cc.iceberg-第29节

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ck　sandy　bottom。
　
　The　unseen　ship　was　almost　upon　them　now；　the　roar　of　its　engine　died　to　a　muted　throb　as　the　helmsman　eased　back　the　throttles　in　preparation　for　ing　alongside　The　Grimsi。i。　From　where　he　lay　on　the　bow；　clenching　and　unclenching　his　hands　around　the　ax　handle；　Pitt　could　hear　the　hull　splash　into　the　waves　as　the　diminishing　speed　pushed　the　hydrofoil　deeper　in　the　water。　He　raised　himself　carefully；　narrowing　his　eyes　and　trying　vainly　to　pierce　the　heavy　fog　for　a　sign　of　movement。　The　area　round　the　bow　was　in　near　darkness。　Visibility　was　no　more　than　twenty　feet。
　
　Then　a　shadowy　bulk　slowly　came　into　view；　showing　its　port　glow。　Pitt　could　barely　make　out　several　dim　forms　standing　on　the　forward　deck；　a　glow　behind　them　that　Pitt　knew　would　be　the　wheelhouse。　It　was　like　a　specter　ship　whose　crew　appeared　as　dim　ghosts。
　
　The　erieform　arose　menacingly　and　towered　above　the　Grimsi；　the　stranger　had　a　length　of　a　hundred　feet　or　better；　Pitt　guessed。　He　could　see　the　other　men　clearly　now；　leaning　over　the　bulwarks；　saying　nothing；　crouched　as　if　ready　to　jump。　The　automatic　rifles　in　their　hands　told　Pitt　all　he　needed　to　know。
　
　Coolly　and　precisely；　no　more　than　eight　feet　from　the　gun　barrels　on　the　specter　ship；　Pitt　made　three　movements　so　rapidly　they　almost　seemed　simultaneous。
　
　Swinging　the　ax　head　sideways；　e　brought　the　flat　face　down　loudly　on　an　iron　capstan…the　signal　to　Sandecker。　Then　in　the　same　swinging　motion　he　hurled　the　ax　through　the　air　and　saw　the　pick　part　of　the　head　bury　itself　in　the　chest　of　a　man　who　was　in　the　act　of　jumping　down　on　The　Grimsi's　deck。　They　met　in　midair；　a　ghastly　scream　reaching　from　the　man's　throat　as　he　and　the　ax　fell　against　the　railing。　He　hung　there　for　an　instant；　the　bloodless　nuckles　of　one　hand　clenched　over　the　wooden　molding　and　then　dropped　into　the　gray　water。　Even　before　the　sea　closed　over　the　man's　head；　Pitt　had　hurled　himself　on　the　worn　planks　of　the　deck；　and　the　Grimsi　leaped　ahead　like　a　frightened　impala；　chased　by　a　storm　of　shells　that　swept　across　the　deck　and　into　the　wheelhouse　before　the　old　boat　had　vanished　into　the　mist。
　
　Staying　below　the　gunwale；　Pitt　crawled　aft　and　across　the　threshold　of　the　wheelhouse　doorway。　The　floor　was　littered　with　glass　and　wood　splinters。
　〃Any　hits？〃　Sandecker　asked　conversationally；　his　voice　hardly　audible　above　the　exhaust　of　the　Sterling　engines。
　〃No　holes　in　me。　How　about　you？〃
　〃The　bastards'　aim　was　above　my　head。　Add　to　that　the　fact　that　I　was　able　to　make　myself　three　feet　high；　and　you　have　a　fortunate　bination。〃　He　turned　and　looked　thoughtful。　〃I　thought　I　heard　a　scream　just　before　all　hell　broke　loose。〃
　
　Pitt　grinned。　〃I　cannot　tell　a　lie。　I　did　it　with　my　little　ax。〃
　
　Sandecker　shook　his　head。　〃Thirty　years　in　the　Navy；　and　that's　the　first　time　any　crew　of　mine　every　had　to　repel　boarders。〃
　〃The　problem　now　is　to　prevent　a　repeat　performance。〃
