cc.iceberg-第2节

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utline　of　the　bow；　or　maybe　the　stern；　it's　impossible　to　tell　for　certain。〃
　
　He　slipped　off　the　goggles　and　raised　the　thumb　of　his　right　hand　in　the　air；　motioning　up。　Gratefully　Rapp　sighed　and　leveled　out　the　patrol　plane；　putting　a　fortable　margin　of　space　between　the　aircraft's　underbelly　and　the　cold　Atlantic。
　〃Excuse　me；　Lieutenant。〃　Hadley　came　through　over　the　headphones。
　
　He　was　hunched　over　his　radar　set；　painstakingly　studying　a　little　white　blip　almost　in　the　exact　center　of　the　scope。　〃For　what　it's　worth；　the　overall　length　of　that　thing　in　the　berg　is　in　the　neighborhood　of　one　hundred　and　twenty…five　feet。〃
　〃A　derelict　fishing　trawler；　most　likely。〃　Neth　vigorously　massaged　his　cheeks；　wincing　at　the　pain　as　the　circulation　began　to　return。
　〃Shall　I　contact　District　Headquarters　in　New　York　and　request　a　rescue　party？〃　Rapp　asked　matterof…factly。
　Neth　shook　his　head。　〃No　need　to　rush　a　rescue　ship。　It's　obvious　there　are　no　survivors。　We'll　make　a　detailed　report　after　we've　landed　in　Newfoundland。〃
　There　was　a　pause。　Then　Sloan's　voice　came　through。
　〃Make　a　pass　over　the　berg；　skipper。　I'll　drop　a　dye　marker　on　it　for　quick　identification。〃
　〃Right　you　are；　Sloan。　Make　the　drop　at　my　signal。〃　Neth　turned　again　to　Rapp。　〃Bring　us　over　the　high　part　of　the　berg　at　three　hundred　feet。〃
　
　The　Boeing；　its　four　engines　still　turning　at　reduced　power；　swept　over　the　stately　iceberg　like　a　monstrous　Mesozoic　bird　in　search　of　its　primeval　nest。
　
　Back　at　the　cargo　door；　Sloan　raised　his　arm；　pausing。
　
　Then　at　Neth's　spoken　mand；　Sloan　tossed　a　gallon　pickle　jar　full　of　red　dye　out　into　space。　The　jar　grew　smaller　and　smaller；　shrinking　to　a　tiny　speck　before　finally　striking　the　smooth　cliff　face　of　the　target。　Peering　back；　Sloan　could　see　a　bright　vermilion　streak　spreading　slowly　down　the　million…ton　mound　of　ice。
　〃Right　on　the　button。〃　Neth　almost　sounded　jovial。　〃The　search　party　won't　have　any　trouble　spotting　that　one。〃　Then　suddenly　grim…faced；　he　stared　down　toward　the　spot　where　the　unknown　ship　lay　entombed。
　〃Poor　devils。　I　wonder　if　we'll　ever　know　what　happened　to　them？〃
　Rapp's　eyes　took　on　a　thoughtful　look。　〃They　couldn't　have　asked　for　a　bigger　tombstone。〃
　〃It's　only　temporary。　Two　weeks　after　that　berg　drifts　into　the　Gulf　Stream；　there　won't　be　enough　left　of　it　to　chill　a　six…pack　of　beer。
　
　The　cabin　became　clouded　by　a　silence；　a　silence　that　seemed　intensified　by　the　incessant　drone　of　the　plane's　engines。　Neither　man　spoke　for　several　moments；　each　lost　in　his　own　thoughts。　They　could　only　look　at　the　ominous　pinnacle　of　white　rising　out　of　the　sea　and　speculate　on　the　enigma　locked　beneath　its　icy　mantle。
　
　At　last　Neth　slouched　backward　nearly　horizontal　in　his　seat　and　became　his　old　imperturbable　self　again。
　〃I　strongly　suggest；　Ensign；　unless　you　have　a　hankering　to　ditch　this　lumbering　bus　in　forty…degree　water；　you　take　us　home　before　the　fuel　gauges　die　from　thirst。〃　He　grinned　menacingly。　〃And　please；　no　interruptions。〃
