按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
don't suppose it was much more than ten minutes； before the great red and yellow Sno…Cat ground to a halt beside us and willing arms reached down to help us into the incredible warmth and fort of that superbly equipped and insulated cabin。
Hillcrest was a great bull of a man； red…faced； black…bearded； jovial； confident； with a tremendous zest for living； a deceptive external appearance that concealed a first…class brain and a petence of a very high order indeed。 It did me good just to sit there； glass of brandy in hand； relaxed…if only for a moment…for the first time in five days and just to look at him。 I could tell that it hadn't done him the same good to look at us…in the bright overhead light I could clearly see our yellowed； blistered； emaciated faces； the bleeding； black…nailed； suppurating all but useless hands； and I was shocked myself…but he concealed it well； and busied himself with handing out restoratives； tucking away Mahler and Marie LeGarde in two deep； heat…pad…filled bunks； and supervising the efforts of the cook who had a steaming hot meal ready prepared。 All this he had done before he had as much as asked us a question。
〃Right；〃 he said briskly。 〃First things first。 Where's the Citroen？ I presume the missile mechanism is still aboard it。 Brother； you just don't begin to have any idea how many heart attacks this thing is causing。〃
〃That's not the first thing；〃 I said quietly。 I nodded to Theodore Mahler； whose hoarse gasping breath filled the room。 〃This man is dying。〃
〃All under control；〃 he boomed。 He jerked a thumb at Joss who； after the first delighted greeting； had returned to his radio set in the corner。 〃The boy here hasn't left his set for over twenty…four hours…ever since we got your 'Mayday' call。〃 He looked at me speculatively。 〃You took a chance there。 I wonder you didn't stop a bullet for your pains。〃
〃I just about did。 。 。 。 We were talking about Mahler。〃
〃Yes。 We've been in constant contact； same wave…length； with two ships hi that time…the destroyer Wykenham and the carrier Triton。 I had a fair idea your friends must be heading in this direction； so the Wykenham has been moving up overnight and is lying off the coast。 But the leads and patches in the ice aren't big enough for the Triton to manoeuvre to fly off planes。 She's about eighty miles south； in clear water。〃
〃Eighty miles！〃 I didn't bother to conceal my shock and my disappointment； I'd begun to have a faint irrational hope that we might yet save the dying man。 〃Eighty miles！〃
〃I have news for you； Doctor；〃 Hillcrest announced jovially。 〃We have moved into the air age。〃 He turned towards Joss and raised an inquiring eyebrow。
〃A Scimitar jet fighter is just taking off。〃 Joss tried to speak unemotionally； but failed。 〃It's airborne…now。 Time…check 0933。 We're to fire our first rocket at 0946…thirteen minutes from now。 Then two more at intervals of thirty seconds。 At 0948 we're to set off a slow…burning magnesium flare where we want the stuff dropped； at least two hundred yards from the tractor。〃 Joss listened for another few moments and grinned。 〃He says we're to get the hell out of it after we've lit the flare or we're liable to collect a headache or worse。〃
I didn't know what to say； where to look； moments like this came all too seldom。 Not until that moment did I realise how much of a symbol Theodore Mahler had bee； how much his survival had meant for me。 Hillcrest must have had some intuitive understanding of how I felt； for he spoke at once； his voice normal； matter of fact。
〃Service； old boy。 Sorry we couldn't have laid it on earlier； but the Triton refused to risk an expensive plane and an even more expensive pilot flying low over virtually uncharted territory unless they definitely knew that Mahler was alive。〃
〃They've done all anyone could ask。〃 A sudden thought struck me。 〃These planes don't usually carry ammunition in peace…time； do they？〃
〃Don't worry；〃 Hillcrest said grimly。 He ladled some steaming stew on to our plates。 〃Nobody's playing any more。 There's been a flight of Scimitars standing by since midnight； and every cannon's loaded。 。 。 。 Right； Doctor。 Give with the story。〃
I gave； as briefly and concisely as possible。 At the end； he clapped his hands together。
〃Maybe five miles ahead； eh？ Then it's tallyho down the old glacier and after 'em。〃 He rubbed his hands in anticipation。 〃We're three times as fast and we've three times as many rifles。 This is the way any decent IGY expedition should be run！〃
I smiled faintly； a token response to his bubbling enthusiasm。 I never felt less like smiling： now that the worry of Mahler…and in that warmth and with hot food； almost certainly also the worry of Marie LeGarde…was off my hands； my anxiety about Margaret had returned with redoubled force。
〃We're not tallyho…ing…down any old glacier； Captain Hillcrest。 Apart from the fact that it's a rotten surface； which would bring your speed down to about the same as the Citroen's； open pursuit is a pretty sure way of guaranteeing that Margaret Ross and Mr Levin get a bullet through their heads。 Incidentally； Mr Levin is the father of Mr Zagero。〃
〃What？〃 Both Hillcrest and Joss had spoken at the same time。
〃Yes。 But later。 Have you a map of the area？〃
〃Sure。〃 Hillcrest handed it over。 Like most Greenland maps it showed topographical detail for no more than the first twenty miles inland； but it was sufficient for my purpose。 It showed the twisting Kangalak glacier debouching into the Kangalak Fjord； the wide deep bay beyond the southern headland of the fjord； the northern headland continuing in a wide shallow smooth curve for many miles to the north。
〃Where did you say the destroyer was？〃 I asked。
〃The Wykenhaml I'm not sure。〃
〃Blocking the Kangalak Fjord here； perhaps？〃 I indicated the spot on the map。
〃No； that I'm certain of。〃 He shook his head regretfully。 〃Captain said the pack…ice was too heavy； he couldn't risk his destroyer in any of the leads in case they closed。〃 Hillcrest snorted in disgust。 〃I gather its hull is made of paper。〃
〃It's not much thicker…I've served in destroyers。 I don't blame him。 But I'll bet his trawler； probably a specially strengthened job； is well inside the fjord…and a submarine no great distance away。 Look； this is all we can do。〃 I traced my finger on the map。 〃We must parallel the glacier； maybe a mile away。 With the slope of the valley sides Smallwood won't see us； and with his own engine running he can't hear us。 Down here…〃
〃What's to stop him from cutting his engine now and again to listen？〃 Hillcrest demanded。
〃Because what Smallwood and Corazzini don't know about engines would fill an encyclopedia。 They'd be dead scared to stop it in case they couldn't start it again。。 。 。 Down here； at the base of the headland separating the fjord from the bay to the south …about a mile from the end of the glacier； I would say…the sides of the glacier valley fall away and level off into the plateau on either side。 But there's bound to be some kind of moraine or shelter there。 That's where we'll ambush them。〃
〃Ambush？〃 He frown