cc.themediterraneancaper2-第21部分

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　to　turn　and　look　at　the　approaching　plane。　He　tied　the　final　knot　tightly；　making　Pitt　twinge　and　display　a　wry　face。　〃That's　the　best　I　can　do　for　you；　Major；　until　you　stop　running　up　and　down　the　deck；　shouting　orders　like　Captain　Bligh。〃
　〃Sorry；　Doc；〃　Pitt　said　without　taking　his　eyes　from　the　sky。　〃But　there　was　no　time　for　a　formal　office　call。　You　better　get　below　now。　If　my　little　battle　tactic　doesn't　work；　you're　going　to　do　a　land　office　business　in　about　ten　minutes。〃
　Without　answering；　the　wiry；　deeply　tanned　doctor　closed　a　large　worn　leather　case；　turned　and　ducked　down　the　bridge　ladder。
　Pitt　drew　back　from　the　railing　and　glanced　over　at　Gunn。　〃Are　you　connected？〃
　〃Say　when。〃　Gunn　was　tense；　but　looked　ready　and　eager。　He　held　a　small　black　box　in　his　hand　attached　to　a　wire　that　led　up　the　radar　mast　and　then　into　the　brilliant　morning　sky。　〃Do　you　think　the　pilot　of　the　old　contraption　will　take　the　bait？〃
　〃History　never　fails　to　repeat　itself。〃　Pitt　said　confidently；　glaring　at　the　nearing　plane。
　Even　in　this　moment　of　tense　anxiety　Gunn　found　time　to　marvel　at　Pitt's　plete　transformation　since　dawn：　the　man　who　staggered　on　board　the　First　Attempt　in　such　fearful　physical　condition　was　not　the　same　man　who　now　stood　on　the　bridge　with　gleaming　eyes　and　the　expectant　posture　of　a　war　horse　inhaling　the　scent　of　battle　through　flaring　nostrils。　It　seemed　strange；　but　Gunn　couldn't　stop　his　mind　from　drifting　back　many　months　ago　to　the　bridge　of　another　ship；　a　tramp　steamer　called　the　Dana　Gail。　He　remembered　as　though　it　was　only　an　hour　ago；　seeing　the　same　expression　on　Pitt's　face　just　before　the　old　rusty　hulk　cast　off　to　find　and　destroy　a　mysterious　seamount　In　the　Pacific；　north　of　Hawaii。　Abruptly　he　was　pulled　back　to　the　reality　of　the　present　by　a　strong　grip　on　his　arm。
　〃Get　down。〃　Pitt　said　urgently；　〃or　the　shock　wave　will　blow　you　overboard。　Be　ready　to　join　the　contacts　the　instant　I　give　the　word。〃
　The　bright　yellow　plane　was　banking　now；　circling　around　the　ship；　testing　it　for　defenses。　The　drone　of　its　noisy　engine　tore　across　the　water；　causing　a　vibration　in　Pitt's　eardrums。　He　watched　it　through　a　pair　of　borrowed　binoculars；　smiling　with　satisfaction　as　he　noted　small　round　patches　in　the　fabric　of　the　wings　and　fuselage；　a　record　of　Giordino's　hits　with　the　carbine。　Moving　the　glasses　in　a　near　vertical　angle　he　focused　on　the　black　wire　that　led　upward；　and　all　at　once　he　felt　a　hope　that　began　to　amount　to　plete　conviction。
　〃Steady　。　。　。　steady；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃I　think　he's　going　to　nibble　at　the　cheese。〃
　The　cheese；　Gunn　thought　wonderingly。　He　calls　that　damn　balloon　up　there　the　cheese。　Who　would　have　ever　thought　that　Pitt　wanted　a　damn　weather　balloon　when　he　asked　whether　the　First　Attempt　carried　meteorological　gear。　Now　the　damn　balloon　floated　up　there　in　the　damn　sky　with　a　one　hundred　pound　charge　of　explosives　from　the　damn　seismic　lab　tied　to　it。　Gunn　peered　above　the　railing　at　the　big　silvery　airborne　ball　and　the　lethal　package　dangling　beneath　it　The　cable　holding　the　captive　balloon　and　the　electrical　wire　attached　to　the　explosives　both　stretched　eight　hundred　feet　high　and　four　hundred　feet　astern；　a　total　distance　of　four　football　fields　away。　He　shook　his　head；　it　was　ironic　that　the　explosive　charge；　normally　utilized　for　producing　underwater　shockwaves　to　analyze　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　would　now　be　used　to　blow　an　airplane　out　of　the　sky。
　The　roar　of　the　plane's　engine　grew　louder；　and　for　one　brief　moment　Pitt　thought　it　was　going　to　dive　straight…on　at　the　ship；　but　then　be　realized　that　its　angle　of　descent　was　too　low。　The　pilot　was　lining　the　Albatros　up　for　a　pass　at　the　balloon。　He　stood　up　for　a　better　view；　knowing　he　was　a　tempting　and　exposed　target　The　engine　turned　into　a　high　pitched　snarl　and　the　gun　sights　aimed　for　the　lazy　gas　bag；　waiting　above　the　sparkling　water。　There　was　no　delay；　no　adjusting　for　range；　the　yellow　wings　glistened　in　the　sun；　obscuring　the　flashes　from　the　two　guns　mounted　on　the　cowling；　The　sound　of　the　staccato　bursts　and　the　whine　of　the　bullets　signaled　the　beginning　of　the　attack。
