away along the jetty. Harry stared after him.
âYou find him, Caddie,â said Francine, coming to stand close by.
âHeâs threatened to take the familyâs valuables if George donât come back.â
âYou tell George,â she said. âHe know what to do.â
Grace came forward and stood beside him. He touched her hand a moment and she drew away, embarrassed probably at such public display. So he leapt across to the deck.
He went aft and twisted the small handle of the make-or-break ignition until the engineâs single cylinder caught and chuttered. The dry-exhaust pipe rising behind him spat clouds of black smoke that grew paler as the seconds progressed. Charley untied and pushed out the prow from the jetty. Harry engaged the flywheel. He held the rudder hard to port and the Hesperus swung away from the jetty. They arced out past the headland, north and east of the Island of Graves. When he looked back, he saw Chief Owadi was standing on the plankway above the jetty with Crosby, Halliday, and the Indian, To-Cop, watching after them.
âSo, Charley,â Harry said, once the village was finally obscured by the headland. The open ocean stood to port, and the mountains and the fjords of the mainlandâs coastline to starboard, a scant few miles away. âWhich way? Or are you still fucking pondering?â
Charley came aft from his perch among the bales. âI think all night,â he said, âand no place other good. Go Baâas. Blunden Harbour, you say.â And he pointed north and a little east. âYou know?â
âI do. Why there?â
âHave baccy?â Harry reached in his pocket and threw over his tobacco tin. Charley turned it in his hands a while and opened it at last. âGood box,â he said. âWhere from?â
Harry ignored the
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