atlantis.found-第98部分

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l　that　Dad　gave　us。〃
　　　　　As　Dad　had　told　them；　the　Snow　Cruiser's　designer；　Thomas　Poulter；　had　e　up　with　an　ingenious　solution　for　the　crevasse　problem。　The　underside　of　the　cruiser's　belly　was　flat　like　a　ski；　with　a　front　and　rear　overhang　of　eighteen　feet　on　both　ends　from　the　wheels。　Following　the　instructions　in　the　manual；　Pitt　pressed　the　levers　that　retracted　the　front　wheels　vertically　until　they　were　level　with　the　body。　Then；　using　the　rear　wheels　for　traction；　he　drove　the　Cruiser　slowly　forward　until　the　front　section　slid　across　the　crevasse　and　rolled　past　the　opposite　edge　a　safe　distance　for　stability。　Next　Pitt　extended　the　front　wheels　and　retracted　the　wheels　in　the　rear。　Now　using　the　front…wheel　drive；　the　rear　half　of　the　cruiser　was　pulled　the　rest　of　the　way　over　the　chasm。　After；　extending　the　rear　wheels；　they　were　on　their　way　again。
　　　　　〃I　do　believe　I'd　call　that　a　brilliant　innovation；〃　Giordino　said　admiringly。
　　　　　Pitt　shifted　gears　and　turned　the　bow　of　the　Snow　Cruiser　back　toward　the　peak　that　had　expanded　into　a　range　of　mountains。　〃Amazing　how　he　could　be　farsighted　on　one　mechanism　and　yet　badly　underestimate　the　gearing　and　tire　tread。〃
　　　　　〃No　one　is　flawless。　Except　me；　of　course。'
　　　　　Pitt　accepted　the　bluster　with　practiced　patience。　〃Of　course。〃
　　　　　Giordino　took　the　manual　with　him　into　the　engine　partment；　but　not　before　pointing　to　the　twin　temperature　gauges　on　the　instrument　panel。　〃The　engines　are　running　hotter　than　normal。　Better　keep　an　eye　on　them。〃
　　　　　〃How　can　they　run　hot　when　it's　twenty　degrees　below　zero　outside？〃　Pitt　queried。
　　　　　〃Because　their　radiators　are　not　exposed。　They're　mounted　directly　in　front　of　the　engines　inside　the　partment。　It's　almost　as　if　they　overheat　themselves。〃
　　　　　Pitt　had　hoped　darkness　would　cloak　their　arrival　at　the　mining　pound；　but　at　this　time　of　year　in　the　Antarctic；　the　sunset　had　barely　occurred　before　it　was　dawn　again。　He　didn't　fool　himself　into　thinking　they　could　infiltrate　the　facility　without　being　detected；　certainly　not　in　a　gargantuan　fire…engine…red　snow　vehicle。　He　knew　he'd　have　to　think　of　something　in　the　next　hour　and　a　half。　Soon；　very　soon；　the　buildings　of　the　extraction　plant　would　appear　on　the　horizon　along　the　base　of　the　mountains。
　　　　　He　began　to　feel　a　tinge　of　hope；　but　then；　as　if　an　unseen　force　was　working　against　him；　the　atmosphere　grew　heavy　and　congealed　like　a　lace　curtain。　The　wind　suddenly　swept　in　from　the　interior　of　the　continent　with　the　force　of　a　tidal　wave。　One　minute；　Pitt　could　see　for　sixty　miles。　The　next　it　was　as　though　he　was　gazing　through　a　film　of　water；　fluid　in　motion；　iridescent　and　ephemeral。　The　sky　was　gone　in　the　blink　of　an　eye　and　the　sun　totally　blotted　out；　as　the　wind　charged　over　the　ice　shelf　like　a　raging　monster。　The　world　became　a　swirling　pall　of　pure　white。
　　　　　He　kept　the　accelerator　pressed　to　the　metal　floor　and　clenched　the　steering　wheel；　not　turning　it；　keeping　the　big　vehicle　moving　in　a　straight　line。　They　were　in　a　hurry；　and　no　tempestuous　behavior　from　Mother　Nature　was　going　to　slow　them　down。
　　　　　A　man　wanders　in　circles　during　a　whiteout；　not　because　he's　right…handed　and　tends　to　go　in　that　direction；　but　because　almost　all　humans　unknowingly　have　one　leg　that　is　a　millimeter　shorter　than　the　other。　The　same　factor　held　true　with　the　Snow　Cruiser。　None　of　the　tires　had　e　out　of　the　mold　symmetrically　perfect　with　each　other。　If　the　steering　wheel　was　locked　in　place　while　the　vehicle　was　moving　straight；　it　would　gradually　begin　turning　in　an　arc。
　　　　　Nothing　held　substance。　It　was　as　if　the　world　no　longer　existed。　The　gale…force　windstorm　seemed　to　drain　the　color　out　of　everything。　The　ice　storm　swirled　and　gusted　with　such　force　that　the　driving　hail　of　ice　particles　bombarded　the　windshield　like　tiny　nails。　Their　impact　against　the　glass　came　like　a　crescendo　of　clicking　sounds。　Pitt　felt　himself　idly　wondering　if　the　onslaught　would　mar　the　old　prewar　safety　glass。　He　lurched　forward　as　the　Snow　Cruiser　bounced　over　a　frozen　ice　ridge　unseen　under　the　white　maelstrom。　He　braced　for　a　second　bump；　but　it　never　came。　The　ice　ran　smooth。