　The　rubberized　nylon　skin　of　the　helium　filled　bag　shuddered　under　the　onslaught　of　the　rapid　gunfire。　It　sagged　at　first；　then　wrinkled　like　a　prune　and　collapsed；　flapping　in　lose　folds　toward　the　sea。　The　yellow　Albatros　swept　over　the　dropping　balloon；　making　a　beeline　for　the　First　Attempt。
　〃Now！〃　Pitt　yelled；　hitting　the　deck。
　Gunn　threw　the　switch。
　The　next　instant　seemed　to　march　on　to　infinity。　Then　there　was　a　gigantic　blast　which　shock　the　ship　from　keel　to　mast。　The　early　morning　silence　was　shattered　
　with　a　violent　sound　like　the　breaking　of　a　thousand　windows　by　a　tornado。　And；　in　the　sky；　a　tower　of　dense　smoke　and　flame　swirled　in　a　huge　bursting　mass　of　orange　and　black。　The　concussion　from　the　explosion　knocked　the　wind　from　Pitt　and　Gunn；　squeezing　internal　organs　against　spines　with　the　sudden　punch　of　a　battering　ram。
　Slowly；　moving　with　painful　stiffness　from　the　bandages　and　struggling　for　breath；　Pitt　rose　to　his　feet　and　peered　Into　the　expanding　cloud　for　signs　of　the　Albairos。　Shaken　for　a　moment；　his　eyes　darted　too　high；　and　he　could　see　nothing　but　curling　smoke；　the　plane　and　Its　pilot　were　gone。　Then　he　realized　what　had　happened。　The　brief　lag　between　his　shouted　signal　and　the　actual　explosion　saved　the　plane　from　instant　disintegration。　Swinging　his　gaze　down　to　the　horizon　he　spotted　it　The　craft　was　gliding　clumsily　through　the　air；　its　engine　dead。
　Pitt　snatched　at　the　binoculars　and　quickly　sighted　them　on　the　Albatros。　It　was　trailing　smoke　and　fiery　fragments　in　a　meteoric　frail。　He　watched　in　morbid　fascination　as　one　of　the　lower　wings　suddenly　folded　backward　and　fell　away；　causing　the　plane　to　tumble　in　a　series　of　wild　gyrations；　like　a　piece　of　paper　thrown　from　a　high　office　building。　Then　It　seemed　to　bang　suspended　for　a　moment　before　plunging　into　the　sea；　leaving　a　signature　of　smoke　melting　into　the　warm　air。
　〃It's　down；〃　said　Pitt　excitedly。　〃We've　scored。〃
　Gunn　was　lying　against　the　far　bulkhead　corner。
　He　crawled　across　the　deck　and　lifted　his　head　dazedly。
　〃How　far　and　what　heading？〃
　〃About　two　miles　abaft　the　starboard　beam；〃　replied　Pitt　He　lowered　the　glasses　and　looked　at　Gunn's　pale　face。　〃Are　you　all　right？〃
　Gunn　nodded。　〃Just　lost　a　little　wind；　that's　all。〃
　Pitt　smiled；　but　there　was　little　humor　in　his　eyes。　He　was　smugly　satisfied　with　himself；　very　pleased　with　the　oute　of　his　plan。　〃Send　the　double…ender　and　some　men　out　there　to　dive　on　the　wreck。　I'm　anxious　to　find　out　what　our　ghost　looks　like。〃

　〃Of　course；〃　said　Gunn。　〃I'll　personally　lead　the　diving　party。　But；　only　on　one　condition。　。。　you　get　your　ass　down　to　my　cabin　immediately。　The　doc　hasn't　finished　with　you　yet。〃
　Pitt　shrugged；　〃You're　the　captain。〃　He　turned　back　to　the　rail　and　looked　again　at　the　spot　that　marked　the　grave　of　the　yellow　Albatros。
　He　was　still　at　the　rail　ten　minutes　later　when　Gunn　and　four　of　the　First　Attempt's　crew　loaded　their　diving　gear　on　the　double…ender　whaler　and　cast　off。　The　little　boat　made　no　attempt　to　circle　and　search　the　general　surface　area　but　moved　straight　to　the　spot　where　the　plane　disappeared。　Pitt　waited　until　be　could　see　the　divers　drop　into　the　sparkling　blue　water　at　intervals　to　converge　together　underwater　at　the　final　resting　place　of　the　wreck。
　〃e　along。　Major；〃　said　a　voice　at　his　elbow。
　He　slowly　turned　and　looked　into　the　face　of　the　bearded　doctor。　〃It's　no　use　chasing　me　Doc。　I　won't　marry　you。〃　Pitt　said；　a　wide　grin　riding　his　face。
　The　blue…eyed　old　ship's　surgeon　did　not　grin　back。　He　merely　pointed　down　the　ladder　at　Gunn's　cabin。
　Pitt　had　no　choice　but　to　wearily　resign　himself　and　turn　his　battered　body　over　to　the　doctor's　care。　In　the　cabin　he　fought　a　half…hearted　battle　against　unconsciousness；　but　the　administered　sedatives　won　a　beachhead；　and　soon　he　was　sheathed　in　a　deep　sleep。
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　Pitt　stared　at　the　gaunt　and　repulsive　face　that　echoed　his　image　from　a　small　mirror；　hanging　in　the　cabin's　head。　The　black　hair　dangled　down　his　fa