hr.thecarpetbaggers-第138部分

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　〃Not　since　the　time　you　walked　the　two　of　them　out　of　my　apartment　at　the　Drake　in　Chicago；　five　years　ago。〃
　〃You　oughta　see　her。　The　kid's　turning　into　a　real　beauty。〃
　I　stared　up　at　him。　Now　I'd　seen　everything　…　Amos　Winthrop　playing　proud　grandpa。　〃Man；　you've　really　changed；　haven't　you？〃
　〃Sooner　or　later；　a　man　has　to　wise　up；〃　Amos　said；　flushing　embarrassedly。　〃You　find　out　you　did　a　lot　of　fool　things　to　hurt　the　people　you　love　and　if　you're　not　a　prick　altogether；　you　try　to　make　up　for　them。〃
　〃I　heard　about　that；　too；〃　I　said　sarcastically。　I　wasn't　in　the　mood　for　any　lectures　from　the　old　bastard；　no　matter　how　much　he'd　reformed。　〃They　tell　me　that　generally　happens　when　you　can't　get　it　up　any　more。〃
　A　trace　of　the　old　Amos　came　into　his　face。　He　was　angry；　I　could　see　it。　〃I　got　a　mind　to　tell　you　a　couple　of　things。〃
　〃Like　what；　Amos？〃
　〃Ready　to　remount　the　engine；　Mr。　Winthrop；〃　a　man　called　from　the　doorway。
　〃I'll　be　there　in　a　minute。〃　Amos　turned　back　to　me。　〃You　remind　me　of　this　after　we　get　back　from　the　test　flight。〃
　I　grinned；　watching　him　walk　out　the　door。　At　least；　he　hadn't　gone　so　holy…holy　that　I　couldn't　get　his　goat。　I　sat　up　and　started　looking　under　the　couch　for　my　shoes。
　When　I　got　outside；　the　engine　was　turning　over；　sweet　and　smooth。　〃She　seems　O。K。　to　me　now；〃　Amos　said；　turning　to　me。
　I　looked　at　my　watch。　It　was　four　thirty。　〃Then；　let's　go。　What're　we　waiting　for？〃
　He　put　a　hand　on　my　arm。　〃Sure　I　can't　make　you　change　your　mind？〃
　I　shook　my　head。　Seventeen　million　dollars　was　a　lot　of　argument。　He　raised　his　hands　to　his　mouth；　making　a　megaphone　of　them。　〃Everybody　off　the　ship　except　the　flight　crew。〃
　Almost　immediately；　there　was　a　silence　in　the　yard　as　the　engine　shut　off。　A　few　minutes　later；　the　last　of　them　came　down　the　boarding　flap。　A　man　stuck　his　head　out　of　the　small　window　in　the　pilot's　cabin。　〃Everybody　off　except　the　crew；　Mr。　Winthrop。〃
　Amos　and　I　walked　up　the　flap　into　the　plane；　then　up　the　small　ladder　from　the　cargo　deck　to　the　passenger　cabin　and　on　forward　into　the　flight　cabin。　Three　young　men　were　there。　They　looked　at　me　curiously。　They　were　still　wearing　the　hard　hats　from　the　shipyard。
　〃This　is　your　crew；　Mr。　Cord；〃　Amos　said　formally。　〃On　the　right；　Joe　Gates；　radioman。　In　the　middle；　Steve　Jablonski；　flight　engineer　starboard　engines；　one；　three　and　five。　On　the　left；　Barry　Gold；　flight　engineer　port　engines；　two；　four　and　six。　You　don't　have　to　worry　about　them。　They're　all　Navy　veterans　and　know　their　work。〃
　We　shook　hands　all　around　and　I　turned　back　to　Amos。　〃Where's　the　copilot　and　navigator？〃
　〃Right　here；〃　Amos　said。
　〃Where？〃
　〃Me。〃
　〃What　the　hell…　〃