　〃It　won't　be　easy。　We're　running　blind。　Their　goddamned　radar　knows　our　every　move。　Our　biggest　fear　is　ramming。　With　a　ten…to…twenty…knot　edge　they're　an　odds…on　favorite　to　win　at　blindman's　buff。　I　can't　avoid　the　inevitable。　If　their　helmsman　is　hallway　on　the　dime；　he'll　use　his　superior　speed　to　pass　and　then　cut　a　ninety…degree　angle　and　catch　us　amidships。〃
　
　Pitt　considered　a　moment。　〃Let's　hope　their　helmsman　is　right…handed。〃
　
　Sandecker　frowned　unprehendingly。　〃You're　not　getting　through。〃
　〃Lefties　are　a　minority。　The　percentages　favor　a　right…hander。　When　the　hydrofoil　begins　to　close　in　again…its　bow　is　probably　no　more　than　four　hundred　yards　behind　our　ass　end　this　second…the　helmsman　will　have　an　instinctive　tendency　to　swing　out　to　his　starboard　before　he　cuts　in　to　ram　us。　This　will　give　us　an　opportunity　to　use　one　of　our　two　advantages。〃
　
　Sandecker　looked　at　him。　〃I　can't　think　of　one；　much　less　two。〃
　〃A　hydrofoil　boat　depends　on　its　high　speed　to　sustain　its　weight。
　
　The　foils　travel　through　the　water　the　same　as　the　wings　of　an　aircraft　travel　through　air。　Its　greatest　asset　is　speed；　but　its　greatest　limitation　is　maneuverability。　In　simple　English；　a　hydrofoil　can't　turn　worth　a　damn。〃
　〃And　we　can。　Is　that　it？〃　Sandecker　probed。
　〃The　Grimsi　can　cut　two　circles　inside　their　one。〃
　
　Sandecker　lifted　his　hands　from　the　spokes　of　the　wheel　and　flexed　his　fingers。　〃Sounds　great　as　far　as　it　goes；　except　we　won't　know　when　they　start　their　arc。〃
　
　Pitt　sighed。　〃We　listen。〃
　
　Sandecker　looked　at　him。　〃Shut　down　our　engines？〃
　
　Pitt　nodded。
　
　When　Sandecker's　hands　went　back　on　the　wheel；　they　were　white…knuckled；　his　mouth　tight　and　drawn。
　〃What　you're　suggesting　is　one　hell　of　a　gamble。　All　one　of　those　Sterlings　had　to　do　is　balk　at　the　starter　button　and　we're　a　sitting　duck。〃　He　nodded　toward　the　galley。
　〃Are　you　thinking　of　her？〃
　〃I'm　thinking　of　all　of　us。　Stand　or　run；　the　chances　are　we　get　deep…sixed　anyway。　The　last　dollar　bet　of　the　gamblerall　it　what　you　wul；　but　however　remote；　it's　a　chance。〃
　
　Sandecker　cast　a　searching　stare　at　the　tall　man　standing　in　the　doorway。　He　could　see　that　the　eyes　were　determined　and　the　chin　set。
　〃You　mentioned　two　advantages。〃
　〃The　unexpected；〃　Pitt　said　quietly。　〃We　know　what　they're　out　to　do。　They　may　have　radar；　but　they　can't　read　our　minds。　That　is　our　second　and　most　important　advantage…the　unexpected　move。〃
　
　Pitt　looked　at　his　Doxa　watch。　One…thirty；　still　early　in　the　afternoon。　Sandecker　had　cut　the　engines；　and　Pitt　had　to　fight　to　stay　alert…the　sudden　silence　and　the　calm　of　the　fog　began　a　creeping　course　to　dull　his　mind。　Above；　the　sun　was　a　faded　white　disc　that　brightened　and　dimmed　as　the　uneven　layers　of　mist　rolled　overhead。　Pitt　inhaled　slowly　and　evenly　to　keep　a　sensation　of　wet　and　chill　from　penetrating　his　lungs。
　
　He　shivered　in　his　clothes；　turned　damp　from　the　fine　sparkling　drops　bunched　in　clusters　on　the　material。　He　sat　there　on　the　forward　hatch　cover　waiting　until　his　ears　lost　the　roar　of　the　Sterlings；　waiting　until　his　hearing　picked　up　the　engines　of　the　hydroplane。　He　didn't　have　to　wait　long。　He　soon　tuned　in　the　steady　beat　of　the　hydroplane　as　the　explosions　through　its　exhaust　manifolds　increased　in　volume。
