hr.thecarpetbaggers-第137节

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ssured　them　into　making　a　deal　predicated　on　a　fully　tested　plane　before　the　war　ended。　That　was　over　seven　months　ago。
　Almost　immediately；　we'd　run　into　trouble。　Stress　tests　proved　that　conventional　metals　would　make　the　plane　too　heavy　for　the　engines　to　lift　into　the　air。　We　lost　two　months　there；　until　the　engineers　came　up　with　a　Fiberglas　pound　that　was　less　than　one　tenth　the　weight　of　metal　and　four　times　as　strong。　Then　we　had　to　construct　special　machinery　to　work　the　new　material。　I　even　brought　Amos　Winthrop　down　from　Canada　to　sit　in　on　the　project。　The　old　bastard　had　done　a　fantastic　job　up　there　and　had　a　way　of　bulling　a　job　through　when　no　one　else　was　able　to。
　The　old　leopard　hadn't　changed　any　of　his　spots；　either。　He　had　me　by　the　shorts　and　he　knew　it。　He　held　me　up　for　a　vice…presidency　in　Cord　Aircraft　before　he'd　e　down。
　〃How　much　are　we　in　for　up　to　now？〃　I　asked。
　Mac　looked　down　at　the　sheet。　〃Sixteen　million；　eight　hundred　seventy…six　thousand；　five　hundred　ninety…four　dollars　and　thirty…one　cents；　as　of　June　thirtieth。〃
　〃We're　in　trouble；〃　I　said；　reaching　for　the　telephone。　The　operator　came　on。　〃Get　me　Amos　Winthrop　in　San　Diego。　And　while　I'm　waiting　to　talk　to　him；　call　Mr。　Dalton　at　the　Inter…Continental　Airlines　office　in　Los　Angeles　and　ask　him　to　send　down　a　special　charter　for　me。〃
　''What's　the　trouble？〃　Mac　asked；　watching　me。
　〃Seventeen　million　dollars。　We're　going　to　blow　it　if　we　don't　get　that　plane　into　the　air　right　away。〃
　Then　Amos　came　on　the　phone。　〃How　soon　do　you　expect　to　get　The　Centurion　into　the　sky？〃　I　asked。
　〃We're　ing　along　pretty　good　now。　Just　the　finishing　touches。　I　figure　we　ought　to　be　able　to　lift　her　sometime　in　September　or　early　October。〃
　〃What's　missing？〃
　〃The　usual　stuff。　Mountings；　fittings；　polishing；　tightening。　You　know。〃
　I　knew。　The　small　but　important　part　that　took　longer　than　anything　else。　But　nothing　really　essential；　nothing　that　would　keep　the　plane　from　flying。　〃Get　her　ready；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　taking　her　up　tomorrow。〃
　〃Are　you　crazy？　We've　never　even　had　gasoline　in　her　tanks。〃
　〃Then　fill　her　up。〃
　〃But　the　hull　hasn't　been　water…tested　yet；〃　he　shouted。　〃How　do　you　know　she　won't　go　right　to　the　bottom　of　San　Diego　Bay　when　you　send　her　down　the　runway？〃
　〃Then　test　it。　You've　got　twenty…four　hours　to　make　sure　she　floats。　I'll　be　up　there　tonight；　if　you　need　a　hand。〃
　This　was　no　cost…plus；　money…guaranteed　project；　where　the　government　picked　up　the　tab；　win；　lose　or　draw。　This　was　my　money　and　I　didn't　like　the　idea　of　losing　it。
　For　seventeen　million　dollars；　The　Centurion　would　fly　if　I　had　to　lift　her　out　of　the　water　with　my　bare　hands。
　
　3
　
　I　HAD　ROBAIR　TAKE　ME　OUT　TO　THE　RANCH；　WHERE　I　TOOK　A　HOT　SHOWER　AND　CHANGED　MY　CLOTHES　BEFORE　I　GOT　ON　THE　PLANE　TO　SAN　DIEGO。　I　was　just　leaving　the　house　when　the　telephone　rang。
　〃It's　for　you；　Mr。　Jonas；〃　Robair　said。　〃Mr。　McAllister。〃
　I　took　the　phone　from　his　hand。　〃Yes；　Mac？〃
