The Ambitious Hostess on South Bridge Road ( )

Log entry, the catch-scall at Queen Philip Carney master. Position three degrees 14 minutes north, 102 degrees seven minutes east. Wind brisk, sky hazy. Remarks, cleared Singapore a Harvard 9 a.m. after involvement in international crime.

Reason for involvement, the ambitious hostess on South Bridge Road. We laid over almost a week in Singapore. First couple of days, discharging cargo. The next, waiting to load some machinery, bound for a rubber estate outside of Benang, up the melee peninsula.

But Singapore, the big jumbled port city, serves up good shore leaves. Though there were no complaints about the delay, from either my chief mate Gallagher or the crew. Tuesday night was as heavy and as hot and as humid as all the others had been.

Gallagher was spending his third night ashore. I was sprawled in a canvas chair after decadent Scarlet Queen listening to the chatters and the oriental crafts that slipped by our side in the darkness. Mr. Captain! Mr. Captain!

The hail came from behind me on the dock. A young Chinese boy stood at the head of the gangling. You, Mr. Captain, all right? Yeah, what do you want? I bring paper for Mr. Gallagher.

You mean a note? All the same paper, I'll be out. All right, come on aboard. All the same paper? Yeah, yeah, paper. Thanks. The note from Gallagher was in a hasty scroll. Skipper it said, I'm in room 204 at the Continental.

I'm in big trouble. Bring 45s. Red. And so mutual continues, the voyage of the Scarlet Queen, written by Gil Doud and Bob Tolman, and starring Elliot Lloyd. The Scarlet Queen proddest ship to plow the seas bound for uncharted adventure.