rm.thenightboat-第13部分

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ted　out；　the　stub　of　a　Brazilian　cigar　clenched　firmly　in　his　teeth。　〃e　on；　mon！〃　Water　boiled　at　the　stern。　The　captain　looked　across　to　the　other　trawler；　the　Lucy　J。　Leen；　stretched　tight　on　its　spiderweb　of　hawsers。　The　Lucy's　diesels　were　smoking；　and　it　looked　as　if　her　captain　was　going　to　have　to　drop　his　main　lines。
　　The　Hellie's　master　squinted　and　exhaled　a　large　cloud　of　blue　smoke。　Christ　A'mighty！　That　big　bitch　had　her　nose　stuck　tight　in　sand；　she　wasn't　going　to　move；　no　matter　how　much　power　they　squeezed　into　the　engines。　One　of　the　starboard　lines　was　fraying　fast；　he　saw　it　and　pointed；　〃Hey！　You　men　watch　your　fuckin'　heads　when　that　baby　es　flyin'　back；　you　hear　me？〃
　　Another　trawler；　a　rickety　old　boat　with　a　smaller　draft；　had　secured　lines　onto　the　hulk's　bow；　pulling　its　nose　out　of　the　sand　while　the　other　bigger　boats　hauled　at　its　length。　The　thing　was　heavy…heavier　than　she　looked。　The　Hellie's　master　didn't　want　his　diesels　wrecked；　and　he　was　almost　ready　to　tell　his　first　mate　to　shut　them　down。　But　he'd　told　Steve　Kip　he'd　do　his　best；　and　by　God　that's　what　he　was　going　to　do。　〃We're　heatin'！〃　someone　cried　out；　and　the　captain　yelled　back；　〃Let　'er　heat！〃
　　The　props　were　foaming　wild　water　at　the　sterns　of　the　trawlers；　now　sand　was　ing　up；　too。　That　was　a　lot　of　power　working　in　there。　Shit！　The　captain　grunted　and　chewed　the　butt。　Fuckin'　thing　won't　move！
　　But　suddenly　there　was　a　sliding　sound　and　the　Hellie　lurched　forward。　〃Ease　up！〃　the　captain　called　out　sharply。　〃Drop　her　down　a　few　notches！〃　The　diesels　immediately　began　to　rumble　more　quietly；　and　a　man　in　the　stern　on　the　trawler　securing　the　bow　lines　waved　his　arms。
　　〃Okay；〃　the　captain　called　out　toward　the　squat　wheelhouse。　〃Full　ahead。〃
　　〃Full　ahead！〃　The　order　went　back；　by　way　of　two　or　three　crewmen。
　　The　Hellie　began　to　move　back；　as　did　the　Lucy　J。　Leen；　still　smoking　badly；　and　the　sliding　noise　intensified。　Then；　abruptly；　it　ceased。　The　submarine's　bow　began　to　swing　free；　and　the　beat…up　trawler　tightened　its　hawsers　to　keep　control　over　the　thing。　Holding　the　U…boat　secured　within　their　circle；　the　trawler　armada　moved　at　a　crawl　past　the　wharfs　where　the　crew　of　a　Bahaman　freighter　watched　from　their　aft　deck。　The　swells　rolled　in　toward　the　fishing　wharfs；　bobbing　the　small　boats　up　and　down　against　their　tire…brows　and　bumpers；　spreading　out　beneath　the　pilings；　and　smashing　into　the　beach　in　a　mass　of　oil…streaked　foam。
　　The　trawlers　moved　along　the　semicircle　of　the　harbor；　past　the　village　toward　the　boatyard　beyond。　Past　a　couple　of　old；　submerged　wrecks　with　masts　and　funnels　protruding　from　blue　water；　past　another　large　trawler　at　anchor；　past　the　boatyard　wharfs　they　moved。　The　Hellie's　captain　looked　along　the　port　deck　and　could　see　the　aluminum　drydock　shelters。　The　largest　one；　the　one　used　as　a　temporary　shelter　for　patrol　boats　during　the　war；　was　right　on　the　lip　of　the　sea。　It　had　been　built　on　a　concrete　bedding　with　a　large　door　that　could　be　raised　or　lowered　and　a　dam　and　pumping　system　that　could　allow　flooding；　now　the　captain　could　see　the　open　shelter　doorway。　It　was　set　amid　a　jumble　of　unused；　rotting　piers　the　navy　had　built　and　then　abandoned。　It　was　going　to　be　damned　tricky　getting　such　a　length　in　there；　damned　tricky。
