22. MARTIGAN
The native headman stared at Martigan with a ravenous gleam in his eyes. He turned to speak to Jim, though he knew the native was still eyeing him.
“You’ll talk to them?” Martigan murmured.
“I try,” Jim said, exasperated, “I told you, Captain Howling Mad, they not Curienese. They don’t speak Bugi.”
“Or Malay,” Butch put in.
Jim nodded.
“Try,” Martigan said, “they look angry. You have to explain to them that we were not with the pirates. I don’t want to step out of the frying pan and into the fire, you know?”
Jim looked like he was about to protest, but Butch took him by the arm and steered him towards the nasty headman.
“We’ll figure something out, Captain,” she said by way of parting.
She was still trying to curry favor. Jim seemed sure he had earned his passag
