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〃Well； where we'll mount the defenses when they arrive。 Fixed large…bore guns； I should imagine。〃
〃If they arrive。〃
〃Give the devil his due。 Lord Worth delivers。〃
〃From his own private armory； I suppose。〃
〃It wouldn't surprise me。〃
〃What do you really think； mander？〃
〃I don't know。 All I know is that if Lord
AHstair
Worth is even halfway right； life aboard may bee slightly less monotonous in the next few days。〃
The two men moved out into the gathering dusk on the platform。 The Seawitch was moored in a hundred and fifty fathoms of waternine hundred feet； which was well within the tension…ing cables* capacities…safely south of the U。S。 mineral leasing blocks and the great east…west fairway； right on top of the biggest oil reservoir yet discovered around the shores of the Gulf of Mexico。 The two men paused at the drilling derrick where a drill； at its maximum angled capacity； was trying to determine the extent of the oilfield。 The crew looked at them without any particular affection but not with hostility。 There was reason for the lack of warmth。
Before any laws were passed making such drilling illegal； Lord Worth wanted to scrape the bottom of this gigantic barrel of oil。 Not that he was particularly worried； for government agencies are notoriously slow to act： but there was always the possibility that they might bestir themselves this time and that； horror of horrors； the bonanza might turn out to be vastly larger than estimated。
Hence the present attempt to discover the limits of the strike and hence the lack of warmth。 Hence the reason why Larsen and Scoffield； both highly gifted slave drivers； born centuries out of their time； drove their men day and night。 The men disliked it； but not to the point of rebellion。 They were highly paid； well…housed and well…fed。 True； there was little enough in the way of wine； women and song； but then； after an exhausting twelve…hour shift； those frivolities couldn't hope to pete with the attractions of a massive meal； then a long； deep sleep。 More importantly and most unusually； the men were paid a bonus on every thousand barrels of oil。
Larsen and Scoffield made their way to the western apex of the platform and gazed out at the massive bulk of the storage tank； its topsides festooned with warning lights。 They gazed at this for some tune； then turned and walked back toward the acmodation quarters。
Scoffield said： 〃Decided on your gun emplacements yet； mander…if there are any guns？〃
〃There'll be guns。〃 Larsen was confident。 〃But we won't need any in this quarter。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Work it out for yourself。 As for the rest； Fm not too sure。 It'll e to me in my sleep。 My turn for an early night。 See you at four。〃
The oil was not stored aboard the rig…it is forbidden by a law based strictly on mon sense to store hydrocarbons at or near the working platform of an oil rig。 Instead； Lord Worth； on Larsen's instructions…which had prudently e in the form of suggestions…had had built a huge floating tank which was anchored； on a basis precisely similar to that of the Seawitch herself； at a distance of about three hundred yards。 Cleaned oil was pumped into this after it came up from the ocean floor； or； more precisely； from a massive limestone reef deep down below the ocean floor； a reef caused by tiny marine creatures of a now long…covered shallow sea of some half a billion years ago。
Once； sometimes twice； a day a 50；000…ton…capacity tanker would stop by and empty the huge tank。 There were three of those tankers employed on the crisscross run to the southern United States。 The North Hudson Oil pany did； in fact； have supertankers； but the use of them in this case did not serve Lord Worth's purpose。 Even the entire contents of the Sea…witch's tank would not have filled a quarter of the supertanker's carrying capacity； and the possibility of a supertanker running at a loss； however small； would have been the source of waking nightmares for the North Hudson： equally importantly； the more isolated ports which Lord Worth favored for the delivery of his oil were unable to offer deep…water berthside facilities for anything in excess of fifty thousand tons。
It might be explained； in passing； that Lord Worth's choice of those obscure ports was not entirely fortuitous。 Among the parties to the gentlemen's agreement against offshore drilling； some of the most vociferous of those who roundly condemned North Hudson's nefarious practices were； regrettably； North Hudson's best customers。 They were the smaller panies who operated on marginal profits and lacked the resources to engage in research and exploration； which the larger panies did； investing allegedly vast sums in those projects and then； to the continuous fury of the Internal Revenue Service and the anger of numerous Congressional investigation mittees； claiming even vaster tax exemptions。 But to the smaller panies the lure of cheaper oil was irresistible。 The Seawitch； which probably produced as much oil as all the government official leasing areas bined； seemed a sure and perpetual source of cheap oil…at least until the government stepped in； which might or might not happen in the next decade： the big panies had already demonstrated their capacity to deal with inept Congressional inquiries； and as long as the energy crisis continued nobody was going to worry very much about where oil came from； as long as it came。 In addition； the smaller panies felt； if the OPEC…the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries… could play ducks and drakes with oil prices whenever they fe｝t like it； why couldn't they？
Less than two miles from Lord Worth's estate were the adjacent homes and bined office of Michael Mitchell and John Roomer。 It was Mitchell who answered the doorbell。 '
The visitor was of medium height； slightly tubby； wore wire…rimmed glasses； and alopecia had hit him hard。 He said： 〃May I e in？〃 in a clipped but courteous enough voice。
〃Sure。〃 Michael Mitchell let him in to their apartment。 〃We don't usually see people this late。〃
〃Thank you。 I e on unusual business。 James Bentley。〃 A little sleight of hand and a card appeared。 〃FBI。〃
Mitchell didn't even look at it。 〃You can have those things made at any joke shop。 Where you from？〃
〃Miami。〃
〃Phone number？〃
Bentley reversed the card； which Mitchell handed to Roomer。 〃My memory man。 Saves me from having to have a memory of my own。〃
Roomer didn't glance at the card either。 〃It's okay； Mike。 I have him。 You're the boss man up there； aren't you？〃 A nod。 〃Please sit down； Mr。 Bentley。〃
〃One thing clear； first；〃 Mitchell said。 〃Are we under investigation？〃
〃On the contrary。 The State Department has asked us to ask you to help them。〃
〃Status at last；〃 Mitchell said。 〃We've got it made； John…except for one thing： the State Department doesn't know who the hell we are。〃
〃I do。〃 Discussion closed。 〃I understand you gentlemen are friendly with Lord Worth。〃
Seawiteh
Roomer was careful。 〃We know him slightly； socially…just as you seem to know a little about us。〃
〃I know a lot about you； including the fact that you are a couple of ex…cops who never learned to look the right way at the right time and the wrong way at the wrong