　　He　watched　the　angle　of　the　swells　as　they　flowed　around　Kiss　Bottom's　bommies。　The　sea　was　running　a　bit　rough　this　afternoon；　and　that　was　going　to　cause　more　problems。　The　Hellie's　master　had　been　a　first　mate　on　a　British　ocean…going　salvage　tug；　and　that　was　the　primary　reason　Kip　had　asked　him　to　oversee　the　operation。　He'd　towed　for　the　British　navy　in　the　latter　years　of　the　war　and　had　brought　in　many　dead　or　dying　ships　to　the　Navy　facilities　here　in　this　very　harbor。　He　twisted　around　to　check　the　lines。　Number　four　fraying　badly；　number　two　as　well。　Goddamn　it！　he　snarled　to　himself。　No　good　rope　in　the　islands　these　days！　The　Lucy　J。　Leen　was　cutting　back　somewhat　due　to　her　overtaxed　diesels；　someone　was　going　to　catch　hell　about　letting　those　engines　get　in　such　a　shit…awful　shape。
　　Dark…green　water　roiled　inside　the　abandoned　naval　shelter。　He　could　see　the　workmen　waiting　with　their　sturdy　hawsers　to　secure　the　hulk。　The　trawlers　passed　the　shelter；　the　smaller　craft　with　the　bow　lines　turned　in　front　of　the　submarine　and　made　for　the　open　doorway。　Diesels　shrilled；　but　in　another　moment　the　hulk　responded　and　started　moving　bow…first　toward　the　shelter。　Simultaneously　the　larger　boats　cut　their　engines；　now　it　was　up　to　the　small　boat　to　line　up　the　submarine　with　the　shelter　and　take　it　in。　Moving　steadily　and　slowly；　the　bow　trawler　maneuvered　into　position；　heading　its　own　nose　into　the　darkness　of　the　shelter。　The　other　boats　swung　around；　using　their　bined　power　to　haul　the　U…boat　forward。　At　the　last　moment　the　small　boat　dropped　its　lines　and　swung　sharply　to　starboard；　the　U…boat　was　cutting　a　bow…wake；　moving　too　fast；　so　the　trawlers　cut　back　on　their　engines　to　slow　it。
　　The　U…boat　moved　into　the　shelter；　and　though　its　speed　had　been　reduced；　it　still　sent　water　crashing　into　the　concrete　sides　of　the　shelter　basin。　Its　bow　crunched　against　concrete　even　as　men　leaped　aboard　her　and　caught　lines　to　tie　the　boat　to　iron　cleats。　The　trawlers　dropped　their　lines　then　and　swung　off；　and　for　a　moment　the　heavy　swells　thrown　up　by　the　action　of　the　boats　sent　foam　and　spray　flying　inside　the　drydock　basin。　The　dock　workers　fought　to　lash　the　hulk　down；　but　as　the　swells　subsided　the　water　smoothed　out　and　the　boat　held　firm　between　tightly　pulled　fore　and　aft　hawsers。
　　Kip　stood　and　looked　at　the　thing。　God；　what　a　machine！　He　took　a　last　puff　on　his　cigarette　and　tossed　it　into　the　brackish　water；　the　butt　hissed　and　went　up　underneath　the　hull。　He　was　standing　on　a　wide　concrete　platform　level　with　the　hull　which　ran　around　the　entire　shelter。　Ladders　leading　off　the　platform　that　would　normally　have　gone　down　to　a　dry　pit　were　almost　submerged。　Behind　Kip　was　an　abandoned　work　area　now　jammed　with　old　crates　and　forgotten　machinery；　a　carpentry　area　where　a　stack　of　timber　lay；　an　electrician's　cubicle　now　cluttered　with　pieces　of　iron　and　thick　coils　of　all…purpose　wiring。　The　concrete　flooring　was　coated　with　a　film　of　aged　oil。　The　entire　shelter　smelled　of　sweat；　diesel　fuel；　and　oil；　and　pounding　the　odors　was　the　fetid　smell　of　the　hulk　itself。　It　was　decaying；　Kip　thought；　right　in　front　of　his　eyes。
　　〃She's　in　tight；〃　said　a　tall；　barrel…chested　black　with　a　gold　tooth　gleaming　in　his　mouth。　〃Sure　hope　you　know　what　you're　doin'。〃
　　〃I　do；　Lenny；〃　Kip　said。
