cc.floodtide-第95部分

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ars　we　lived　on　Long　Island；　New　York；　but　we　vacationed　every　summer　around　the　Great　Lakes　when　the　children　were　young　and　grew　to　love　the　west　coast　of　Lake　Michigan。　When　lan　retired；　we　built　this　house。　It's　a　good　life；　and　we　enjoy　boating　on　the　lake。〃
　〃You　were　both　very　lucky　people；〃　said　Julia。
　Katie　looked　longingly　at　a　photograph　of　her　with　their　children　and　grandchildren　taken　during　their　last　Christmas　reunion。　There　were　other　photos。　One　of　a　young　lan　standing　on　a　dock　in　the　Orient　next　to　a　tramp　steamer　was　in　a　frame　next　to　a　beautiful　blond　Katrina　holding　a　small　dachshund　under　her　arm。　She　wiped　a　tear　that　formed　in　one　eye。　〃You　know；〃　she　said；　〃every　time　I　look　at　that　picture　I　feel　sad。　lan　and　I　had　to　abandon　the　ship　so　quickly　that　I　left　my　little　dachshund　Fritz　behind　in　the　cabin。　The　poor　little　thing　went　down　with　the　ship。〃
　Julia　looked　at　the　two　little　dogs　that　followed　Katie　everywhere；　tails　wagging。　〃It　looks　as　if　Fritz　is　still　with　you；　at　least　in　spirit。〃
　〃Do　you　mind　if　I　talk　to　Mr。　Gallagher？〃　asked　Pitt。
　〃Not　at　all。　Just　go　through　the　kitchen　to　the　back　door。　You'll　find　him　down　on　the　boat　dock。〃
　Pitt　stepped　from　the　kitchen　door　onto　a　long　porch　overlooking　the　lake。　He　walked　across　a　lawn　that　sloped　toward　the　shore　and　ended　at　a　small　pier　that　jutted　out　about　thirty　feet　into　the　lake。　He　found　lan　〃Hong　Kong〃　Gallagher　sitting　on　a　canvas　stool　at　the　end　of　the　pier；　a　fishing　pole　propped　on　a　small　handrail。　An　old；　weathered　slouch　hat　was　puUed　down　over　his　eyes；　and　he　appeared　to　be　dozing。
　The　gentle　movement　of　the　pier　and　the　sound　of　footsteps　awakened　him　to　Pitt's　approach。　〃That　you；　Katie？〃　he　asked　in　a　rumbling　voice。
　〃Afraid　not；〃　Pitt　answered。
　Gallagher　turned；　peered　at　the　stranger　a　moment　from　under　the　brim　of　his　hat；　and　then　refaced　the　lake。　〃I　thought　you　might　be　my　wife。〃　The　words　came　with　a　soft　Irish　accent。
　〃Doing　any　good？〃
　The　old　Irishman　reached　down　and　pulled　up　a　chain　from　the　water　with　six　good…sized　fish　dangling　from　it。　〃They're　hungry　today。〃
　〃What　do　you　use　for　bait？〃
　〃I've　tried　them　all；　but　chicken　livers　and　worms　still　work　the　best。〃　Then　he　asked；　〃Do　I　know　you？〃
　〃No；　sir。　My　name　is　Dirk　Pitt。　I'm　with　NUMA。〃
　〃I've　heard　of　NUMA。　You　conducting　research　on　the　lake？〃
　〃No；　I've　e　to　talk　to　'Hong　Kong'　Gallagher　about　the　Princess　Dou　Wan；〃
　There　it　was。　No　fireworks；　no　drumroll；　just　the　plain　simple　fact。　Gallagher　sat　immobile。　Neither　the　twitch　of　a　muscle　nor　the　tic　of　an　eye　gave　away　what　Pitt　knew　had　to　be　a　shocking　surprise。　Finally；　Gallagher　sat　up　stiffly　on　his　canvas　stool；　pulled　the　hat　to　the　back　of　his　head　and　fixed　Pitt　with　a　melancholy　gaze。　〃I　always　knew　you'd　e　someday；　asking　questions　about　the　Princess。　Who'd　you　say　you　were　with　again；　Mr。　Pitt？〃
　〃The　National　Underwater　and　Marine　Agency。〃
　〃How　did　you　track　me　down　after　all　these　years？〃
　〃It's　almost　impossible　to　hide　from　puters　nowadays。〃
　
　Pitt　moved　closer　and　observed　that　Gallagher　was　a　big　man；　weighing　close　to　230　pounds　and　every　bit　as　tall　as　Pitt　at　six　feet；　three　inches。　His　face　was　surprisingly　smooth　for　an　old　seaman；　but　then　most　all　his　time　at　sea　had　been　spent　in　the　engine　room　where　it　was　warm　and　the　air　heavy　with　the　smell　of　oil。　Only　the　red　skin　and　bulbous　nose　gave　away　the　effects　of　a　love　for　alcohol。　The　stomach　was　round　and　hung　over　his　belt　but　the　shoulders　were　still　strong　and　broad。　He　had　kept　most　of　his　hair　and　let　it　go　white　along　with　a　mustache　that　hid　his　upper　lip。
