can't go on. Even you will have to give in when the rice gives out."
"There's loads of rice," Mark rejoined. "If we wait long enough, something's bound to happen."
"I've heard you say that before. If we wait long enough, we're all bound to die some day. We were idiots not to turn back toward Nangpoo when we got away from that beastly haunted city."
"Yes, and have Chun Lon come boiling after us hot-foot, with murder in his eye. It's the thing he'd think we 'd naturally do."
Alan pondered for a moment.
"I never thought of that," he conceded.
"I did," Mark said.
"But really," Alan went on, "we can't keep sailing around with this Chinee kid."
"We can't chuck her overboard, either."
"We could put her on the shore near one of these villages. Somebody'd be sure to find her."
"Oh, she's not hurting you," Mark retorted. "If she turns out to be 'bad joss pidgin,' we'll do something. Wait till it happens."
"I'm waiting," Alan agreed hollowly.