　He　grinned　at　me。　〃You　got　anybody　knows　this　baby　better？　Besides；　I　been　sleeping　every　night　with　her　for　more　than　half　a　year。　Who's　got　a　better　right　to　get　a　piece　of　her　first　ride？〃
　I　stared　at　him　for　a　moment。　Then　I　gave　in。　I　knew　exactly　how　he　felt。　I　felt　the　same　way　myself　yesterday；　when　they　wouldn't　let　me　fly　the　jet。
　I　climbed　up　into　the　pilot's　seat。　〃Take　your　stations；　men。〃
　〃Aye；　aye；　sir。〃
　I　grinned　to　myself。　They　were　Navy　men；　all　right。　I　picked　up　the　check　list　on　the　clip　board。　〃Boarding　ramp　up；〃　I　said；　reading。
　A　motor　began　to　whine　beneath　me。　A　moment　later；　a　red　light　flashed　on　the　panel　in　front　of　me　and　the　motor　cut　off。　〃Boarding　ramp　up；　sir。〃
　〃Start　engines　one　and　two；〃　I　said；　reaching　forward　and　flicking　down　the　switches　that　would　let　the　flight　engineers　turn　them　over。　The　big　engines　coughed　and　belched　black　smoke。　The　propellers　began　to　turn　sluggishly；　then　the　engines　caught　and　the　propellers　settled　into　a　smooth　whine。
　〃Starboard　engine　one　turning　over；　sir。〃
　〃Port　engine　two　turning　over；　sir。〃
　The　next　one　on　the　check　list　was　a　new　one　for　me。　I　smiled　to　myself。　This　wasn't　an　airplane；　it　was　really　a　Navy　ship　with　wings。　〃Cast　off；〃　I　said。
　From　the　seat　to　my　right；　Amos　reached　up　and　tripped　the　lever　that　released　the　tow　lines。　Another　red　light　flashed　on　the　panel　before　me　and　I　could　feel　The　Centurion　slide　back　into　the　water。　There　was　a　slight　backward　dip　as　she　settled　in　with　a　slight　rocking　motion。　The　faint　sound　of　water　slapping　against　her　hull　came　up　from　beneath　us。　I　leaned　forward　and　turned　the　wheel。　Slowly　the　big　plane　came　about　and　started　to　move　out　toward　the　open　bay。　I　looked　over　at　Amos。　He　grinned　at　me。
　I　grinned　back。　So　far；　so　good。　At　least　we　were　seaborne。
　
　4
　
　A　WAVE　BROKE　ACROSS　THE　PROW　OF　THE　PLANE；　THROWING　SALT　SPRAY　UP　ON　THE　WINDOW　IN　FRONT　OF　ME；　AS　I　CAME　TO　THE　LAST　ITEM　ON　THE　CHECK　LIST。　There　had　been　almost　a　hundred　of　them　and　it　seemed　like　hours　since　we'd　started。　I　looked　down　at　my　watch。　It　was　only　sixteen　minutes　since　we'd　left　the　dock。　I　looked　out　the　windows。　The　six　big　engines　were　turning　over　smoothly；　the　propellers　flashing　with　sun　and　spray。　I　felt　a　touch　on　my　shoulder　and　looked　back。
　The　radioman　stood　behind　me；　an　inflatable　Mae　West　in　one　hand　and　a　parachute　pack　hanging　from　the　other。　〃Emergency　dress；　sir。〃
　I　looked　at　him。　He　was　already　wearing　his；　so　were　the　other　two　men。　〃Put　it　behind　my　seat。〃
　I　looked　across　at　Amos。　He　already　had　the　vest　on　and　was　tightening　the　cross　belt　of　the　parachute。　He　sank　back　into　his　seat　with　an　unfortable　grunt。　He　looked　at　me。　〃You　ought　to　put　it　on。〃
