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！
n〃 out of those deadly depths； the pressed air still hissed into the diesel and fresh…water tanks。 I could no longer see the depth gauge； the diving officer had drawn himself up so close to it that he obscured most of it from me。
Ninety seconds passed； ninety seconds that didn't seem any longer than a leap year； ninety interminable seconds while we waited for the sea to burst in our hull and take us for its own； then the diving officer said。 〃Ten feet。 Up。〃
〃Are you sure？〃 Swanson asked。
〃A year's pay。〃
〃We're not out of the woods yet；〃 Swanson said mildly。 〃The hull can still go： it should have gone a damn long time ago。 Another hundred feetthat means a couple of tons less pressure to the square footand I think we'll have a chance。 At least a fifty…fifty chance。 And after that the chances will improve with every foot we ascend； and as we ascend； the highly pressed air in the torpedo room will expand； …driving out water and so lightening the ship。〃
〃Still rising；〃 the diving officer said。 〃Still rising。 Speed of ascent unchanged。〃
Swanson walked across to the diving stand and studied the slow movement of the depth…gauge dial。 〃How much fresh water left？〃
〃Thirty per cent。〃
〃Secure blowing fresh…water ballast。 Engines all back two thirds。〃
The roar of pressed air fell away and the deck vibration eased almost to nothing as the engine revolutions fell from emergency power to two…thirds full speed。
〃Speed of ascent unchanged；〃 the diving officer reported。 〃One hundred feet up。〃
〃Secure blowing diesel。〃 The roar of pressed air stopped pletely。 〃All back one third。〃
〃Still rising。 Still rising。〃
Swanson took a silk handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his face and neck。 〃I was a little worried there；〃 he said to no one in particular； 〃and I don't much care who knows it。〃 He reached for a microphone and I could hear his voice booming faintly throughout the ship。
〃This is the captain。 All right； you can all start breathing again。 Everything is under control； we're on our way up。 As a point of interest； we're still over three hundred feet deeper than the lowest previous submarine dive ever recorded。〃
I felt as if I had just been through the rollers of a giant mangle。 We all looked as if we'd just been through the rollers of a giant mangle。 A voice said： 〃I've never smoked in my life； but I'm starting now。 Someone give me a cigarette。〃 Hansen said： 〃When we get back to the States； do you know what I'm going to do？〃
〃Yes；〃 Swanson said。 〃You're going to scrape together your last cent； go up to Groton； and throw the biggest； the most expensive party ever for the men who built this boat。 You're too late； Lieutenant； I thought of it first。〃 He stopped abruptly and said sharply： 〃What's happened to your hand？〃
Hansen lifted his left hand and stared at it in surprise。 〃I never even knew I'd been scratched。 Must have happened with that damn door in the torpedo room。 There's a medicalsupply box there； Doc。 Would you fix this？〃
〃You did a damn fine job there； John；〃 Swanson said warmly。 〃Getting that door closed； I mean。 Couldn't have been easy。〃
〃It wasn't。 All pats on the back to our friend here；〃 Hansen said。 〃He got it closed； not me。 And if he hadn't got it closed〃
〃Or if I'd let you load the torpedoes when you came back last night；〃 Swanson said grimly。 〃When we were sitting on the surface and the hatches wide open。 We'd have been eight thousand feet down now and very； very dead。〃
Hansen suddenly snatched his hand away。 〃My God！〃 he said remorsefully。 〃I'd forgotten。 Never mind this damned hand of mine。 George Mills； the torpedo officer。 He took a pretty bad sock。 You'd better see him first。 Or Doc Benson。〃
I took his hand back。 〃No hurry for either of us。 Your fingers first。 Mills isn't feeling a thing。〃
〃Good God！〃 Astonishment showed in Hansen's face； maybe shock at my callousness。 〃When he recovers consciousness〃
〃He'll never recover consciousness again；〃 I said。 〃Lieutenant Mills is dead。〃
〃What！〃 Swanson's fingers bit deeply； painfully into my arm。 〃'Dead；' did you say？〃
〃That column of water from number 4 tube came in like an express train；〃 I said tiredly。 〃Flung him right back against the after bulkhead and smashed in the occiputthe back of his headlike an eggshell。 Death must have been instantaneous。〃
〃Young George Mills；〃 Swanson whispered。 His face had gone…very pale。 〃Poor kid。 His first trip on the Dolphin。 And now； just like thatkilled。〃
〃Murdered；〃 I said。
〃What！〃 If mander Swanson didn't watch out with his fingers； he'd have my upper arm all black and blue。 〃What was that you said？〃
〃'Murdered；' I said。 'Murdered' I meant。〃
Swanson stared at me for a long moment； his face empty of expression but his eyes strained and tired and suddenly somehow old。 He wheeled； walked across to the diving officer； spoke a few words to him； and returned。 〃e on；〃 he said abruptly。 〃You can fix up the lieutenant's hand in my cabin。〃
7
〃You realize the seriousness of what you are saying？〃 Swanson asked。 〃You are making a grave accusation〃
〃e off it；〃 I said rudely。 〃This is not a court of law and I'm not accusing anyone。 All I say is that murder has been done。 Whoever left that bow…cap door open is directly responsible for the death of Lieutenant Mills。〃
〃What do you mean 'left the door open'？ Who says anyone left the door open？ It could have been due to natural causes。 And even ifI can't see itthat door had been left open； you can't accuse a man of murder because of carelessness or forgetfulness or because〃
〃mander Swanson；〃 I said。 〃I'll go on record as saying that you are probably the best naval officer I have ever met。 But being best at that doesn't mean that you're best at everything。 There are noticeable gaps in your education； mander； especially in the appreciation of the finer points of skulduggery。 You require an especially low and devious type of mind for that； and I'm afraid that you just haven't got it。 Doors left open by natural causes； you say。 What natural causes？〃
〃We've hit the ice a few stiff jolts；〃 Swanson said slowly。 〃That could have jarred it open。 Or when we poked through the ice last night a piece of ice； a stalactite； say； could have〃
〃Your tubes are recessed； aren't they？ Mighty odd…shaped stalactite that would go down and then bend in at a right angle to reach the doorand even then it would only shut it more tightly。〃
〃The doors are tested every time we're in harbor；〃 mander Swanson persisted quietly。 〃They're also opened when we open tubes to carry out surface…trimming tests in dock。 Any dockyard has pieces of waste； rope； and other rubbish floating around that could easily have jammed a door open。〃
〃The safety lights showed the doors shut。〃
〃They could have been opened just a crack； not enough to disengage the safety contact。〃
〃Open a crack！ Why do you think Mills is dead？ If you've ever seen the jet of water that hits the turbine blades in a hydro…electric plant； then you'll know how that water came in。 A crank？ My God！ How are those doors operated？〃
〃Two ways。 Remote control； hydraulic； just press a button： then there are manually ope