cc.iceberg-第24节

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　Sandecker　folded　his　hands　and　mulled　for　a　few　moments。　〃In　view　of　what　we've　learned　in　the　last　five　minutes；　I　think　it　best　if　I　hang　around　for　a　few　days。〃
　〃The　change　of　climate　will　do　you　good；〃　Pitt　said。　〃You　might　even　get　in　a　fishing　trip。〃
　
　Sandecker　studied　Pitts　face。　〃Fairy　queen　imitations；　painting　classes；　fishing　expeditions。　Would　you　humor　an　old　man　and　tell　me　what's　running　through　that　agile　mind　of　yours？〃
　
　Pitt　picked　up　a　glass　of　water　and　swilled　the　lucid　contents。　〃A　black　airplane；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃A　black　airplane　resting　beneath　a　watery　death　shroud。〃
　
　Chapter　9
　
　They　found　Pier　Twelve　at　about　ten　in　the　morning　and　were　passed　through　the　entrance　barrier　by　a　tali　swarthy　Fyrie　guard。　Sandecker　dressed　in　old　rumpled　clothes；　a　floppy；　soiled　hat；　carrying　a　tackle　box　and　fishing　rod。　Tidi　in　slacks　and　knotted　blouse　warmly　covered　by　a　man's　windbreaker。　She　held　a　sketching　pad　under　one　arm　and　a　satchel…sized　handbag　under　the　other；　both　hands　jammed　deeply　in　the　windbreaker's　pockets。　The　guard　did　a　classic　double…take　at　Pitt；　who　brought　up　the　rear　moving　along　the　pier　in　a　short　sissyish　gait。
　
　If　Sandecker　and　Tidi　looked　and　dressed　like　a　pair　of　fishermen；　Pitt　came　on　like　the　queen　of　the　May。　He　wore　red　suede　pull…on　boots；　multicolored　striped　duck　pants；　so　tight　the　seams　were　strained　beyond　endurance；　supported　by　a　two…inchwide　tapestry　belt　and　a　…stretched　purple　sweater　trimmed　at　the　collar　by　a　yellow　neckerchief。　His　eyes　blinked　rapidly　behind　a　pair　of　Ben　Franklin　glasses　and　his　head　was　covered　by　a　tasseled　knit　cap。　The　guard's　mouth　slowly　drifted　agape。
　〃Hi；　sweetie；〃　Pitt　said；　smiling　slyly。　〃Is　our　boat　ready？〃
　
　The　guard's　mouth　remained　agape；　his　eyes　blank　and　unable　to　municate　to　the　brain　the　apparition　they　were　focusing　on。
　〃e；　e；〃　Pitt　said。　〃Miss　Fyrie　has　generously　loaned　us　the　use　of　one　of　her　boats。　Which　one　is　it？〃　Pitt　stared　fixedly　at　the　guard's　crotch。
　
　The　guard　jerked　alive　as　if　he　had　been　kicked；　the　stunned　look　on　his　face　quickly　turning　to　one　of　abject　disgust。　Without　a　word　he　led　them　down　the　pier；　stopping　in　a　hundred　feet　and　pointing　down　at　a　gleaming　thirty…two…foot　Chris　Craft　cruiser。
　
　Pitt　leaped　aboard　and　disappeared　below。　In　a　minute　he　was　back　on　the　pier。　
　〃No；　no；　this　won't　do　at　all。　Too　mundane；　too　ostentatious。　To　create　properly　I　must　have　a　creative　atmosphere。〃　He　looked　accross　the　pier。　〃There；　how　about　that　one？〃
　
　Before　the　guard　could　reply；　Pitt　trotted　the　width　of　the　pier　and　dropped　to　the　deck　of　a　forty…foot　fishing　boat。　He　explored　it　briefly；　then　popped　his　head　through　a　hatchway。
　〃This　is　perfect。　It　has　character；　a　crude　uniqueness。　We'll　take　this　one。〃
　
　The　guard　hesitated　for　a　moment。　Finally；　with　that　twitch　of　the　shoulders　that　indicated　a　shrug；　he　nodded　and　left　them；　walking　along　the　pier　back　to　the　entrance；　throwing　a　backward　look　at　Pitt　every　so　often　and　shaking　his　head。
