A group of white men, including the narrator, Cary, and a doctor, are on a schooner in the China Sea when they encounter Vetter, a political agent in Kuramonga. Vetter is portrayed as a tyrant with a swelled head, ruling over the local population with an iron fist. The men meet Buro Sitt, a local raja, who is in a moral dilemma. Vetter demands Buro Sitt's daughter as a hostage to ensure his compliance, threatening to destroy his people if he refuses. Buro Sitt is torn between his honor as a man and his duty as a king to protect his people. The doctor and his companions are appalled by Vetter's behavior but feel powerless to intervene directly. Buro Sitt's daughter is brought to Vetter, who intends to use her as a food taster to prevent poisoning. The situation escalates when Vetter discovers an attempt to poison him, orchestrated by Buro Sitt's daughter. Vetter's arrogance and belief in his invincibility lead to his downfall. The doctor and his companions witness Vetter's demise, which they attribute to "fever," a euphemism for the consequences of his paranoia and tyranny. The story concludes with the implication that Vetter's death will lead to better treatment of the local population by his successor, who is shocked by Vetter's abuses. The doctor reflects on the price of Vetter's arrogance and the moral complexities faced by Buro Sitt.
By Murray Leinster · First published 1941 · Genre: Adventure Fiction, Colonial Fiction, Sea Adventure