rm.thenightboat-第49部分
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Yes； yes。 Why not let go？ Why not let the sea take you？ This is the time you've waited for； this is the moment； the second； the place。 When the next white sheet of water covers you over； let go。。。 let go。 Only an instant of pain； perhaps； as the sea fills your lungs and chokes the brain。 An instant。 That's all。 He shook his head。 No。 Yes。 No。 NO！ It was not suicide he'd followed across the world； no； the thought of that was repugnant to him。 He had followed his beckoning destiny and now was not yet the time。
Then from the blackness of the sea； crashing through the next wave that loomed overhead； a huge and terrible shape materialized。 Foam swept the decks； shimmered like glass along its hull。 A haunted boat； its railings strung with weed； chasms of water opening beneath it。 The iron bow raced toward Moore。
〃Cheyne！〃 he shouted； twisting his head around。
He saw the Carib's face through the glass： drawn； mouth open； eyes staring in cold terror。 The man's hands clamped around the wheel； frozen in a collision course。 Kip peered out behind Cheyne； reaching forward。
〃Cheyne！〃 Moore shouted again； unable to move。
Water splattered the windshield and rolled off。 When it had cleared Moore saw that the Carib's eyes were fierce holes； and his teeth were bared。 Cheyne threw his shoulder into the wheel； spinning it to starboard； the Pride responded； sending another wall of water over Moore。
The Night Boat passed to the port side only feet away； Moore could hear the hoarse rumblings of its engines； the taunting roar of a creature from the depths。 The trawler listed to starboard and Moore lost his grip。 He fell away from the capstan； slamming hard into the starboard gunwale。 He heard the Night Boat's iron flesh rasp against wood。 〃God。。。〃 Moore hissed； salt stinging his eyes； he wiped the water away； saw the thing vanish through another high wave； trailing streaks of green luminescence。 The rope tightened； almost cutting him in two； he pushed himself away from the gunwale and was dragged back into the wheelhouse。
Cheyne fought to regain control of the rudder。 The Pride wanted to break free and run； but he wouldn't let her go。 〃I won't lose it！〃 he breathed。 〃By God； I won't lose it！〃 The trawler shuddered； pitched high； but began to answer the helm。 Cheyne worked against the wheel； the muscles of his back aching； Kip leaped to his side and together they righted the boat。
Moore lay back against the wheelhouse bulkhead trying to catch his breath； coughing and trembling。 Jana was suddenly at his side； bending over him。 〃It came out of the dark；〃 he told her between coughs。 〃I didn't have time to。。。〃
〃It's all right；〃 she said。 〃It's gone。〃
〃No； not gone；〃 Cheyne said。 〃They turned back to ram us under； they know we're here； and they know we're following。 Now maybe they're after us； playing with us a little bit； biding their time。〃 He shook his fist at the dark sea。 〃Damn you； where are you？ I'll follow you into Hell； you sonofabitch！〃
Moore waited a few minutes longer； until his strength had returned； then he rose shakily to his feet and came alongside Cheyne； he reached up and searched the radio band。 There was only more static。 Ahead the sky was solid black； a dozen or more jagged white bolts of lightning cut the wide range of the horizon。 Now they couldn't be certain where the U…boat was。 It could be moving alongside them； turning to ram them from behind； or waiting ahead for a confrontation of flesh and iron。
The black door was wide open； the Pride hurtled through。
Twenty…five
MOORE STOOD PEERING out through the windshield； his eyes probing the dark for the thing he knew must be here； somewhere； perhaps dangerously close； perhaps a dozen miles away。 Bolts of lightning crackled； striking deep into the sea。 Wind whistled around the edges of the wheelhouse； died away； built back up。
Moore had no idea how long they'd been tracking the U…boat…or was the U…boat tracking them now？…because his wristwatch had shattered when he'd fallen to the deck。 It was a matter of hours； he was certain； but time here was elusive； something alien。 His body was fatigued； his eyes ached from straining out to the horizon。 They had not sighted any land nor any other ships； and once when Kip had gone out onto the deck； he let a blast of air into the wheelhouse that felt thick and hot； as if the sun were beating down directly overhead。
〃Turn us back to Coquina； Cheyne；〃 Jana called from where she sat at the rear of the wheelhouse。
〃Your trawler can't take the force of these waves much longer。 The U…boat's gone。 It's gotten away and you won't be able to find it again。〃
Cheyne said nothing； he paid no attention to her。
She rose and made her way forward。 〃Damn it！〃 she said； her gray eyes blazing。 〃Listen to me！ You can't cover the whole of the Caribbean！ And if you do find the boat again； how can you ever hope to force it to the reef？ It will crush this trawler to pieces！〃
