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Four Finger Wu said； 〃Give Goodweather Poon a hand。〃
〃What？〃
〃Are your ears filled with vomit？〃 the old man shouted。 〃Give him a hand。〃
Frightened； Paul Choy reeled over to the old seaman； the helmsman watching interestedly。 〃What do you 。。。 you want me to do？〃
〃Take his legs！〃
Paul Choy tried to dominate his nausea。 He closed his eyes。 His nostrils were filled with the smell of vomit and blood。 He reached down； took the legs and part of the heavy chain and staggered； half falling； to the side。 Goodweather Poon was carrying most of the weight and he could easily have carried it all and Paul Choy too if need be。 Effortlessly he balanced Smallpox Kin on the gunnel。
〃Hold him there！〃 By prearrangement with Four Fingers； the old seaman backed away； leaving Paul Choy on his own； the unconscious； mutilated face and body slumped precariously against him。
〃Put him overboard！〃 Wu ordered。
〃But Father 。。。 please 。。。 he's 。。。 he's not de 。。。 not dead yet。 Pl… 〃
〃Put him over the side！〃
Beside himself with fear and loathing； Paul Choy tried to pull the body back aboard but the wind squalled and heeled the junk and the last of the Werewolves toppled into the sea and sank without a trace。 Helplessly Paul Choy stared at the waves slopping against the teak。 He saw that there was blood on his shirt and on his hands。 Another wave of nausea racked him； tormenting him。
〃Here！〃 Gruffly Wu handed his son a flask。 It contained whiskey； good whiskey。 Paul Choy choked a little but his stomach held the whiskey。 Wu turned back to the conn； waved the helmsman toward the freighter； the throttle opened to full ahead。 Paul Choy almost fell but managed to grab the gunnel and stay on his feet； unprepared for the suddenness of the deep…throated roar and burst of speed。 When he had his sea legs he looked at his father。 Now the old man was near the tiller； Goodweather Poon nearby； and both were peering into the darkness。 He could see the small ship and his stomach reeled； and he hated his father afresh； hated being on board and being involved in what obviously was smuggling … on top of the horror of the Werewolf。
Whatever that poor son of a bitch did； he thought； enraged； it doesn't merit taking the law into your own hands。 He should've been handed over to the police to be hanged or imprisoned or whatever。
Wu felt the eyes on him and he glanced back。 His face did not change。 〃e here；〃 he ordered； his thumbless hand stabbing the gunnel in front of him。 〃Stand here。〃
Numbly Paul Choy obeyed。 He was much taller than his father and Goodweather Poon but he was a piece of chaff against either of them。
The junk sped through the darkness on an intercept course； the sea black and the night black with just a little moonlight sifting through the overcast。 Soon they were just aft of the vessel and a little to starboard； closing fast。 She was small； slow and quite old and she dipped uneasily in the gathering swell。 〃She's a coastal freighter；〃 Goodweather Poon volunteered； 〃a Thai trawler we call them。 There's dozens of the fornicators in all Asian waters。 They're the lice of the seas； Profitable Choy； crewed by scum； captained by scum； and they leak like lobster pots。 Most ply the Bangkok； Singapore； Manila； Hong Kong route； and wherever else they've a cargo for。 This one's out of Bangkok。〃 He hawked and spat； revolting the young man again。 〃I wouldn't want to voyage on one of those stinking whores。 Th… 〃
He stopped。 There was another brief flashing signal。 Wu answered it。 Then all on deck saw the splash on her starboard side as something heavy went overboard。 At once Four Fingers rang up 〃all engines stop。〃 The sudden quiet was deafening。 Bow lookouts peered into the darkness； the junk wallowing and swerving as she slowed。
Then one of the bow lookouts signaled with a flag。 At once Wu gave a little engine and made the correction。 Another silent signal and another change of direction and then a sharper； more excited movement of the flag。
