“Listen!” Blackie stood up. He was dressed in corduroy trousers and a leather jacket. His face was working strangely.
“Listen,” he repeated. “No apologies, not a thousand, nor even one. I’ll do the talking.” His voice was low. “I know why you’re here. To catch our fish. You sank our boat. You have an hour to get your ship headed out of Bristol Bay. We’ll take that Shadow of yours with us. We caught her lifting nets inside the three-mile limit. That makes her a fair prize.
“As to the sinking of the Stormy Petrel, I shall make a complete report. The matter shall be taken up by our diplomats.
“I might add, for your further information, that a law is now before our Congress making Bristol Bay United States waters, open to our fishermen alone. It will pass. If you care to come back next year we will meet you with three destroyers.
“And now, gentlemen,” he doffed a ragged cap, “I bid you good-night.”
Clicking their heels, without a single apology, the officers saluted, then the power boat lost itself in the shadows.
CHAPTER XXV
“BILL” RETURNS
“Rusty, my child,” said Red McGee, springing aboard the Krazy Kat as soon as the Orientals were gone, “are you all right?”
“Never better,” Rusty laughed. “And never half so excited. I—I’m all right,” she added, “except that I’ll have to grow a new crop of curls.”
“Curls,” Red chuckled. “They’re not very necessary. Not even for a girl.