　〃Sorry　to　bother　you；　Jonas；　but　this　is　important。〃
　〃Shoot。〃
　〃Bonner　just　called　from　the　studio；〃　he　said。　〃He's　leaving　at　the　end　of　the　month　to　go　over　to　Paramount。　He's　got　a　deal　with　them　to　make　nothing　but　blockbusters。〃
　〃Offer　him　more　money。〃
　〃I　did。　He　doesn't　want　it。　He　wants　out。〃
　〃What　does　his　contract　say？〃
　〃It's　over　the　end　of　this　month；〃　he　said。　〃We　cant　hold　him　if　he　wants　to　go。〃
　〃To　hell　with　him；　then。　If　he　wants　to　go；　let　him。〃
　〃We're　in　a　hole；〃　Mac　said　seriously。　〃We'll　have　to　find　someone　to　run　the　studio。　You　can't　operate　a　motion…picture　pany　without　someone　to　make　pictures。〃
　That　was　nothing　I　didn't　know。　It　was　too　bad　that　David　Woolf　wasn't　ing　back。　I　could　depend　on　him。　He　felt　the　same　way　about　movies　that　I　did　about　airplanes。　But　he'd　caught　it　at　Anzio。
　〃I　want　to　make　San　Diego　tonight；〃　I　said。　〃Let　me　think　about　it　and　we'll　kick　it　around　in　your　office　in　L。A。　the　day　after　tomorrow。〃　I　had　bigger　worries　on　my　mind　just　now。　One　Centurion　cost　almost　as　much　as　a　whole　year's　production　at　the　studio。
　We　landed　at　the　San　Diego　Airport　about　one　o'clock　in　the　morning。　I　took　a　taxi　right　from　there　to　the　little　shipyard　we　had　rented　near　the　Naval　base。　I　could　see　the　lights　blazing　from　it　ten　blocks　away。　I　smiled　to　myself。　Leave　it　to　Amos　to　get　things　done。　He　had　a　night　crew　working　like　mad；　even　if　he　had　to　break　the　blackout　regulations　to　get　it　done。
　I　walked　around　the　big　old　boat　shed　that　we　were　using　for　a　hangar　just　in　time　to　hear　someone　yell；　〃Clear　the　runway！〃
　And　then　The　Centurion　came　out　of　the　hangar；　tail　first；　looking　for　all　the　world　like　an　ugly　giant　condor　flying　backward。　Like　a　greased　pig；　it　shot　down　the　runway　toward　the　water。　A　great　roar　came　from　the　hangar　and　I　was　almost　knocked　over　by　a　gang　of　men；　who　came　running　out　after　the　plane。　Before　I　knew　it；　they'd　passed　me　and　were　down　at　the　water's　edge。　I　saw　Amos　in　the　crowd　and　he　was　yelling　as　much　as　any　of　them。
　There　was　a　great　splash　as　The　Centurion　hit　the　water；　a　moment's　groaning　silence　as　the　tail　dipped　backward；　almost　covering　the　three　big　rudders；　and　then　a　triumphant　yell　as　she　straightened　herself　out　and　floated　easily　on　the　bay。　She　began　to　turn；　drifting　away　from　the　dock；　and　I　heard　the　whir　of　the　big　winches　as　they　spun　the　tie　lines；　drawing　her　back　in。
　The　men　were　still　yelling　when　I　got　to　Amos。　〃What　the　hell　do　you　think　you're　doing？〃　I　shouted；　trying　to　make　myself　heard　over　the　noise。
　〃What　you　told　me　to　do　…　water…test　her。〃
　〃You　damn　fool！　You　might've　sunk　her。　Why　didn't　you　get　a　pressure　tank？〃
　〃There　wasn't　time。　The　earliest　I　could've　got　one　was　three　days。　You　said　you　were　taking　her　up　tomorrow。〃
　The　winches　had　hauled　the　plane　partly　back　on　the　runway；　with　her　prow　out　of　the　water。　〃Wait　here　a　minute；〃　Amos　said；　〃I　gotta　get　the　men　to　work。　They're　all　on　triple　time。〃
