
In the tangled mangroves of a remote tropical island, a modest boat called the Shikar drifts past an unexpected river mouth, leading its three crew members and two native boys to a solitary white‑washed house perched on a sandbank. Inside they meet Vetter, a self‑styled lord who governs the surrounding district with a handful of Annamite soldiers and a swagger that borders on madness. His claim to be “the law and the prophets” sets an uneasy tone, hinting at the fragile balance between colonial ambition and the island’s own rhythms.
The men, restless and half‑amused, discuss hunting tigers and the threat of dacoits while the jungle’s night sounds creep over the water. Their banter is interrupted when a silent Malay dugout slips alongside, bearing three locals and a mysterious girl. As the strangers step aboard, the crew finds themselves drawn into a decision that could reshape the island’s fate, testing loyalties and the thin line between authority and exploitation.
Language
en
Duration
~29 minutes (28K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Page & Co., 1926.
Credits
Roger Frank, Sue Clark
Release date
2024-02-27
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1896–1975
A prolific pioneer of science fiction, he helped shape the genre with fast-moving stories full of big ideas, practical ingenuity, and a sense that ordinary people could outthink extraordinary problems.
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