　　　　　The　old　line　〃It　never　rains　but　it　pours；〃　flashed　through　Pitt's　mind　when　Giordino　shouted　through　the　hatch　from　the　engine　partment；　〃Check　your　gauges。　The　engines　are　still　running　hot。　With　no　air　circulation　down　here；　I　have　steam　ing　out　of　the　radiator　overflow　tubes。〃
　　　　　Pitt　stared　at　the　temperature　gauges　on　the　instrument　panel。　He'd　spent　so　much　effort　concentrating　on　keeping　the　great　vehicle　moving　on　an　undeviating　course；　he'd　neglected　to　check　the　gauges。　Oil　pressure　was　slightly　low；　but　the　water　temperatures　were　already　crossing　into　the　red　zone。　In　less　time　than　it　takes　to　boil　an　egg；　the　radiators　would　boil　over　and　blow　a　water　hose　from　the　engine。　After　that；　there　was　no　way　of　telling　how　long　the　engines　would　turn　until　their　pistons　burned　and　froze　inside　the　cylinders。　Already；　he　could　hear　the　engines　beginning　to　misfire　as　bustion　occurred　early　from　the　acute　heat。
　　　　　〃Throw　on　your　cold…weather　gear；〃　Pitt　shouted。　〃When　you're　ready；　open　the　outside　door。　The　flood　of　cold　air　should　cool　down　the　engines。〃
　　　　　〃And　freeze　us　into　Popsicles　at　the　same　time；〃　Giordino　came　back。
　　　　　〃We'll　have　to　suffer　until　they're　running　at　normal　temperatures　again。
　　　　　Both　men　donned　their　heavy…weather　coveralls　and　hooded　parkas　again；　Pitt　struggling　with　the　heavy　clothing　while　he　kept　the　Cruiser　on　a　steady　course　through　the　storm。　When　they　were　fully　dressed　and　fortified　for　the　cold；　Giordino　opened　the　door。　A　howling　chaos　surged　into　the　control　cabin；　the　wind　moaning　and　screaming　as　it　whipped　through　the　doorway。　Pitt　huddled　over　the　steering　wheel　and　stared　through　half…screwed…shut　eyes　as　the　blast　of　cold　flung　itself　into　the　control　cabin　with　a　banshee　shriek　that　drowned　out　all　sounds　from　the　diesel　engines。
　　　　　He　could　not　have　envisioned　the　profound　shock　that　came　from　having　the　temperature　inside　the　cabin　drop　eighty　degrees　within　thirty　seconds。　When　a　human　is　appropriately　clothed　for　extreme　cold；　he　can　endure　temperatures　of　120　degrees　below　freezing　for　twenty　to　thirty　minutes　at　a　time　without　suffering　injury。　But　when　the　windchill　factor　adds　another　fifty　degrees　to　the　temperature；　the　drastic　frigidness　can　kill　within　a　few　short　minutes。　Pitt's　cold…weather　clothing　could　protect　him　from　mere　cold；　but　the　chill　from　the　gale　sucked　the　body　heat　right　out　of　him。
　　　　　Down　in　the　engine　partment；　Giordino　sat　between　the　two　engines　and　savored　what　little　heat　he　could　soak　up　from　the　exhaust　heaters　and　the　radiator　fans。　He　was　deeply　concerned　about　how　Pitt　could　survive　until　the　engine　temperatures　dropped。　There　was　no　more　munication。　The　screaming　wind　made　voice　contact　impossible。
　　　　　The　next　few　minutes　were　the　longest　Pitt　had　ever　spent。　He　had　never　known　such　cold。　It　felt　as　if　the　wind　went　right　through　him；　cutting　his　insides　as　it　traveled。　He　stared　at　the　needles　on　the　engine　temperature　gauges　and　saw　them　drop　with　agonizing　slowness。　The　ice　crystals　smashed　into　the　windshields　like　a　never…ending　swarm。　They　hurtled　through　the　door　and　into　the　control　cabin；　quickly　covering　Pitt　and　the　instrument　panel　in　a　white　glaze。　The　heater　could　no　longer　cope　with　the　frozen　air；　and　the　inside　of　the　windshield　quickly　frosted　over；　while　the　wipers　on　the　outside　were　overwhelmed　and　soon　became　locked　in　a　thickening　blanket　of　ice。　Unable　to　see　past　the　steering　wheel；　Pitt　sat　like　a　rock　as　the　torrent　of　white　curled　around　him。　He　felt　as　though　he　were　being　swallowed　by　a　ghost　with　thousands　of　tiny　teeth。
　　　　　He　clenched　his　own　teeth　to　keep　them　from　chattering。　Fighting　forces　far　beyond　his　control；　and　realizing　that　he　might　be　responsible　for　saving　billions　of　lives；　was　not　pleasant；　but　it　drove　him　to　stay　the　course　against　the　screaming　wind　and　stinging　ice。　What　frightened　him　most　was　the　prospect　of　driving　into　a　crevasse　that　was　impossible　to　see　before　it　was　too　late。　The　s