　
　The　fishing　pole　gave　a　jerk；　and　Gallagher　grabbed　the　grip　and　reeled　in　a　nice　three…pound　coho　salmon。　〃They　stock　the　lake　with　trout　and　salmon；　but　I　miss　the　old　days　when　you　could　pull　in　a　big　pike　or　muskie。〃
　〃I　talked　to　your　wife；〃　said　Pitt。　〃She　told　me　how　the　two　of　you　survived　the　storm　and　the　sinking。〃
　〃A　bit　of　a　wonder；　that　one。〃
　〃She　said　General　Hui　died　on　the　raft。〃
　〃The　scum　got　what　he　deserved；〃　Gallagher　said；　smiling　tightly。　〃You　must　be　aware　of　Hui's　role　in　the　last　voyage　of　the　Princess　or　you　wouldn't　be　here。〃
　〃I　know　General　Hui　and　Chiang　Kai…shek　stole　China's　historic　heritage　and　seized　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　with　the　intention　of　secretly　smuggling　the　treasure　to　the　United　States；　where　it　was　to　be　hidden。〃
　〃That　was　their　plan　until　Mother　Nature　stepped　in。〃
　〃It　took　a　team　of　dedicated　people　to　dig　through　the　subterfuge；〃　Pitt　informed　him。　〃The　fake　distress　signal　about　the　ship　sinking　off　Valparaiso；　salting　the　water　with　the　ship's　life　vests；　altering　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　to　pass　for　her　sister　ship　the　Princess　Yung　Tai　during　her　passage　through　the　Panama　Canal　and　down　the　St。　Lawrence　into　the　Great　Lakes。　The　only　missing　piece　of　the　puzzle　was　your　destination。〃
　
　Gallagher　cocked　an　eyebrow。　〃Chicago。　Hui　had　arranged　through　the　American　State　Department　to　unload　the　treasures　at　the　terminal　facilities　at　the　Port　of　Chicago。　Where　they　were　to　be　sent　from　there；　I　haven't　the　foggiest　idea。　But　foul　weather　swept　in　from　the　north。　As　a　man　familiar　with　the　oceans；　I　had　no　conception　that　the　Great　Lakes　in　North　America　could　brew　up　worse　storms　than　any　at　sea。　By　God；　man；　since　then　I've　seen　saltwater　sailors　get　seasick　and　heave　their　guts　out　during　an　inland…water　storm。〃
　
　〃They　say　there　are　over　fifty…five　thousand　recorded　shipwrecks　in　the　Great　Lakes　alone；〃　said　Pitt。　〃And　Lake　Michigan　wins　the　prize　for　having　swallowed　more　ships　than　all　the　other　lakes　bined。〃
　〃The　waves　on　the　Lakes　can　be　deadlier　than　those　on　any　ocean；〃　Gallagher　maintained。　〃They　pile　up　thirty　feet　and　e　at　you　much　faster。　Ocean　waves　swell　and　roll　from　only　one　direction。　Great　Lakes　waves　are　more　treacherous　and　relentless。　They　seethe　and　gyrate　like　a　maelstrom　from　every　direction　at　once。　No　sir；　I've　seen　cyclones　in　the　Indian　Ocean；　typhoons　in　the　Pacific　and　hurricanes　in　the　Atlantic；　but　I'm　telling　you；　there　is　nothing　more　terrible　than　a　winter　tempest　on　the　Great　Lakes。　And　the　night　the　Princess　went　down　was　one　of　the　worst。〃
　〃Unlike　the　sea；　there　is　almost　no　room　to　maneuver　a　ship　on　the　Lakes；〃　said　Pitt。
　〃That's　a　fact。　A　ship　can　run　before　the　storm　at　sea。　Here　she　must　continue　on　course　or　founder。〃　Gallagher　then　told　of　the　night　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　broke　up　and　sank。　He　spoke　of　it　as　though　it　was　a　recurring　dream。　The　fifty…two　years　since　had　not　dimmed　his　memory　of　the　tragedy。　Every　detail　seemed　as　fresh　as　if　it　happened　the　day　before。　He　told　of　the　suffering　he　and　Katie　had　endured；　and　how　General　Hui　froze　to　death　in　the　raft。　〃After　we　came　ashore；　I　pushed　the　raft　with　Hui　still　in　it　back　into　the　raging　waters　of　the　lake。　I　never　saw　him　again　and　often　wondered　if　his　body　was　found。〃
