"I
not to speak to you," he said. "Kapitani tell me not to. I go catch up
Leith, give him one piece of paper the Kapitani gave me."
"But Soma?" I asked.
"I kill Soma when chance comes," muttered Kaipi.
"Well, we're of the same mind, Kaipi," I said pleasantly. "Soma is no
friend of mine and I'll help you as much as I can if you turn over the
note which the captain gave you and do just what I tell you. Otherwise,
Kaipi, I have a revolver, and a knife is no match for a revolver."
The Fijian considered the matter for a few moments, his dreamy eyes
watching me the while. At that moment duty was forgotten in the thirst
for vengeance upon Soma, and the debate with his conscience was of short
duration. He pulled a note from the folds of his pareo and tossed it to
me with a short laugh.
"Me not care about that," he grinned. "Me catch Soma, that's all."
The note was exceedingly brief. It read:
"The mate is following you,--NEWMARCH."
Kaipi had returned to the job of sharpening his knife in which I had
interrupted him, and at intervals he assured the dead Toni that
vengeance was only a matter of a few hours.
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