　
　When　he　was　out　of　earshot。　Tidi　said；　〃Why　this　old　dirty　tub？　Why　not　that　nice　yacht？〃
　〃Dirk　knows　what　he's　doing。〃　Sandecker　set　the　rod　and　tackle　box　down　on　the　worn　deck　planking　and　looked　at　Pitt。　〃Does　it　have　a　fathometer？〃
　〃A　Fleming　six…ten；　the　top　of　the　line。　Extrasensitive　frequencies　for　detecting　fish　at　different　depths。〃
　Pitt　motioned　down　a　narrow　panionway。　〃This　boat　was　a　lucky　choice。　Let　me　show　you　the　engine　room；　Admiral。〃
　〃You　mean　we　ignored　that　beautiful　Chris　Craft　simply　because　it　doesn't　have　a　fathometer？〃　Tidi　asked　disappointingly。
　〃That's　right；〃　Pitt　answered。　〃A　fathometer　is　our　only　hope　of　finding　the　black　plane。〃
　
　Pitt　turned　and　led　Sandecker　through　the　panionway　down　into　the　engine　room。　The　stale　air　and　the　dank　smell　of　oil　and　bilge　immediately　filled　their　nostrils；　making　them　gasp　at　the　drastic　change　from　the　diamond…pure　atmosphere　above。　There　was　another　odor。　Sandecker　looked　at　Pitt　questioningly。
　〃Gas　fumes？〃
　Pitt　nodded。　〃Take　a　look　at　the　engines。〃
　
　A　diesel　engine　is　the　most　efficient　means　of　propelling　a　small　boat；　particularly　a　fishing　boat。　Heavy；　low　revolutions…per…minute；　slow；　but　cheap　to　run　and　reliable；　the　diesel　is　used　in　nearly　every　workboat　on　the　sea　that　doesn't　rely　on　sails　for　power；　that　is；　except　this　boat。　Sitting　side　by　side；　their　propeller　shafts　vanishing　into　the　bilge；　a　pair　of　Sterling　420　h。p。　gas…fed　engines　gleamed　in　the　dim　light　of　the　engine　room　like　sleeping　giants　awaiting　the　starting　switch　to　goad　them　into　thunderous　action'　〃What　in　hell　would　a　scow　like　this　be　doing　with　all　this　power？〃　Sandecker　queried　quietly。
　〃Unless　I　miss　my　guess；〃　Pitt　murmured；　〃the　guard　goofed。〃
　〃Meaning？〃
　〃On　a　shelf　in　the　main　cabin　I　found　a　pennant　with　an　albatross　on　it。〃
　
　Pitt　ran　a　hand　over　one　of　the　Sterling's　intake　manifolds；　it　was　clean　enough　to　pass　a　naval　inspection。
　〃This　boat　belongs　to　Rondheim；　not　Fyrie。〃
　Sandecker　thought　for　a　moment。　〃Miss　Fyrie　instructed　us　to　see　her　dockmaster。　For　some　unknown　reason　he　was　absent；　and　the　pier　was　left　in　charge　of　that　grizzled　character　with　the　tobacco…stained　mustache。　It　makes　one　wonder　if　we　weren't　set　up。〃
　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　Pitt　said。　〃Rondheim　will　undoubtedly　keep　a　tight　eye　on　us；　but　we've　given　him　no　cause　to　be　suspicious　of　our　actions…not　yet；　at　any　rate。　The　guard　made　an　honest　mistake。　Without　special　instructions　he　probably　figured　we　were　given　permission　to　select　any　boat　on　the　pier；　so　he　quite　naturally　showed　us　the　best　of　the　lot　first。　There　was　nothing　in　the　script　that　said　we　would　pick　this　little　gem。〃
　〃What　is　it　doing　here？　Rondheim　surely　can't　be　hard　up　for　dock　space。〃
　〃Who　cares；〃　Pitt　said；　a　wide　grin　stretching　his　features。　〃As　long　as　the　keys　are　in　the　ignition；　I　suggest　we　take　it　and　run　before　the　guard　changes　his　mind。〃　The　admiral　needed　no　persuasion。　When　it　came　to　indulging　in　devious　games　to　achieve…in　his　mind…an　honest　purpose；　he　was　sneaky　to　a　fault。
