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essel was more pronounced。 The dark； moiling seas were periodically whitened with great bing waves； the faint hiss of the breaking water ing to his ears over the moaning of the wind。
Someone was leaning up against the starboard railing； head sunk forward。 As he approached； he saw it was Amira； bundled once again in the ridiculously oversized parka。 〃What are you doing here？〃 he asked。
She turned toward him。 Deep within the furred hood of the parka； he made out a green…tinged face。 A few tendrils of black hair escaped； whipped back by the wind。
〃Trying to puke；〃 she said。 〃What's your excuse？〃
〃Couldn't sleep。〃
Amira nodded。 〃I'm hoping that destroyer es by again。 I'd like nothing better than to unload the contents of my stomach on that ugly little andante。〃
McFarlane did not answer。 The encounter with the Chilean vessel； and speculation about andante Vallenar and his motives； had dominated dinner…table talk the previous night。 And Lloyd； when he heard of the incident； had bee frantic。 Only Glinn seemed unconcerned。
〃Will you look at this？〃 Amira said。 Following her gaze； McFarlane saw the dark form of a jogger； clad only in gray warm…ups； making its way along the port rail。 As he stared； he realized it was Sally Britton。
〃Only she would be man enough to go jogging in this weather；〃 Amira said sourly。
〃She's pretty tough。〃
〃More like crazy。〃 Amira snickered。 〃Look at that sweatshirt bouncing around。〃
McFarlane； who had been looking at it； said nothing。
〃Don't get me wrong。 I take a purely scientific interest。 I'm thinking how one would calculate an equation of state for those rather impressive breasts。〃
〃An equation of state？〃
〃It's something we physicists do。 It relates all the physical properties of an object … temperature； pressure； density； elasticity … 〃
〃I get the picture。〃
〃Look；〃 Amira said； abruptly changing the subject。 〃'There's another wreck。〃
In the bleak winter distance； McFarlane could see the outline of a large ship； its back broken on a rock。
〃What is that； four？〃 Amira asked。
〃Five； I think。〃 As the Rolvaag headed south from Puerto Williams toward Cape Horn； the sightings of giant shipwrecks had grown more frequent。 Some were almost as large as the Rolvaag。 The area was a veritable graveyard of shipping； and the sight no longer brought any surprise。
Britton had by now rounded the bow and was heading in their direction。
〃Here she es；〃 said Amira。
As Britton drew up to them； she slowed； jogging in place。 Britton's warm…up suit was damp with sleet and rain； and it clung to her body。 Equation of state； McFarlane thought to himself。
〃I wanted to let you know that； at nine o'clock； I'm going to issue a deck safety…harness order；〃 she said。
〃Why's that？〃 McFarlane asked。
〃A squall is ing。〃
〃ing？〃 Amira said with a bleak laugh。 〃It looks like it's already here。〃
〃As we head out of the lee of Isla Navarino； we're going to be heading into a gale。 Nobody will be allowed on deck without a harness。〃 Britton had answered Amira's question； but she was looking at McFarlane。
〃Thanks for the warning；〃 McFarlane said。 Britton nodded to him； then jogged away。 In a minute she was gone。
〃What is it you have against her？〃 McFarlane said。
Amira was silent a moment。 〃Something about Britton bugs me。 She's too perfect。〃
〃I think that's what they call an air of mand。〃
〃And it seemed so unfair； the whole ship suffering because of her booze problem。〃
〃It was Glinn's decision；〃 said McFarlane。
After a moment； Amira sighed and shook her head。 〃Yeah； that's vintage Eli； isn't it？ You can bet there's an unbroken line of impeccable logic leading up to that decision。 He just hasn't told anybody what it is。〃
McFarlane shivered under a fresh blast of wind。 〃Well； I've had enough sea air to last awhile。 Shall we get some breakfast？〃
Amira let out a groan。 〃You go ahead； I'll wait here awhile longer。 Sooner or later； something's bound to e up。〃
After breakfast； McFarlane headed to the ship's library； where Glinn had asked to meet him。 The library； like everything about the vessel； was large。 Windows； streaked with sleet； covered one wall。 Beyond and far below； he could see snow driving almost horizontally； whirling into the black water。
The shelves contained a wide assortment of books： nautical texts and treatises； encyclopedias； Reader's Digest condensations； forgotten best…sellers。 He browsed through them； waiting for Glinn； feeling unsettled。 The closer they got to Isla Desolacion … to the spot where Masangkay died … the more restless he became。 They were very close now。 Today； they would round the Horn and anchor in the Horn Islands at last。
McFarlane's fingers stopped at the slender volume： The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket。 This was the Edgar Allan Poe title Britton mentioned at dinner that first night at sea。 Curious； he took it to the nearest sofa。 The dark leather felt slippery as he settled into it and cracked the book。 The pleasant smell of buckram and old paper rose to his nostrils。
My name is Arthur Gordon Pym。 My father was a respectable trader in sea stores at Nantucket； where I was born。 My maternal grandfather was an attorney in good practice。 He was fortunate in everything； and had speculated very successfully in stocks of the Edgarton New…Bank； as it was formerly called。
This was a disappointingly dry beginning； and it was with relief that he saw the door open and Glinn enter。 Behind him followed Puppup； ducking and smiling； barely recognizable from the drunk they had brought on board the previous afternoon。 His long gray hair was braided back from his forehead； and the neatly groomed but still wispy mustache drooped from his pendulous lip。
〃Sorry to have kept you waiting；〃 Glinn said。 〃I've been speaking to Mr。 Puppup。 He seems content to assist us。〃 Puppup grinned and shook hands all around again。 McFarlane found his hand curiously cool and dry。
〃e to the windows；〃 Glinn said。 McFarlane strolled over and gazed out。 Through the torn and roiling mists he could now make out； to the northeast； a barren island rising from the water； little more than the jagged top of a drowned mountain； white surf clawing and leaping at its base。
〃That；〃 murmured Glinn； 〃is Isla Barnevelt。 〃
A distant squall line passed； like the drawing of a curtain from the storm…wracked horizon。 Another island came into view： black； rugged； its mountainous heights whirling with snow and fog。
〃And that is Isla Deceit。 The easternmost of the Cape Horn islands。〃
Beyond it； the fresh light exposed another wilderness of drowned mountaintops poking from the sea。 As they watched； the light was extinguished as quickly as it had e。 Midnight seemed to close around the vessel； and another squall struck them full on； its fury battering the windows； hail rattling off the ship like machine gun fire。 McFarlane felt the big ship lean。
Glinn withdrew a folded piece of paper。 〃I received this message half an hour ago。〃 He handed it to McFarlane。
McFarlane unfolded it curiously。 It was a brief cable： On no account are you to make landfall on the target island without further instructions from me。 Lloyd。
McFarlane ha