cc.vixen03-第10部分

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get。〃
　Steiger's　eyebrows　rose　with　sudden　realization。　〃Are　you　saying　that　you　had　Giordino　take　a　government　aircraft　at　government　expense　halfway　across　the　country　without　authorization；　not　to　mention　a　stolen　cargo　of　equipment？〃
　〃Something　like　that；　yes。〃
　〃We're　really　quite　good　at　it；〃　Giordino　said；　deadpan。
　〃Saves　enormous　time；〃　said　Pitt　unconcernedly。　〃Bureaucratic　red　tape　can　be　such　a　bore。〃
　〃This　is　incredible；〃　said　Steiger　softly。　〃I'll　probably　be　court…martialed　as　an　acplice。〃
　〃Not　if　we　get　away　with　it；〃　Pitt　said。　〃Now　then；　if　you　two　will　untie　the　cargo；　I'll　back　the　Jeep　up　to　the　airplane。〃　With　that　he　walked　toward　the　parking　lot。
　Steiger　watched　him　for　a　moment　and　then　turned　to　Giordino。　〃Have　you　known　him　long？〃
　〃Since　the　first　grade。　I　was　the　class　bully。　When　Dirk　moved　into　the　neighborhood　and　showed　up　for　his　first　day　at　school；　I　worked　him　over　pretty　good。〃
　〃You　showed　him　who　was　boss？〃
　〃Not　exactly。〃　Giordino　reached　up　and　opened　the　cargo　door。　〃After　I　bloodied　his　nose　and　blackened　one　eye；　he　got　up　off　the　ground　and　kicked　me　in　the　crotch。　I　walked　lopsided　for　a　week。〃
　〃You　make　him　sound　devious。〃
　〃Let's　just　say　that　Pitt　has　a　ton　of　balls；　the　brains　to　go　with　them；　and　an　uncanny　knack　for　knocking　the　shit　out　of　any　obstacle；　man　made　or　otherwise；　that　gets　in　his　way。　He　is　a　soft　touch　for。kids　and　animals；　and　helps　little　old　ladies　up　escalators。　To　my　knowledge；　he's　never　stolen　a　dime　in　his　life　nor　used　his　sly　talents　for　personal　gain。　Beyond　all　that；　he's　one　helluva　guy。〃
　〃Do　you　think　he　might　have　gone　too　far　this　time？〃
　〃You　mean　his　stock　in　a　nonexistent　aircraft？〃
　Steiger　nodded。
　〃If　Pitt　tells　you　there's　a　Santa　Claus；　hang　your　stocking　on　the　mantel；　because　you　better　believe　it。〃
　Pitt　crouched　on　his　knees　in　an　aluminum　rowboat　and　fine…tuned　the　TV　monitor。　Steiger　sat　toward　the　bow　and　struggled　with　the　oars。　Giordino　was　in　another　boat；　about　twenty　feet　forward；　nearly　hidden　behind　a　pile　of　battery…powered　transmitters。　As　he　rowed；　he　kept　a　wary　eye　on　the　cable　that　crept　over　the　stern　and　disappeared　into　the　water。　At　the　other　end　was　a　TV　camera　enclosed　in　a　watertight　case。
　〃Wake　me　when　a　good　horror　movie　es　on；〃　Giordino　said；　yawning；　across　the　water。
　〃Keep　rowing；〃　Steiger　grunted。　〃I'm　beginning　to　gain　on　you。〃
　Pitt　did　not　join　in　the　idle　banter。　His　concentration　was　focused　on　the　screen。　A　frigid　afternoon　breeze　rolled　down　the　mountain　slopes　and　turned　the　glassy　surface　of　the　lake　into　a　mild　chop；　making　it　difficult　for　Giordino's　and　Steiger's　aching　arms　to　keep　the　two　boats　on　an　even　course。
　Since　early　morning　the　only　objects　that　had　strayed　past　the　monitor　were　scattered　mounds　of　rocks　embedded　in　the　muddy　bottom；　rotting　remains　of　long…dead　trees　whose　leafless　branches　seemed　to　clutch　at　the　passing　camera；　and　a　few　startled　rainbow　trout　who　gave　the　intruding　camera　a　respectable　berth。
　〃Wouldn't　it　have　been　easier　to　conduct　a　search　with　scuba　equip…ment？〃　Steiger　said；　cutting　into　Pitt's　fixed　scrutiny。
　Pitt　rubbed　his　strained　eyes　with　the　palms　of　his　hands。　〃TV　is　far　more　efficient。　Also；　the　lake　is　two　hundred　feet　deep　in　spots。　A　diver's　bottom　time　at　that　depth　is　measured　in　mere　minutes。　Add　to　that　the　fact　that　fifty　feet　beneath　the　surface　the　water　turns　almost　to　freezing　and　you　have　one　damned　unfortable　situation。　A　man　would　be　lucky　if　his　body　could　withstand　the　cold　more　than　ten　minutes。〃
　〃And　if　we　find　something？〃
　〃Then　I'll　put　on　a　wet　suit　and　go　over　the　side　for　a　look…see；　but　not　one　second　before。〃
　Something　materialized　on　the　monitor　and　Pitt　leaned　forward　for　a　closer　look；　shielding　the　outside　light　with　a　black　cloth。
　〃I　think　we　just　picked　up　Giordino's　horror　movie；〃　he　said。
　〃What　is　it？〃　Steiger　demanded　excitedly。
　〃Looks　like　an　old　log　cabin。〃
　〃A　log　cabin？〃
　〃See　for　yourself。〃
