Adventures Read Online Free PDF Page A

placement service.”
    I signaled to the waiter. “Won't you join me for breakfast, Dutchman? I have a feeling that we've got a lot to talk about.”
    “Just coffee, thank you,” he said. The waiter brought a large pot and left it on the table. The Dutchman poured himself half a cup, waved away my offer of cream and sugar, and withdrew a small flask from his coat pocket, pouring a generous amount into the cup and stirring it vigorously.
    “Doctor Jones,” he said after taking a man-sized swallow and screwing up his face, “may I speak frankly with you?”
    “Well, it might make a pleasant change,” I answered.
    “I am in need of a certain amount of venture capital: fourteen hundred pounds, to be exact. You won considerably more than that last night. I would like to arrange a short-term loan.”
    “Have you considered a bank?” I asked.
    “Yes, I have,” he replied. “But the bank at Dar-es-Salaam is well fortified, and would be most difficult to break into.”
    “I assume that your credit rating would make a more forthright approach out of the question?”
    He nodded vigorously. “There must be a prejudice against Hollanders in Tanganyika. I can conceive of no other reason for it. At any rate, will you consider such a transaction?”
    “Jesus only threw the money-lenders out of the Temple,” I said with a smile. “I don't recall the Good Book making any reference to throwing them out of Dar-es-Salaam.”
    “Then may I assume that we have a deal?” said the Dutchman.
    “Well, now, that's putting the cart just a little bit ahead of the horse,” I said. “What interest would you be expecting to pay?”
    “Shall we say one thousand percent for ten days?”
    “Well, that's a right round number,” I said. “All them zeroes and everything. A very pretty number indeed.”
    “Good!” exclaimed the Dutchman. “Shall we draw up a contract right away?”
    “Of course, fifteen hundred is just as pretty,” I continued. “I think there ought to be a five in there somewhere. Always liked fives, ever since I was a toddler. And I suppose two zeroes is just as good as three. Reminds me more of one of Solomon's wives that way.”
    “Such a figure is out of the question!” snapped the Dutchman. “I know that our mutual friend couldn't have offered you that much.”
    “What he offered me, Dutchman,” I said, “is a matter known only to him, me, and the Lord.”
    “I shall have to speak to my investors,” said the Dutchman.
    “That's perfectly understandable,” I replied. “I think a short session of prayer might help you to come to a decision.”
    “I will meet again with you tonight,” he said, finishing his coffee and rising.
    “I'll be at Maurice's most of the evening,” I said. “I'm meeting Major Dobbins there for dinner.”
    “Make no commitment until you hear from me,” said the Dutchman. “And remember that I sell merchandise of all colors.”
    Well, I didn't know if that was a threat or an offer, so I just smiled at him and watched him waddle away. Then I dug into breakfast with a vengeance, after which I walked to the harbor. I figured the goods would be in a rust-covered seedy-looking scow, but there were so many of them there that I knew right away that I'd never be able to spot the one that had brought Saint Luke's Tabernacle this little windfall.
    As I was walking back to my hotel I noticed a small, olive-colored man following me. He was sneaking in and out of shadows just like a real-life spy, except that he was so clumsy about it that he damned near went through a couple of plate-glass windows trying to jump out of my line of vision. Just to make certain it was me he was after, I took a walk through the Arab quarter, and sure enough, he was still about two hundred feet behind me half an hour later.
    It being a hot day and the air being as thick as salt water, I finally took pity on him, turned in my tracks, and walked right up to him. As I approached, he looked so scared that I