Murray Leinster - Creatures of the Abyss

“I could do with a few items,” said Terry, stiffly.

He had quickly developed an acute dislike for the patent attempt to induce him to join the Esperance. He had no reason for his objection, save that he had not been informed about the task he was urged to undertake.

“Also,” he added abruptly, “Captain Horta didn’t think to stop at my hotel so I could get my baggage.”

“Write a list of what you want,” suggested Davis. “I’m sure something can be done about your baggage. Make the list complete. If something’s left over, it won’t matter. There’s a desk in the cabin for you to write at.” He turned to Horta. “Captain, what’s the news about La Rubia?”

“She sailed again yesterday,” said Horta ruefully. “She was followed by many other boats. And now there is a moon. It rises late, but it rises. Many sailors will be watching her from mastheads. It is said that all the night glasses in Manila have been bought by fishermen …”

His voice died away as Terry went down the companion ladder. Belowdecks was attractive. There was no ostentation, but the decor was obviously expensive. There were armchairs, electric lamps, a desk, and shelves filled with books—two or three on electronics and a highly controversial one on marine monsters and sea serpents. There were some on anthropology. On skin diving. On astronomy. Two thick volumes on abyssal fish. There was a shelf of fiction and other shelves of reference books for navigation, radio and Diesel maintenance and repair. There were obvious reasons for these last, but no reason that could be imagined for two books on the solar planets.

Terry sat at the desk and compiled a list of electronic parts that he was sure wouldn’t be available in Manila. He was annoyed as he realized afresh the smoothness of the operation that had brought him to the Esperance. He found satisfaction in asking for some multi-element vacuum tubes that simply couldn’t be had except on special order from the manufacturers back in the United States. But it took time to think of them.

When he went abovedecks, half an hour later, he had listed just six electronic components. The tender was gone, and Horta with it. Davis greeted Terry as cordially as before.

“The tender’s left,” said Terry with restraint. “Here’s my list.”

Davis did not even glance at it, but beckoned to one of the crew-cut young men who’d unloaded the tender.

“This is Nick Alden,” he said to Terry. “He’s one of the gang. See about this list, Nick.”

The crew-cut young man put out his hand and Terry shook it. It seemed expected. He went forward with the fist and vanished down the forecastle ladder. Davis looked at his watch.

“Five-thirty,” he observed. “A drink might not be a bad thing.”

He went below, and Terry surveyed the Esperance. She had the look of a pleasure craft, but was built along the lines of something more reliable. There was an unusual power winch amidships, with an extraordinarily large reel. Next to it there was a heavy spar by which to swing something outboard. There were two boats, well stowed against heavy weather, and a number of often-omitted bits of equipment, so that the schooner was not convincing as the hobby of a mere yachtsman.

Then Terry saw the brass-trimmed tender heading out from the yacht-club float again. Foam spread out from its bow. A figure in it waved. Terry recognized the girl who’d come into the shop of Jimenez y Cia. She was smiling, and as the launch came nearer it seemed to Terry that there was triumph in her smile. He bristled. Then he saw some parcels in the bow of the tender. Next to the parcels—and he unbelievingly suspected what they were—he suddenly recognized something else: his suitcases and steamer-trunk. In order to sail with the Esperance he need not go ashore to get his belongings. They were brought to him. He became totally convinced that these people had assumed he’d do what they wanted him to, without consulting him. He rebelled. Immediately. Any time other people took for granted that they could make plans for him, he would become obstinate. When he was in a fix—and now he was practically stranded in Manila with a need to go elsewhere for a time and no money with which to do it—he was especially touchy. He found himself scowling and angry, and the more angry because what was required of him would have been very convenient if there’d been no attempt to inveigle him into it The launch came around the Esperance’s stern. Davis came from below with two glasses. The girl said cheerfully, “Howdo! We’ve got your extra items. All of them. And your baggage.”

Terry said curtly, “How did my list get ashore?”

“Nick phoned it,” said Davis. “By short-wave.”

“And where the devil did you find the stuff I named?”

“That,” said Davis, “is part of the mystery you don’t like.”

“Right!” said Terry grimly. “I don’t like it I don’t think I’ll play. I’ll go ashore in the tender.”

“Hold it!” said Davis. But he was speaking to the operator of the tender. The crew-cut Nick was in the act of handing up the first piece of baggage. Davis waved it back. “I’m sorry,” he said to Terry. “We’ll stay at anchor here. If you change your mind, the tender will bring you out any time.”

Terry brought out the sheaf of bills the girl had left in the shop of the vanished Jimenez. He held them out to the girl. She put her hands behind her back and shook her head.

“We put you to trouble,” she said pleasantly, “and we haven’t been frank with you. That’s to make up for it.”

“I won’t accept it,” said Terry stiffly. “I insist.”

“We won’t have it back,” said Davis. “And we insist!”

Terry felt idiotic. There was enough of a breeze to make it impractical simply to put the batch of bank notes down. They’d blow away. The girl looked at him regretfully.

“I’m truly sorry,” she said. “I planned the way we went after you. You are exactly the person we’re sure to need. We decided to try to get you to join us. We couldn’t explain. So we asked what you were like. And you’re not the sort of person who can be hired to do what he’s told and no questions asked. Captain Horta said you were a gentleman. So since we couldn’t ask you to volunteer blindly—though I think you would volunteer if you knew what we’re about to do—we tried to make you come for the adventure of it. It didn’t work. I’m sorry.”

Terry had the singular conviction that she told the exact truth. And she was a very pretty girl, but she wasn’t using her looks to persuade him. She spoke as one person to another. He unwillingly found himself mollified.

“Look!” he said vexedly. “I was leaving Manila. I need to be away for a while. I am coming back. I can do any crazy thing I want for some weeks, or even a couple of months. But I don’t like to be pushed around! I don’t like—”

The girl smiled suddenly.

“All right, I’ll keep the money.”

The girl smiled more widely and said, “Mr. Holt, we are off on a cruise. We’ll put in at various ports from time to time. We think you would fit into our party. We invite you to come on this cruise as our guest. You can be helpful or not, as you please. And we will not try to pay you for anything!”

Davis nodded. Terry frowned. Then he spoke painfully.

“I have a gift for making a fool of myself,” he said ruefully. “When it’s put that way, fine! I’ll come along. But I reserve the right to make guesses.”

“That’s good!” said Davis warmly. “If you do find out what we won’t tell you, you’ll see why we didn’t.”

He waved to Nick and the tender operator. The parcels came onto the Esperance’s deck. His baggage followed. He picked up one of the new cardboard parcels and examined its markings.