　Steiger　bent　around　Pitt's　shoulder　and　gazed　at　the　screen。　The　camera；　one　hundred　forty　feet　below　the　boats；　relayed　through　the　icy　water　a　picture　of　what　seemed　to　be　a　distorted　structure。　The　sun's　wavering　light　through　the　choppy　surface　and　the　hazy　visibility　at　that　depth　bined　to　give　it　a　ghostlike　image。
　〃How　in　the　world　did　that　get　there？〃　asked　a　bewildered　Steiger。
　〃No　great　secret；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Table　Lake　is　man　made。　The　state　dammed　up　the　stream　that　flows　through　this　valley　in　1945。　An　aban…doned　lumber　mill　that　stood　near　the　old　streambed　was　submerged　when　the　water　rose。　The　cabin　we　see　must　have　been　one　of　the　old　bunkhouses。〃
　Giordino　rowed　back　for　a　look。　〃All　that's　missing　is　a　'for　sale'　sign。〃
　〃Amazingly　well　preserved；〃　murmured　Steiger。
　〃Thanks　to　the　near…freezing　fresh　water；〃　Pitt　added。　Then；　〃So　much　for　the　local　tourist　attraction。　Shall　we　continue？〃
　〃How　much　longer？〃　Giordino　asked　him。　〃I　could　use　some　liquid　nourishment；　preferably　the　kind　that　es　out　of　a　bottle。〃
　〃It'll　be　dark　in　a　couple　of　hours；〃　said　Steiger。　〃I　make　a　motion　we　call　it　a　day。〃
　〃You　win　my　vote。〃　Giordino　looked　across　at　Pitt。　〃How　about　it；　Captain　Bligh？　Shall　I　reel　in　the　camera？〃
　〃No；　keep　it　dangling。　We'll　troll　it　back　to　the　dock。〃
　Giordino　awkwardly　turned　his　boat　a　hundred　eighty　degrees　and　began　pulling　for　home。
　〃I　think　your　theory　has　about　shot　its　wad；〃　said　Steiger。　〃We've　been　over　the　center　of　the　lake　twice　and　all　we　have　to　show　for　it　is　a　bundle　of　sore　muscles　and　a　picture　of　a　tumbledown　shack。　Face　the　inevitable；　Pitt：　there's　nothing　of　interest　in　this　lake　but　fish。〃　Steiger　paused　and　nodded　at　the　television　equipment。　〃And　speaking　of　the　denizens　of　the　deep…what　a　fisherman　wouldn't　give　to　own　a　rig　like　this。〃
　Pitt　looked　up　at　Steiger　thoughtfully。　〃Al；　make　for　the　old　man　on　your　left　who's　casting　on　the　shore。〃
　Giordino　twisted　around　and　noted　the　direction　Pitt　indicated。　He　nodded　silently　and　altered　his　course。　Steiger　followed　suit。
　A　few　more　minutes'　rowing　brought　the　boats　within　hailing　distance　of　an　elderly　angler　who　was　expertly　laying　a　fly　beside　a　massive　boulder　that　protruded　from　the　lake's　surface。　He　looked　up　and　tipped　his　fly…festooned　hat　at　Pitt's　greeting。
　〃Having　any　luck？〃
　〃That's　not　very　original；〃　Steiger　mumbled。
　〃Business　is　a　mite　slow　today；〃　answered　the　angler。
　〃Do　you　fish　Table　Lake　often？〃
　〃Off　and　on　for　twenty…two　years。〃
　〃Can　you　tell　me　what　part　of　the　lake　eats　the　most　bait？〃
　〃e　again？〃
　〃Is　there　a　section　of　Table　Lake　where　fishermen　frequently　lose　their　lures？〃
　〃Over　toward　the　dam　there's　a　submerged　log　that　does　a　pretty　good　job　of　it。〃
　〃What　depth？〃
　〃Eight；　maybe　twelve　feet。〃
　〃I'm　looking　for　a　spot　that's　deeper；　much　deeper；〃　said　Pitt。
　The　old　angler　thought　a　moment。　〃Up　toward　the　big　marsh　at　the　north　end　of　the　lake　there's　this　big　hole。　Lost　two　of　my　best　spinners　in　it　last　summer　while　trolling　deep。　A　lot　of　the　big　fish　swim　deep　during　hot　weather。　I　don't　remend　trying　your　luck　there；　though。　Not　unless　you　own　part　interest　in　a　tackle　shop。〃
　〃Much　obliged　for　your　help；〃　Pitt　said；　and　waved。　〃Good　luck！〃
　〃Same　to　you；〃　said　the　old　angler。　He　went　back　to　his　casting　and　within　a　few　moments　his　pole　arched　with　a　strong　bite。
　〃You　heard；　Al？〃
　Giordino　looked　longingly　at　the　dock　and　then　at　the　lake's　north　end；　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away。　Resigning　himself　to　the　chore；　he　raised　the　camera　to　keep　it　from　creeping　into　the　lake　bed　and　then　adjusted　his　gloves　and　took　up　the　oars　again。　Steiger　gave　Pitt　a　four…letter　stare　but　raised　the　white　flag。
　A　half　hour　of　fighting　a　gusting　cross　chop　passed　with　agonizing　slowness。　Steiger　and　Giordino　went　about　their　labor　in　silence；　Gior…dino　on　blind　faith　in　Pitt's　judgment；　Steiger　because　he　was　damned　if　he'd　let　Giordino　outendure　him。　Pitt　stayed　glued　to　the　monitor；　every　so　often　calling　out　depth　adjustments　to　Giordino。
　The　bottom　of　Table　Lake　began　to　rise　the　closer　to　the　marsh　they　rowed。　Then；　abruptly；　the　silt　and　weed　began