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 fists clenched tighter； ready to spring。 The helmsman and Goodweather Poon readied to interfere without seeming to。 A knife slid into Poon's fist。 〃I'm American； she's American nisei and her father was with the 442 in Italy an… 〃
〃You're Haklo； you're one of the Seaborne Wu； the ship people； and you'll obey me！ You will； Profitable Choy； oh yes you will obey！ Heya？〃
Paul Choy stood in front of him shaking with equal fury； trying to keep up his courage； for； in rage； the old man was formidable and he could feel Goodweather Poon and the other men behind his back。 〃Don't call her names！ Don't！〃
〃You dare bunch your fists at me？ Me who's given you life； given you everything？ Every chance； even the chance of meeting this 。。。 this Eastern Sea Empress？ Heya？〃
Paul Choy felt himself spun around as though by a great wind。 Goodweather Poon was peering up at him。 〃This is the Captain of the Fleets。 You will respect him！〃 The seaman's iron hand shoved him back to the seats。 〃The captain said sit。 Sit！〃
After a moment； Paul Choy said sullenly； 〃How did you know about her？〃
Exasperated； the old man sputtered； 〃All gods bear witness to this country person I sired； this monkey with the brains and manners of a country person。 Do you think I didn't have you watched？ Guarded？ Do I send a mole among snakes or a civilized whelp among foreign devils unprotected？ You're the son of Wu Sang Fang； Head of the Seaborne Wu； and I protect my own against all enemies。 You think we don't have enemies enough who would slit your Secret Sack and send me the contents just to spite me？ Heya？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃Well know it very well now； my son！〃 Four Finger Wu was aware this was a clash to the death and he had to be wise as a father must be when his son finally calls him。 He was not afraid。 He had done this with many sons and only lost one。 But he was grateful to the tai…pan who had given him the information about the girl and about her parentage。 That's the key； he thought； the key to this impudent child from a Third Wife whose Golden Gulley was as sweet and as tender as fresh bonefish as long as she lived。 Perhaps I'll let him bring the whore here。 The poor fool needs a whore whatever he calls her。 Lady？ Ha！ I've heard the Eastern Sea Devils have no pubics！ Disgusting！ Next month he can bring the strumpet here。 If her parents let her e alone that proves she's a whore。 If they don't； then that's the end of her。 Meanwhile I'll find him a wife。 Yes。 Who？ One of Tightfist's granddaughters？ Or Lando Mata's or 。。。 Ah； wasn't that half…caste's youngest brat trained in the Golden Mountain too； at a school for girls； a famous school for girls？ What's the difference to this fool； pure blood or not？
I have many sons； he thought； feeling nothing for him。 I gave them life。 Their duty is to me and when I'm dead； to the clan。 Perhaps a good broad…hipped； hard…footed Haklo boat…girl'd be the right one for him； he thought grimly。 Yes； but eeeee； there's no need to cut your Stalk to spite a weakness in your bladder； however rude and ill…mannered the fornicating dumblehead is！ 〃In a month Black Beard will grant you a holiday；〃 he said with finality。 〃I will see to it。 With your 10；000 profit you can take a passage on a flying machine 。。。 No！ Better to bring her here；〃 he added as though it were a fresh thought。 〃You will bring her here。 You should see Manila and Singapore and Bangkok and visit our captains there。 Yes； bring her here in a month； your 10；000 will pay for the ticket and pay for everyth… 〃
〃No。 I won't。 I won't do it。 And I don't want drug money！ I'll never take drug money and I counsel you to get out of the drug trade immed… 〃
The whole junk was suddenly floodlit。 Everyone was momentarily blinded。 The searchlight was to starboard。
〃Haul to！〃 came the order in English over the loud…hailer； then repeated in Haklo； then in Cantonese。
Wu and Goodweather Poon were the first to react and in a split second they were in motion。 Wu swung the tiller hard to port away from the Marine Police patrol boat and gunned both the engines to full ahead。 Poon had leapt down the gangway to the main deck and now he sliced the cargo line and the wake of bales vanished as the bales sank into the deep。
〃Haul to for boarding！〃 The metallic words ripped through Paul Choy who stood paralyzed with fright。 He watched his father reach into a nearby sea locker and bring out some crumpled PRC peaked soldiers' hats and shove one on。 〃Quick；〃 he ordered； throwing one to him。 Petrified； he obeyed and crammed it onto his head。 Miraculously all the crew were now wearing the same kind of hat and a few were struggling into equally drab and crumpled army tunics。
His heart stopped。 Others were reaching into sea lockers and bringing out PRC army rifles and submachine guns as still others went to the side nearest the police boat and began shouting obscenities。 The boat was sleek and battle gray with a deck gun； two searchlights now and her riding lights on。 She lay a hundred yards to starboard； her engines growling； keeping pace with them easily。 They could see the neat； white…clad sailors and； on the bridge； the peaked British officers' caps。
Four Fingers had a loud…hailer horn now and he went to the side； his hat pulled well down； and he roared； 〃Go fornicate yourselves； barbarians！ Look at our colors！〃 His hand stabbed toward his masthead。 The PRC marine flag fluttered there。 Aft on the stern was a fake Canton PRC registration number。 〃Leave a peaceful patrol alone 。。。 you're in our waters！〃
Poon's face was split into a malevolent grin。 A PRC automatic pistol was in his hands and he stood at the gunnel silhouetted in the light； the cap pulled well down to preclude identification by the binoculars he knew were raking the ship。 His heart was racing too and there was a sick…sweet…sour bile in his mouth。 They were in international waters。 Safety and PRC waters were fifteen minutes away。 He cocked the gun。 Orders were quite clear。 No one was boarding tonight。
〃Haul to！ We're ing aboard！〃
They all saw the patrol boat slow and the cutter splash into the sea and many aboard lost their initial confidence。 Four Fingers squeezed the throttle forward to get the last fraction of power。 He cursed himself for not seeing the police boat or sensing their presence earlier but he knew that they had electronic devices to see in the dark whereas he had to rely on eyes and nose and the sixth sense that so far had kept him and most of his people alive。
It was rare to find a patrol boat so close to Chinese waters。 Even so； the boat was there and though his cargo was gone； there were guns aboard and so was Paul Choy。 Joss！ All gods defecate on that patrol boat！ Goodweather Poon was partially right； he told himself。 The gods will decide if it was wise or not to bring the youth aboard。
〃Go fornicate yourselves！ No foreign devil es aboard a patrol boat of the People's Republic of China！〃 All the crew cheered enthusiastically； adding their obscenities to the din。
〃Haul to！〃
The old man paid no attention。 The junk was headed toward the Pearl River estuary at maximum speed and he and all aboard prayed that there were no