　
　Squaring　his　battered　hat；　he　lost　no　time　in　issuing　the　first　order　of　his　new　mand。
　〃Cast　off　the　lines；　Major。　I'm　anxious　to　see　what　these　Sterlings　can　do。〃
　
　Precisely　one　minute　later；　the　guard　came　running　down　the　pier　waving　his　arms　like　a　crazy　man。　It　was　too　late。　Pitt　stood　on　the　deck　and　waved　back　good　naturedly　as　Sandecker；　happy　as　a　child　with　a　new　toy；　gunned　the　engines　and　steered　the　deceptivelooking　boat　out　into　Reykjavik　harbor。
　
　The　boat　was　named　The　Grimsi；　and　her　tiny　squared　wheelhouse；　perched　just　five　feet　from　the　stern；　made　her　look　as　though　she　rode　in　the　opposite　direction　than　her　builder　had　intended　when　he　laid　her　keel。　She　was　a　very　old　boat…as　old　as　the　antique　pass　mounted　beside　the　helm。　Her　mahogany　deck　planks　were　worn　smooth；　but　still　lay　strong　and　true；　and　smelled　strongly　of　the　sea。　At　the　pier　she　had　looked　an　old　ungainly　bathtub　from　her　broadbeamed；　stubby　shape；　but　when　the　mighty　Sterlings　mumbled　through　their　exhaust；　her　bow　lifted　from　the　water　like　a　sea　gull　soaring　into　the　wind。　She　seemed　to　delight　in　being　carried　along　without　effort　or　trouble　in　a　buoyant　sort　of　way。
　
　Sandecker　eased　the　throttles　back　a　notch　above　idle　and　took　The　Grimsi　on　a　slow；　leisurely　tour　of　Reykjavik　harbor。　The　admiral　might　have　been　standing　on　the　bridge　of　a　battle　cruiser　from　the　regulation　smile　on　his　face。　He　was　back　in　his　element；　and　he　was　enjoying　every　minute　of　it。　To　an　interested　observer　his　passengers　looked　like　ordinary　tourists　on　a　chartered　cruise…Tidi　sunning　herself　and　aiming　a　camera　at　everything　in　sight；　and　Pitt　drawing　furiously　on　a　sketch　pad。　Before　leaving　the　harbor　they　tied　up　at　a　bait　boat　and　purchased　two　buckets　of　herring。
　
　Then；　after　an　animated　conversation　with　the　bait　fishermen；　they　cast　off　and　headed　toward　the　sea。
　
　As　soon　as　they　rounded　a　rocky　point　and　lost　sight　of　the　harbor；　Sandecker　eased　open　the　throttles　and　slowly　pushed　The　Grimsi　to　30　knots。　it　was　a　strange　sight　indeed　to　see　the　ungainly　hull　skipping　over　the　waves　like　a　Gold　Cup　hydroplane。　The　waves　began　to　melt　together　as　The　Grimsi　increased　speed　and　lost　them　behind　her　swirling　wake。　Pitt　found　a　chart　of　the　coast　and　laid　it　on　a　small　shelf　beside　Sandecker。
　〃It's　right　about　here。〃　Pitt　tapped　a　spot　on　the　map　with　a　pencil。　〃Twenty　miles　southeast　of　Keflavik。〃
　Sandecker　nodded。　〃An　hour　and　a　half；　no　more。　Not　the　way　she　moves。　Take　a　look。　The　throttles　are　still　a　good　two　inches　from　their　stops。〃
　〃The　weather　looks　perfect。　I　hope　it　holds。〃
　〃No　clouds　in　any　direction。　It's　usually　calm　around　the　southern　end　of　Iceland　this　time　of　year。　The　worst　we　can　look　forward　to　is　meeting　a　bit　of　fog。　It　usually　rolls　in　during　the　late　afternoon。〃
　
　Pitt　sat　down；　propped　his　feet　on　the　doorway　and　gazed　out　at　the　rocky　coastline。　〃At　least　we　don't　have　to　worry　about　fuel。〃
　〃What　do　the　gauges　read？〃
　〃About　two…thirds　full。〃
　Sandecker's　mind　clicke