Page:Richard Marsh--The joss, a reversion.djvu/278

266 cabin door was fastened. I rapped. Luke inquired from within—

“Who’s there?”

“I! Open the door.” So far as I could judge no attempt was made to do as I requested. There were whispers instead. The voices were audible though the words were not. I rapped again. “Do you hear? open this door!”

Luke replied.

“Beggin’ your pardon, captain, but Mr. Batters isn’t feeling very well. He hopes that you’ll excuse him.”

A louder rapping.

“Open this door.”

There were sounds which suggested that something was being done in a hurry; an exchange of what were apparently expostulatory murmurs. Then the Great Joss spoke.

“This is my cabin, Captain Lander”

I cut him short

“Your cabin!” I brought my fist against the door with a bang. “If you don’t open at once, I’ll have the ship put about, take you back from where you came, and dump you on shore. I’m in command here, and all the cabins in this ship are mine. Now, which is it to be—open?—or back?”

Luke began to mutter excuses.

“If you’ll just wait five minutes, captain”