　　〃Mr。　Langstree；　he　be　back　from　his　trip　to　Steele　Cay　tomorrow　or　the　next　day；　and　when　he　find　out　what　he　got　in　here。。。　well；　I　don'　think　he　goin'　to　like　it　too　much；　you　know？〃　Lenny　Cochran　was　Langstree's　foreman。　He　had　agreed　to　go　along　with　this　because　Kip　was　the　constable　and　a　man　he　respected；　but　he　was　still　worried　his　boss　was　going　to　e　down　hard　on　him。
　　〃He's　never　had　need　to　use　this　basin；〃　Kip　reminded　him；　sensing　the　man's　unease。　〃It's　just　full　of　junk　the　British　navy　left　behind…just　a　damned　storage　warehouse。　If　he　jumps；　you　tell　him　I　ordered　you　and　the　rest　of　the　men；　and　send　the　old　goat　over　to　see　me。〃
　　Lenny　smiled。　〃Shouldn't　talk　'bout　Mr。　Langstree　that　way。〃
　　There　was　a　rattle　of　chains　and　the　sound　of　a　winch　in　operation；　the　far　bulkhead　slid　down　into　the　water；　just　missing　the　stern　and　submerged　propellers　of　the　submarine　by　a　few　feet。　The　only　light　in　the　shelter　streamed　through　a　series　of　large；　rust…edged　holes　in　the　roof　almost　thirty　feet　above　them。　Water　gurgled　noisily　around　the　U…boat's　hull　vents；　its　conning…tower　and　periscope　shafts　loomed　high。　Shadows　played　across　the　shelter's　opposite　wall　as　several　of　the　men　moved　about；　examining　the　boat　at　a　respectful　distance。
　　〃She　ain't　in　such　bad　shape；〃　Lenny　said　softly。　He　looked　down　the　boat's　length　and　whistled。　〃Mon；　she　must've　been　hell　in　her　day；　you　know？〃
　　〃I'm　sure　of　it。〃　The　deck　was　fully　out　of　water　now；　and　the　sea　streamed　in　rivulets　through　the　mass　of　debris；　making　strange　whispering　noises　that　echoed　within　the　shelter。　Kip　looked　past　the　tower　bridge　toward　the　stern；　then　something　caught　his　eye　and　he　jerked　his　head　back。　Jesus！　he　thought；　stunned。　What　was　that！
　　He　was　almost　certain　he'd　seen　someone　standing　there；　hands　on　the　iron　coaming；　a　dark；　lean　figure　of　a　man　staring　down　at　them。　He　saw　now　it　was　an　interplay　of　shadows　and　light；　locking　together　like　pieces　of　a　jigsaw　puzzle；　through　one　of　the　roof　holes。　Christ；　that　had　given　him　a　shock！　Jumbies；　he　told　himself　sarcastically；　and　then　chided　himself。　Don't　go　thinking　voodoo；　Kip；　there　are　no　such　things　as　haunts。
　　〃What's　the　matter；　Kip？〃　Lenny　asked　him　a　second　time…Kip　had　not　seemed　to　hear　before。
　　〃Nothing。〃　He　blinked　his　eyes　and　looked　back　to　the　bridge　again。　A　shadow；　that　was　all。
　　And　then　he　was　certain　someone　was　staring　at　him。
　　Kip　turned　his　head。　In　the　corner；　near　the　wreckage　of　timber　that　had　once　been　a　naval　carpentry　shop；　a　red　dot　glowed。　As　Kip　watched；　the　dot　flared　and　a　stream　of　smoke　rolled　out；　like　a　ghostly　essence；　through　a　splotch　of　light。　A　black　man　smoking　a　thin　cigar；　wearing　faded　jeans　and　a　sweat…stained　T…shirt；　emerged　from　the　shadows。　He　had　no　expression　on　his　hard　face；　there　was　a　cold；　rather　cunning　set　to　the　line　of　his　lips；　but　he　moved　with　an　animal…like　grace。
　　〃That　the　boat　killed　old　man　Kephas？〃　the　man　said　to　Kip。　His　eyes　didn't　seem　to　register　the　men's　presence；　they　focused　somewhere　on　the　submarine。　His　name　was　Turk；　he　had　only　recently　arrived　on　the　island；　and　Kip　had　already　had　trouble　with　him；　throwing　him　in　the　cell　two　Saturdays　before　for　brawling。　Langstree　had　bailed　him　out；　the　young　man　was　supposed　to　be　an　expert　hand　at　a　torch；　and　Langstree　was　paying　him　top　wages　for　a　welder。　But　Kip　had　seen　a　lot　of　these　island　drifters　pass　through；　and　he　knew　Turk　was　a　rootless；　undisciplined　type　of　man。
　　〃What　happened　to　Kephas　was　an　accident；〃