Cheyne glanced over at her and then at the other two men。 〃I've returned to original course； directly into the passage between Big Danny Cay and Jacob's Teeth toward the sea lanes。 I know where they're headed。 Turning back to grind us under cost them time； if they hadn't we would've lost them for sure。〃
He stared into Jana's face。 〃I didn't ask you to e。 I didn't ask any of you。 You all came of your own free will； I didn't have to tell you what you'd be facing out here。〃 He looked away； his gaze sweeping the wild horizon。 〃The currents e together between the cay and the Teeth； they drive a boat through there like a bullet。 And that's where they'll try to go through into the lanes a few miles beyond。 No。 I'm not turning back now。〃
〃You can't stop them；〃 Jana said。 〃You're mad if you think you can！〃
〃Maybe I am；〃 he acknowledged。 〃But if I can't drive the boat over the Teeth； then。。。 As for the artillery； or a bomb。。。 Moore； take that lantern from back there and step down into the cabin。 I want this woman to see something。〃
Moore turned up the wick and went down； carefully； through the narrow opening。 〃Go take a look；〃 Cheyne told Jana。
The light illuminated a small galley； a couple of bare…mattressed bunks； and more coils of rope and crates。 Moore edged forward； watching his footing； and Jana followed close behind。 Where the frames and plankings came together near the bow the crates were piled on top of each other and secured with heavy ropes。 On some of them he could make out faded letters： CAUTION。 HIGH EXPLOSIVES。 He remembered the crate he'd kicked away on the deck。 Dynamite。 The fuses led out from cracks in the boxes； winding around each other to make a single； thick fuse； which was attached to a small reel。 Bundles wrapped in clear plastic were tied to plankings； the cord fuses bound to the others。 He raised the light and saw the long； brown sticks。 There were four crates and two bundles of the plastic…wrapped dynamite。 Enough for a tremendous explosion。
They made their way silently back into the wheel…house。 〃Put that lamp back on the shelf；〃 Cheyne said。 He saw an opening beyond； spun the wheel for it； the Pride vibrated。 Jana stared at him； her face pale。 〃That's the dynamite we stole from those pany men；〃 Cheyne said。 〃So you see； I did e prepared。〃
〃The entire boat。。。？〃 Jana asked softly。
〃Dynamite packed in the bow； drums of diesel fuel in the hold。 When the primary fuse is wound out there'll be three minutes before the flame sets off the first case。 When the explosion es it'll take off the bow section and turn those hardwood plankings into spears。 Then the hold will go； and those fuel drums will blow like。。。〃
〃。。。depth charges；〃 Moore said。
Cheyne glanced quickly at him； sweat shining on his face； his massive shoulders glistening with the effort of controlling the rudder。 Then he returned his gaze to the sea。 〃Three minutes to get off before the bow blows。〃
〃Off？ Where？〃 Jana thrust out her arm。 〃Into that sea？〃
〃If it happens。。。 if I have to light that primary fuse；〃 Cheyne told her； 〃you'll gladly take your chances in the water； storm or no。 Now stop your chatter and get out of my way。〃 He saw holes opening ahead； veered for the nearest； the sea streamed over the port beam and then rolled off； as if the Pride had shrugged her shoulders of the ocean。
Cheyne kept the wheel under firm control。 He saw the barometer was still descending； a pulse throbbed at the base of his throat。 He looked across as the floating pass rose； and slowly corrected two points。 Sweat dripped from his chin and spattered onto the instrumentation panel。 He was listening for a noise over the gobbling racket of the diesels： the faint rattling of the warning buoys on the southeastern point of Jacob's Teeth。 The sea would be twisting them around； making their bells hammer。 Cheyne was staring off to port at about ninety degrees when the next few flashes of lightning cut the darkness。 He had sailed these waters a thousand times with the Carib fishing fleet； and sheer instinct told him the cay should be within sight； though some miles distant； beyond them would be the treacherous； hundred…yard…long stretch of the reefs。
But the lightning revealed only the wind…whipped sea。 Something was wrong。 Was it possible the pass was off； he wondered； or had his instincts been fooled by the storm？ He leaned forward slightly； over the wheel； staring into the sea。 It's not right； damn it！ he told himself； his eyes flint…hard。 Nothing is right！ He should be hearing those warning buoys by now； and even seeing the wash around the first of the blunt； green…slimed bommies that would sharpen into knife blades ahead。 〃Try the radio；〃 he said to Moore。
Moore twisted the dial； this time there was no sound from the radio。 He turned up the volume。 No squeak of static or electrical interference。
Only silence。
〃That's funny；〃 Moore said。 〃Something's wrong with it。。。〃
〃No；〃 Cheyne said。 〃The radio's not out。 I don't know what it is。 I'm not sure where we are。〃
The wind hissed around the wheelhouse； whispering through cracks in the ceiling。
〃What's the matter？〃 Kip asked； his voice tight。
Cheyne looked from side to side； searching for the bommies。 There w
