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！
〃Huddle together for our bined body heat；〃 ordered Gallagher。 〃If we can make it until morning； we stand a chance of being picked up。〃
Surrounded by the specter of death and a terrible sense of emptiness； the raft and its pitiful passengers were swallowed by the bitter…cold night and unrelenting fury of the storm。
By dawn the malignant waves were still pounding the small raft。 The blackness of night had given way to a ghostly gray sky covered with dark clouds。 The snow had turned to a chilling sleet。 Mercifully； the wind had fallen to twenty miles an hour and the waves had dropped from thirty to ten feet。 The raft was solid and sound but was an old model that lacked emergency equipment for survival。 Its passengers were left with nothing but personal fortitude to keep up their spirits until rescue。
Bundled under the heavy layers of clothing； Gallagher and Katie had survived the night in fair shape。 But General Hui； dressed only in his uniform and without a coat； was slowly； inexorably freezing to death。 The wretched wind was cutting through his uniform like a thousand ice picks。 His hair was coated with ice。 Gallagher had taken off his heavy peacoat and given it to Hui； but it became obvious to Katie that the old war…horse was rapidly fading。
The raft was tossed over the crests and spun around by the brutal waves。 It didn't seem possible that the frail craft could take the pounding。 Yet it always recovered from the crush of the curling waves； righted herself； and steadied before facing the next onslaught。 Never once did she cast her miserable passengers into the cold water。
Gallagher rose to his knees every hour and scanned the agitated waters from the top of the waves as the raft was thrown skyward before plummeting into the trough again。 It was an exercise in futility。 The waters were empty。 During the awful night； they saw no sign of lights from another ship。
〃There has to be a ship nearby；〃 said Katie through chattering teeth。
Gallagher shook his head。 〃The water is as empty as a homeless waif's piggy bank。〃 He didn't tell her that visibility was cut to less than fifty yards。
〃I'll never forgive myself for abandoning Fritz；〃 Katie whispered； the tears falling down her cheeks before turning to ice。
〃My fault；〃 Gallagher consoled her。 〃I should have grabbed him when we ran out of the cabin。〃
〃Fritz？〃 queried Hui。
〃My little dachshund；〃 replied Katie。
〃You lost a dog。〃
Hui abruptly sat up。 〃You lost a dog？〃 he repeated。 〃I lost the heart and soul of my country…〃
He paused and went into a coughing spasm。 Misery etched his face； despair clouded his eyes。 He looked like a man whose life had lost all meaning。 〃I have failed in my duty。 I must die。〃
〃Don't be stupid； man；〃 said Gallagher。 〃We'll e through。 Just hang in a little longer。〃
Hui appeared not to hear him。 He seemed to wither and give up。 Katie was gazing into the general's eyes。 It was as if a light behind them had suddenly switched off。 They took on a glazed； unseeing look。
〃I think he's dead；〃 Katie murmured。
Gallagher checked to be sure。 〃Move over against his body and use it as a shield from the wind and spray。 I'll lie on the other side of you。〃
It seemed ghoulish to her； but Katie found that she could hardly feel Hui's cadaver through the bulk of her clothing。 The loss of her faithful little dog； the ship plunging under the black water； the insane wind and crazed waters all seemed unreal to her。 She hoped that it was all a nightmare and soon she would wake up。 She burrowed deeper between the two men； one alive； the other dead。
Through the rest of the day and following night the intensity of the storm had slowly abated； but they were still exposed to a murderous windchill factor。 Katie could no longer feel her hands and feet。 She began to slip in and out of consciousness。 Fantasies ran through her mind。 Oddly； she found it macabre that she might have eaten her last meal。 She thought she saw a sandy beach beneath swaying palm trees。 She imagined Fritz running across the sand； barking as he came toward her。 She talked to Gallagher as though they were sitting at a table at a restaurant； ordering dinner。 Her dead father appeared to her； dressed in his captain's uniform。 He stood in the raft； looked down and smiled。 He told her she would live and not to worry。 Land was only a short distance away。 And then he was gone。
〃What time is it？〃 she asked hoarsely。
〃Sometime late in the afternoon； I should judge；〃 answered Gallagher。 〃My watch stopped soon after we abandoned the Princess。〃
〃How long have we been adrift？〃
〃A rough guess would put it about thirty…eight hours since the Princess went down。〃
〃We're near land；〃 she muttered abruptly。
〃What makes you say that； darlin'？〃
〃My father told me。〃
〃He did； did he？〃 He smiled at her passionately under a mustache and eyebrows caked white with ice。 Icicles hanging from whatever hair was exposed； gave Gallagher the appearance of a monster risen from the depths of the South Pole in a science…fiction movie。 Except for her lack of facial hair； Katie wondered if she looked the same。
〃Can't you see it？〃
Dreadfully stiff from the cold； Gallagher struggled to a sitting position and scanned the horizons of his restricted world。 His view was blurred by the driving sleet； but he kept trying。 Then he thought his eyes were deceiving him。 He could just make out large boulders scattered along a shoreline。 A short distance beyond； no more than fifty yards； snow blanketed trees swaying in the wind。 He spotted what looked like the dark shape of a small cabin amid the trees。
His joints numb and unresponsive； Gallagher removed one boot and used it as a paddle。 After a few minutes； the exertion seemed to warm his body and the effort became less arduous。 〃Take heart； darlin'。 We'll be on dry land soon。〃
The current was working parallel to the shore； and Gallagher fought to break out of its clutches。 He felt as if he was struggling against a stream filled with molasses。 The gap narrowed with agonizing slowness。 The trees seemed so close he could reach out and shake them； but they were still a good sixty yards away。
Just when Gallagher had reached the end of his endurance and was about to collapse from exhaustion； he could feel the raft bumping against underwater boulders。 He looked down at Katie。 She was shivering uncontrollably from the damp and chill。 She could not last much longer。
He shoved his frozen foot back inside the boot。 Then； sucking in his breath； he prayed that the water would not close over his head and jumped in。 It was a hazard he had to risk。 Thankfully； the soles of his boots struck hard rock before the water level reached his crotch。
〃Katie！〃 he shouted in happy delirium。 〃We've made it。 We're on land。〃
〃That's nice；〃 Katie murmured； too paralyzed and oblivious to care。
Gallagher dragged the raft onto a shore covered with wave…smoothed rocks and pebbles。 The exhausting effort took the last of his strength； and he sagged like a lifeless rag doll and dropped onto the cold； wet rocks。 He never knew how long he lay there； but when he fin