Immediately Wu reversed engines。 The props bit the sea heavily。 Then he killed the thrust； the junk swerving closer to the line of bobbing buoys。 The gnarled old man seemed to be part of the ship as Paul Choy watched him with his eyes fixed into the sea ahead。 Nimbly Wu maneuvered the ponderous junk into the course of the buoys。 In a few moments a seaman with a long； hooked boarding pole leaned out from the main deck and hooked the line。 The rough cork buoys were brought aboard deftly； other seamen helping； and the line attached securely to a stanchion。 With practiced skill the chief deckhand cut away the buoys and cast them overboard while more seamen made sure that the bales attached to the other end of the line below the surface were safe and secure。 Paul Choy could see the bales clearly now。 There were two of them； perhaps six foot by three foot by three foot； roped together heavily underwater； their sinking weight keeping the thick line taut。 As soon as all was tight and safe； the cargo secure alongside though still five or six feet beneath the surface of the sea； the chief deckhand signaled。 At once Four Fingers brought the junk to cruising speed and they sped away on a different tack。
The whole operation had been done in silence； effortlessly and in seconds。 In moments the weak riding lights of the Thai trawler had vanished into the darkness and they were alone on the sea once more。
Wu and Goodweather Poon lit cigarettes。 〃Very good；〃 Goodweather Poon said。 Four Fingers did not reply； his ears listening to the pleasing note of the engines。 No trouble there； he thought。 His senses tested the wind。 No trouble there。 His eyes ranged the darkness。 Nothing there either； he told himself。 Then why are you uneasy？ Is it Seventh Son？
He glanced at Paul Choy who was at the port side； his back toward him。 No。 No danger there either。
Paul Choy was watching the bales。 They kicked up a small wake。 His curiosity peaked and he was feeling a little better； the whiskey warming and the salt smelling good now； that and the excitement of the rendezvous and being away and safe。 〃Why don't you bring them aboard； Father？ You could lose them。〃
Wu motioned Poon to answer。
〃Better to leave the harvest of the sea to the sea； Profitable Choy； until it's quite safe to bring it ashore。 Heya？〃
〃My name's Paul； not Profitable。〃 The young man looked back at his father and shivered。 〃There was no need to murder that fornicator！〃
〃The captain didn't；〃 Goodweather Poon said with a grin； answering for the old man。 〃You did； Profitable Choy。 You did； you threw him overboard。 I saw it clearly。 I was within half a pace of you。〃
〃Lies！ I tried to pull him back！ And anyway he ordered me to。 He threatened me。〃
The old seaman shrugged。 〃Tell that to a fine； foreign devil judge； Profitable Choy； and that won't be fornicating profitable at all！〃
〃My name's not Pro… 〃
〃The Captain of the Fleets has called you Profitable so by all the gods Profitable you are forever。 Heya？〃 he added； grinning at Four Fingers。
The old man said nothing； just smiled and showed his few broken teeth and that made his grimace even more frightening。 His bald head and weathered face nodded his agreement。 Then he put his eyes on his son。 Paul Choy shivered in spite of his resolve。
〃Your secret's safe with me； my son。 Never fear。 No one aboard this boat saw anything。 Did they； Goodweather Poon？〃
〃No； nothing。 By all gods great and small！ No one saw anything！〃
Paul Choy stared back sullenly。 〃You can't wrap paper in fire！〃
Goodweather Poon guffawed。 〃On this boat you can！〃
〃Yes；〃 Wu said； his voice a rasp。 〃On this boat you can keep a secret forever。〃 He lit another cigarette； hawked and spat。 〃Don't you want to know what's in those bales？〃
〃No。〃
〃It's opium。 Delivered on shore this night's work will bring a 200；000 profit； just to me； with plenty in bonuses for my crew。〃
〃That profit's not worth the risk； not to me。 I made you th… 〃 Paul Choy stopped。
Four Finger Wu looked at him。 He spat on the deck and passed the conn to Goodweather Poon and went to the great cushioned seats aft that ringed the poop。 〃e here； Profitable Choy；〃 he manded。
Frightened； Paul Choy sat at the point indicated。 Now they were more alone。
〃Profit is profit；〃 Wu said； very angry。 〃10；000 is your profit。 That's enough to buy an air ticket to Honolulu and back to Hong Kong and have ten days of holiday together。〃 He saw the momentary flash of joy wash across his son's face and he smiled inside。
〃I'll never e back；〃 Paul Choy said bravely。 〃Never。〃
〃Oh yes you will。 You will now。 You've fished in fornicating dangerous waters。〃
〃I'll never e back。 I've a U。S。 passport and a… 〃
〃And a Jap whore； heya？〃
Paul Choy stared at his father； aghast that his father knew； then rage possessed him and he sprang up and bunched his fists。 〃She's not a whore by all gods！ She's great； she's a lady and her folks're th… 〃
〃Quiet！〃 Wu bit back the expletive carefully。 〃Very well； she's not a whore； even though to me all women are whores。 She's not a whore but an empress。 But she's still a fornicating devil from the Eastern Sea； one of those who raped China。〃
〃She's American； she's American like me；〃 Paul Choy flared； his fis