　
　Everything　had　to　go　perfect　the　first　time。　There　could　be　no　second　chance。　The　radar　operator　on　the　hydroplane　was　probably　at　this　instant　reacting　to　the　fact　that　the　blip　on　his　scope　had　lost　headway　and　had　stopped　dead　in　the　water。　By　the　time　he　notified　his　mander　and　a　decision　was　reached；　it　would　be　too　late　for　a　course　change。　The　hydroplane's　superior　speed　would　have　put　its　bow　almost　on　top　of　The　Grimsi。
　
　Pitt　re…checked　the　containers　lying　in　a　neat　row　beside　him　for　perhaps　the　tenth　time。　It　had　to　be　the　poorest　excuse　for　an　arsenal　ever　concocted；　he　mused。
　
　One　of　the　containers　was　a　gallon　glass　jar　Tidi　had　scrounged　from　the　galley。　The　other　three　were　battered　and　rusty　gas　cans　in　various　sizes　that　Pitt　had　found　in　a　locker　aft　of　the　engine　room。　Except　for　their　contents；　the　cloth　wicks　protruding　from　the　cap　openings　and　the　holes　punched　through　the　top　of　the　cans；　the　four　vessels　had　little　in　mon。
　
　The　hydroplane　was　close　now…very　close。　Pitt　turned　to　the　wheelhouse　and　shouted；　〃Now！〃　Then　he　lit　the　wick　of　the　glass　jar　with　his　lighter　and　braced　himself　for　the　sudden　surge　of　acceleration　he　prayed　would　e。
　
　Sandecker　pushed　the　starter　button。　The　420…lip　Sterlings　coughed　once；　twice；　then　burst　into　rpm's　with　a　roar。　He　swung　the　wheel　over　to　starboard　hard　and　jammed　the　throttles　forward。　The　Grimsi　took　off　over　the　water　like　a　racehorse　with　an　arrow　imbedded　in　its　rectum。　The　admiral　held　on　grimly；　clutching　the　wheel　and　expecting　to　collide　with　the　hydroplane　bow　on。　Then　suddenly　as　a　spoke　flew　off　the　wheel　and　clattered　against　the　pass；　he　became　aware　that　bullets　were　striking　the　wheelhouse。　He　could　still　see　nothing；　but　he　knew　the　crew　of　the　hydroplane　were　firing　blindly　through　the　fog；　guided　only　by　the　mands　of　the　radar　operator。
　
　To　Pitt　the　tension　was　unbearable。　His　gaze　alternated　from　the　wall　of　fog　in　front　of　the　bow　to　the　jar　in　his　hand。　The　flame　on　the　wick　was　getting　dangerously　close　to　the　tapered　neck　and　the　gasoline　sloshing　behind　the　glass。　Five　seconds；　no　more；　then　he　would　have　to　heave　the　jar　over　the　side。　He　began　counting。
　
　Five　came　and　went。　Six；　seven。　He　cocked　his　arm。
　
　Eight。　Then　the　hydroplane　leaped　from　the　mist　on　an　opposite　course；　passing　no　more　than　ten　feet　from　The　Grimsi's　railing。　Pitt　hurled　the　jar。
　
　The　next　instant　stayed　etched　in　Pitts　memory　the　rest　of　his　days。　The　frightful　image　of　a　tall；　yellow…haired　man　in　a　leather　windbreaker　gripping　the　bridge　railing；　watching　in　shocked　fascination　that　deathly　thing　sailing　through　the　damp　air　toward　him。
　
　Then　the　jar　burst　on　the　bulkhead　beside　him　and　he　vanished　in　a　blast　of　searing　bright　flame。　Pitt　saw　no　more。　The　two　boats　had　raced　past　each　other　and　the　hydroplane　was　gone。
　
　Pitt　had　no　time　to　reflect。　Quick