　
　Rapp　threw　Neth　a　withering　look；　then　shrugged　and　turned　the　patrol　plane　once　more　on　a　course　toward　Newfoundland。
　
　When　the　Coast　Guard　patrol　plane　had　disappeared　and　the　last　steady　beat　of　its　engines　had　faded　away　in　the　cold　salt　air；　the　towering　iceberg　once　again　lay　enshrouded　in　the　deathly　stillness　it　had　endured　since　being　broken　from　a　glacier　and　forced　into　the　sea　off　the　west　coast　of　Greenland　nearly　a　year　before。
　
　Then　suddenly　there　was　a　slight　but　perceptible　movement　on　the　ice　just　above　the　waterline　of　the　berg。
　
　Two　indistinct　shapes　slowly　transformed　into　two　men　who　rose　to　their　feet　and　stared　in　the　direction　of　the　retreating　aircraft。　From　more　than　twenty　paces　they　would　have　been　invisible　to　the　unaided　eye…both　wore　white　suits　that　blended　in　perfectly　with　the　colorless　background。
　
　They　stood　there　for　a　long　time；　patiently　waiting　and　listening。　When　they　were　satisfied　the　patrol　plane　was　not　returning；　one　of　the　men　knelt　and　brushed　away　the　ice；　revealing　a　small　radio　transmitter　and　receiver。　Extending　the　ten…foot　telescopic　aerial；　he　set　the　frequency　and　began　turning　the　crank　handle。　He　didn't　have　to　crank　very　hard　or　very　long。　Someone；　somewhere；　was　keeping　a　tight　watch　on　the　same　frequency；　and　the　answer　came　almost　immediately。
　
　Chapter　1
　
　Lieutenant　mander　Lee　Koski　clamped　his　teeth　a　notch　tighter　on　the　stem　of　a　corncob　pipe；　jammed　his　knotted　fists　two　inches　deeper　in　his　fur…lined　windbreaker　and　shivered　in　the　intense　cold。　Two　months　past　forty…one　years；　eighteen　of　them　in　the　service　of　the　United　States　Coast　Guard；　Koski　was　short；　very　short；　and　the　heavy；　multi…layered　clothing　made　him　look　nearly　as　wide　as　he　was　high。　His　blue　eyes　beneath　the　shaggy　wheat…colored　hair　gleanyed　with　an　intensity　that　never　seemed　to　dim；　regardless　of　his　mood。　He　possessed　the　confident　manner　of　a　perfectionist；　a　quality　that　helped　in　no　small　measure　in　his　section　as　mander　of　the　Coast　Guard's　newest　supercutter　the　Catawaba。　He　stood　on　the　bridge　like　a　gamecock；　legs　braced　apart；　and　didn't　bother　to　turn　when　he　spoke　to　the　tall　mountain　of　a　man　standing　beside　him。
　〃Even　with　radar；　they'll　play　hell　finding　us　in　this　weather。〃　The　tone　was　as　crisp　and　penetrating　as　the　cold　Atlantic　air。　〃Visibility　can't　be　more　than　a　mile。〃
　
　Slowly；　deliberately；　Lieutenant　Amos　Dover；　the　Catawaba's　Executive　Officer；　flipped　a　cigarette　butt　ten　feet　straight　into　the　air　and　watched　with　analytical　interest　as　the　smoking　white　tube　was　caught　by　the　wind　and　carried　over　the　ship's　bridge；　far　out　into　the　rolling　sea。
　〃Wouldn't　make　any　difference　if　they　did；〃　he　mumbled　through　lips　that　were　turning　blue　from　the　chilly　breeze。　〃The　way　we're　pitching；　the　pilot　of　that　helicopter　would　have　to　be　extremely　dumb　or　dead　drunk　or　both　to　even　consider　touching　down　back　there。〃　He　nodded　aft　toward　the　Catawaba's　landing　platform；　already　wet　from　the　blowing　spray。
