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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；〃 Kip said。
The young man had a tough face； thick eyebrows； a black goatee。 〃I saw the body this mornin'。 Bad way to die。〃 He exhaled smoke through flared nostrils。 〃Why you put that thing in here； to hide it？〃
〃Go on about your business； mon；〃 Lenny cautioned him。
Turk ignored him。 〃I hear some things 'bout that fucker。 I hear it's a Nazi sub。〃
Kip nodded。
〃How 'bout that； huh？ Goddam bitch jus' corked off the bottom； ain't that so？ I never heard of that happenin' before。 What's inside her？〃
〃A few tons of corroded iron； twisted bulkheads； maybe a couple of live torpedoes。〃 Kip said。 And what else？ he wondered suddenly。 What had Moore mentioned about the sealed hatches？
〃Why don't you open it up and have a see？〃 Turk raised an eyebrow。
〃Too dangerous。 And I'm not that curious。〃
Turk nodded； smiling thinly。 He turned and stared at the boat for a moment； then took the cigar stub out of his mouth and flicked it。 It hit iron； falling in a shower of sparks into the placid water。 〃Off the Caymans couple or three years ago；〃 he said； 〃somebody found a German gunboat sunk in about a hundred feet。 They used an underwater torch to get through a few collapsed bulkheads； and they burned into a vault。 You know what that fucker yielded？〃 He looked from one man to the other。 〃Gold bars。 Made those fellas rich。 Fuckin' rich。〃
〃Gold bars？〃 Lenny asked。
〃That's bullshit。〃 Kip interrupted quickly。 〃And if you think this beat…up crate's carrying gold bars you're out of your mind。〃
Turk shrugged。 〃Maybe not gold。 But maybe somethin' else。 Those goddamn Nazis carried all manner of stuff with 'em。 You never know 'til you look。〃
〃The only thing in there is a lot of old machinery；〃 Kip told him。
〃Maybe so； maybe not。〃 Turk smiled again； his eyes still blank。
Kip recognized that hungry look。 〃Now you hear me。 If you're thinking about doing a bit of free…lance torching； forget it。 Like I say； you spark some explosives and you'll be picking gold bars off the streets of Heaven。〃
The other man held up his hands defensively。 〃I'm talkin'； that's all。〃 He smiled again and walked past the constable toward the battered frame door set into one wall。 He opened the door； admitting a shaft of blinding sunlight； and was gone。
〃He got no respect for elders；〃 Lenny said。 〃He's trouble； but he damn good at what he does。〃
〃So I hear。〃 Kip gazed at the U…boat for a few more seconds； feeling a chill creep up his back。 He could hear the sounds of it settling； creaking timbers； water sloshing around； the groan of a deep metal bulkhead…eerie； distant voices。 〃Lenny；〃 he said； 〃keep the workmen away from here； will you？ I don't want anybody fooling around with this thing； and what I said about explosives maybe being on board is true。〃
〃Okay；〃 Lenny agreed； nodding。 〃I do what you say。〃 He raised his voice and called to the rest of the men； 〃She down now； let's get on with our business！ J。R。； you and Murphy got a hull…scrapin' to finish up！ Percy； you done paintin'？ e on；