　〃Can　I　ask　you　where　the　ship　foundered？　In　which　Great　Lake？〃
　Gallagher　hooked　the　fish　through　the　gill　on　the　chain　and　dropped　it　in　the　water　beside　the　pier　before　answering。　Then　he　raised　his　hand　and　pointed　toward　the　east。　〃Right　out　there。〃
　At　first　Pitt　didn't　get　it。　He　thought　Gallagher　was　referring　to　any　one　of　the　four　Great　Lakes　that　lay　to　the　east。　Then　it　hit　him。　〃Lake　Michigan？　The　Princess　Dou　Wan　sank　here　in　Lake　Michigan；　not　far　from　where　we　stand？〃
　〃I'd　guess　about　twenty…five　miles　slightly　southeast　from　here。〃
　Pitt　was　elated　and　numb　at　the　same　time：　This　revelation　was　too　good　to　be　true：　The　wreck　of　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　and　its　priceless　treasure　were　lying　only　twenty…five　miles　away。　He　turned　and　stared　at　Gallagher。　〃You　and　Mrs。　Gallagher　must　have　been　cast　ashore　nearby。〃
　〃Not　close　by；〃　Gallagher　said；　smiling。　〃This　exact　spot　where　the　pier　sits。　We　tried　for　years　to　buy　this　property　for　sentimental　reasons；　but　the　owners　wouldn't　sell。　Only　after　they　died　did　their　kids　let　us　have　it。　We　tore　down　the　old　cabin　they　used　for　family　vacations　on　the　lake；　the　same　cabin　that　saved　Katie　and　me　from　freezin'　to　death。　It　was　in　poor　shape；　so　we　tore　it　down　and　built　the　house　you　see。　We　figured　we　was　given　a　second　chance　in　life　and　it　would　be　a　good　idea　to　spend　our　remaining　years　at　the　very　spot　we　were　reborn。〃
　〃Why　didn't　you　look　for　the　wreck　and　salvage　the　artifacts　yourself？〃
　Gallagher　gave　a　short　laugh　and　slowly　shook　his　head。　〃What　good　would　it　do？　The　munists　still　run　China。　They　would　claim　it　as　theirs。　I'd　be　lucky　to　keep　a　nail　out　of　one　of　them　packing　crates　they　rest　in。〃
　〃You　might　have　filed　a　claim　for　yourself　and　bee　a　very　rich　man。〃
　〃The　munists　wouldn't　be　the　only　vultures　to　e　gatherin'　around。　The　minute　I'd　begin　pulling　up　them　antiques；　the　bureaucrats　from　the　states　of　Wisconsin；　Michigan　and　the　federal　government　would　have　e　down　all　over　me。　I'd　have　ended　up　spending　more　time　in　court　than　salvaging　the　wreck　and　paying　attorneys　more　than　I'd　make　out　of　it。〃
　〃You're　probably　right；〃　said　Pitt。
　〃You　bet　I'm　right；〃　snorted　Gallagher。　〃I　did　a　bit　of　treasure…hunting　myself　when　I　was　young。　It　never　paid　off。　You　make　a　strike　and；　besides　having　to　fight　the　government；　other　treasure　hunters　appear　like　locusts　to　rape　your　wreck。　No；　Mr。　Pitt；　my　family　was　my　riches。　I　figured；　leave　well　enough　alone。　The　treasure　ain't　goin'　anywhere。　When　the　proper　time　es；　I　always　thought；　somebody　will　salvage　it　for　the　good　of　the　people。　In　the　meantime；　I've　been　perfectly　content　without　it。〃
　〃There　aren't　many　men　who　think　like　you　do；　Mr。　Gallagher；〃　said　Pitt　with　respect。
　〃Son；　when　you're　as　old　as　I　am；　you　see　there　are　a　lot　more　things　in　life　than　owning　a　fancy　yacht　and　a　jet　plane。〃
　Pitt　smiled　at　the　old　man　on　the　canvas　stool。　〃Mr。　Gallagher；　I　like　your　style。〃
　
　Ian　cleaned　his　catch　of　fish；　and　Katie　insisted　Dirk　and　Julia　stay　for　dinner。　They　also　offered　to　put　them　up　for　the　night；　but　Pitt　was　anxious　to　return　to　Manitowoc；　find　a　place　to　use　as　a　headquarters　for　the　search…and…salvage　project；　and　call　Sandecker　with　the　news。　During　dinner；　the　two　women　happily　chatted　a