Immediately they understood why he had tried to prevent its removal. Across his bruised, battered back had been tattooed in blue and black, the repulsive figure of an octopus.
CHAPTER
3
THE OCTOPUS TATTOO
Jerry bent closer to examine the strange tattoo. Between the two foremost arms of the octopus was sketched a single word: ALL.
“‘All,’” he read aloud. “What does that signify?”
His question angered the man on the couch. Snatching the shirt from Captain Dubbins, he made a feeble, ineffectual effort to get his arms into it.
“I want out o’ here,” he muttered. “Quit starin’, you two, and give me a hand!”
“Take it easy,” advised the tugboat captain soothingly. “We was just tryin’ to see if your back was badly hurt.”
“Sorry,” the man muttered. Relaxing, he leaned weakly against the leather cushions. “I ain’t myself.”
“You swallowed a little water,” remarked the captain.
“A little?” growled the other. “Half the river went down my gullet.” As an afterthought he added: “Thanks for pullin’ me out.”