　〃Some　people　don't　give　a　damn　how　they　die；〃　Koski　said　severly。
　〃No　one　can　say　they　weren't　warned。〃　Dover　not　only　looked　like　a　big　bear；　but　his　voice　seemed　to　growl　from　somewhere　deep　within　his　stomach；　〃I　signaled　the　copter　right　after　it　left　St。　John's；　informing　it　of　the　building　sea　and　strongly　advising　against　a　rendezvous。　All　I　got　from　the　pilot　was　a　polite　thank　you。〃
　
　It　was　beginning　to　drizzle　now；　and　the　twenty…five…knot　breeze　flung　the　rain　over　the　ship　in　driving　sheets　that　soon　sent　all　the　men　who　were　on　duty　above　deck　scurrying　for　their　oilskins。　Fortunately　for　the　Catawaba　and　her　crew；　the　air　temperature　held　at　40'F；　still　eight　degrees　away　from　the　dread　of　freezing；　a　nasty　situation　that　would　have　quickly　covered　the　entire　ship　with　a　blanket　of　ice。
　
　Koski　and　Dover　had　just　slipped　into　their　oilskins；　when　the　loudspeaker　on　the　bridge　crackled　mechanically。　〃Captain；　we've　just　picked　up　the　bird　on　radar　and　we're　guiding　it　in。〃
　
　Koski　picked　up　the　hand　transmitter　and　acknowledged。　Then　he　turned　to　Dover。　〃I　fear；〃　he　said　casually；　〃a　plot　is　brewing。〃
　〃You're　wondering　why　all　the　urgency　to　take　on　passengers？〃　Dover　asked。
　〃Aren't　you？〃
　〃I　am　indeed。　I'm　also　wondering　why　the　orders　to　stand　by　station　and　receive　a　civilian　helicopter　came　direct　from　the　mandant's　Headquarters　in　Washington　instead　of　our　own　district　mand。〃
　〃Damned　inconsiderate　of　the　mandant；〃　Koski　growled；　〃Dot　to　tell　us　what　these　people　want。　One　thing's　certain；　they're　not　going（；　to　find　themselves　on　a　pleasure　cruise　to　Tahiti…〃　Koski　suddenly　stiffened　and　cocked　an　ear　in　the　direction　of　the　unmistakably　thumping　beat　of　a　helicopter's　rotor　blade。　For　half　a　minute　it　was　invisible　in　the　heavy　overcast。　Then　both　men　spotted　it　at　the　same　time。　It　was　ing　from　the　west；　through　the　light　rain；　and　heading　in　a　direct　line　toward　the　ship。
　
　Koski　recognized　it　immediately　as　a　two…seater　civilian　version　of　the　Ulysses　Q…55；　a　craft　capable　of　nearly　two　hundred　and　fifty　miles　an　hour。
　〃He's　nuts　to　try　it；〃　Dover　said　dryly。
　Koski　didn't　ment。　He　grabbed　the　transmitter　again　and　exploded　into　it。　〃Signal　the　pilot　of　that　copter；　and　tell　him　not　to　attempt　a　touchdown　while　we're　pushing　through　ten…foot…high　swells。　Tell　him　I　won't　be　responsible　for　any　insane　actions　on　his　part。〃
　Koski　waited　for　a　few　seconds；　his　eyes　glued　to　the　helicopter。　〃Well？〃
　
　The　speaker　crackled　in　reply。　〃The　pilot　says　he's　most　grateful　for　your　concern；　Captain；　and　he　respectfully　requests　that　you　have　some　men　on　hand　to　secure　the　landing　gear　the　instant　he　touches　the　pad。〃
　〃He's　a　courteous　bastard；〃　Dover　grunted。　〃I'll　say　that　for　him。〃
　
　Jutting　his　chin　out　an　extra　half　inch；　Koski　took　another　viselike　grip　on　the　pipe　stem。　〃Courteous；　hell！　There's　every　possibility　that　idiot　will　wreck　a　good…sized　piece　of　my　ship。〃　Then　he　shrugged　in　resignation　and　picked　up　a　…bull　horn；　shouting　into　the　mouthpiece。　〃Chief　Thorp！　Have　your　men　ready　to　secure　that　bird　the　second　it　la