Dancing lights of laughter came to the Hawk's eyes.
"Still feeling chipper," he said, "—in spite of your burns. Well, good for you. But I guess you've had enough of Ku Sui for a little while!"
The negro grunted indignantly. "You surely don't imply Ah'm sca'ed of that yellow Chink? Hell, no! Why—"
Carse chuckled and cut him off.
"I see. Well, then, drag these carrion out to your pit. And then—"
There was something in the air, something big. Friday listened eagerly. "Yes, suh?" he reminded his master after a pause.
"Judd," said Hawk Carse softly, "was to have had a rendezvous with Dr. Ku Sui in seven days. The place of the rendezvous is entered in the log of his ship. I've got the last of Judd's crew a captive on the Star Devil...."
The adventurer paused a moment in thought, and when he resumed his words came clipped and decisive.
"I myself am going to keep that rendezvous with Ku Sui. I want to see him very badly."
Friday looked at the man's gray eyes, his icy graven face, the bangs of flaxen hair which obscured his forehead. He understood.