　He　went　down　the　dock　to　where　a　workman　had　already　placed　a　ladder　against　the　side　of　the　giant　plane。　Scrambling　up　like　a　man　half　his　age；　Amos　opened　the　door　just　behind　the　cabin　and　disappeared　into　the　plane。　A　moment　later；　I　heard　the　whir　of　a　motor　from　somewhere　inside　her　and　the　giant　boarding　flap　came　down；　opening　a　gaping　maw　in　her　prow　that　was　big　enough　to　drive　a　truck　through。　Amos　appeared　at　the　top　of　the　ramp　inside　the　plane。　〃O。K。；　men。　You　know　what　we　gotta　do。　Shake　the　lead　out。　We　ain't　paying　triple　time　for　conversation。〃
　He　came　back　up　the　dock　toward　me　and　we　walked　back　into　his　office。　There　was　a　bottle　of　whisky　on　his　desk。　He　took　two　paper　cups　from　the　wall　container　and　began　to　pour　whisky　into　them。　〃You　mean　it　about　taking　her　up　tomorrow？〃
　I　nodded。
　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　wouldn't；〃　he　said。　〃Just　because　she　floats　don't　mean　she'll　fly。　There's　still　too　many　things　we're　not　sure　of。　Even　if　she　does　get　up；　there's　no　guarantee　she'll　stay　up。　She　might　even　fall　apart　in　the　sky。〃
　〃That'll　be　rough；〃　I　said。　〃But；　I'm　taking　her　up；　anyway。〃
　He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃You're　the　boss；〃　he　said；　handing　me　one　of　the　paper　cups。　He　raised　his　to　his　lips。　〃Here's　luck。〃
　
　By　two　o'clock　the　next　afternoon；　we　still　weren't　ready。　The　number…two　starboard　engine　spit　oil　like　a　gusher　every　time　we　started　it　up　and　we　couldn't　find　the　leak。　I　stood　on　the　dock；　staring　up　at　her。　〃We'll　have　to　pull　her　off；〃　Amos　said；　〃and　get　her　up　to　the　shop。〃
　I　looked　at　him。　〃How　long　will　that　take？〃
　〃Two；　three　hours。　If　we're　lucky　and　find　what's　wrong　right　away。　Maybe　we　better　put　off　taking　her　up　until　tomorrow。〃
　I　looked　at　my　watch。　〃What　for？　We'll　still　have　three　and　a　half　hours　of　daylight　at　five　o'clock。〃　I　started　back　toward　his　office。　〃I'm　going　back　to　your　office　and　grab　a　snooze　on　the　couch。　Call　me　as　soon　as　she's　ready。〃
　But　I　might　as　well　have　tried　to　sleep　in　a　boiler　factory；　for　all　the　shouting　and　cursing　and　hammering　and　riveting。　Then　the　telephone　rang　and　I　got　up　to　answer　it。　〃Hello；　Dad？〃　It　was　Monica's　voice。
　〃No；　this　is　Jonas。　I'll　get　him　for　you。〃
　〃Thanks。〃
　Laying　the　telephone　down　on　the　desk；　I　went　to　the　door　and　called　Amos。　I　went　back　to　the　couch　and　stretched　out　as　he　picked　up　the　phone。　He　shot　a　peculiar　look　at　me　when　he　heard　her　voice。　〃Yes；　I'm　a　little　busy。〃　He　was　silent　for　a　little　while；　listening　to　her。　When　he　spoke　again；　he　was　smiling。　〃That's　wonderful。　When　are　you　leaving？　。　。　。　Then　I'll　fly　to　New　York　when　this　job　is　finished。　We'll　have　a　celebration。　Give　my　love　to　Jo…Ann。〃
　He　put　down　the　telephone　and　came　over　to　me。　〃That　was　Monica；〃　he　said；　looking　down　at　me。
　〃I　know。〃
　〃She's　leaving　for　New　York　this　afternoon。　S。　J。　Hardin　just　made　her　managing　editor　of　Style　and　wants　her　back　there　right　away。〃
　〃That's　nice；〃　I　said。
　〃She's　taking　Jo…Ann　back　with　her。　You　haven't　seen　the　kid　for　a　long　time　now；　have　you？〃
　〃Not　since　the　time　you　walked　the　two　of　them　out　of　my　apartment　at　the　Drake　in　Chicago；　five　years　ago。〃
　〃You　oughta　see　her。　The　kid's　turning　into　a　real　beauty。〃
　I