　〃I've　got　a　superstition　about　'em；〃　I　said。　〃If　you　don't　wear　'em；　you'll　never　need　'em。〃　He　didn't　answer；　shrugging　his　shoulders　as　the　radioman　went　back　to　his　seat　and　fastened　his　seat　belt。　I　looked　around　the　cabin。　〃Secure　in　flight　stations？〃
　They　all　answered　at　once。　〃Aye；　aye；　sir！〃
　I　reached　forward　and　flipped　the　switch　on　the　panel　and　all　the　lights　turned　from　red　to　green。　From　now　on；　they'd　only　go　back　to　red　if　we　were　in　trouble。　I　turned　the　plane　toward　the　open　sea。　〃O。K。；　men。　Here　we　go！〃
　I　opened　the　throttle　slowly。　The　big　plane　lurched；　its　prow　digging　into　the　waves　then　slowly　lifting　as　the　six　propellers　started　to　chew　up　the　air。　Now　we　started　to　ride　high；　like　a　speedboat　in　the　summer　races。　I　looked　at　the　panel。　The　air…speed　indicator　stood　at　ninety。
　Amos'　voice　came　over　to　me。　〃Calculated　lift　velocity；　this　flight；　one　ten。〃
　I　nodded　without　looking　at　him　and　kept　opening　the　throttle。　The　needle　went　to　one　hundred；　then　one　ten。　The　waves　were　beating　against　the　bottom　of　the　hull　like　a　riveting　hammer。　I　brought　the　needle　up　to　one　fifteen；　then　I　started　to　ease　back　on　the　stick。
　For　a　moment；　nothing　happened　and　I　increased　our　speed　to　one　twenty。　Suddenly；　The　Centurion　seemed　to　tremble；　then　jump　from　the　water。　Free　of　the　restraining　drag；　she　seemed　to　leap　into　the　air。　The　needle　jumped　to　one　sixty　and　the　controls　moved　easily　in　my　hands。　I　looked　out　the　window。　The　water　was　two　hundred　feet　beneath　us。　We　were　airborne。
　〃Hot　damn！〃　one　of　the　men　behind　me　muttered。
　Amos　squirmed　around　in　his　seat。　〃O。K。；　fellers；〃　he　said；　sticking　out　his　hand。　〃Pay　me！〃　He　looked　over　at　me　and　grinned。　〃Each　of　these　guys　bet　me　a　buck　we'd　never　get　off　the　water。〃
　I　flashed　a　grin　at　him　and　kept　the　ship　in　a　slow　climb　until　we　reached　six　thousand　feet。　Then　I　turned　her　west　and　aimed　her　right　at　the　setting　sun。
　
　〃She　handles　like　a　baby　carriage。〃　Amos　chortled　gleefully　from　his　seat。
　I　looked　up　at　him　from　behind　the　radioman；　where　I　had　been　standing　as　he　explained　the　new　automatic　signaling　recorder。　All　you　had　to　do　was　give　your　message　once；　then　turn　on　the　automatic　and　the　wire　recorder　would　repeat　it　over　and　over　again　until　the　power　gave　out。
　The　sun　had　turned　Amos'　white　hair　back　to　the　flaming　red　of　his　youth。　I　looked　down　at　my　watch。　It　was　six　fifteen　and　we　were　about　two　hundred　miles　out　over　the　Pacific。　〃Better　turn　her　around　and　take　her　back；　Amos；〃　I　said。　〃I　don't　want　it　to　be　dark　the　first　time　we　put　her　down。〃
　〃The　term　in　the　Navy；　captain；　is　'Put　her　about'。〃　The　radioman　grinned　at　me。
　〃O。K。；　sailor；〃　I　said。　I　turned　to　Amos。　〃Put　her　about。〃
　〃Aye；　aye；　sir。〃
　We　went　into　a　gentle　banking　turn　as　I　bent　over　the　radioman's　shoulder　again。　Suddenly；　the　plane　lurched　and　I　almost　fell　over　him。　I　grabbed　at　his　shoulder　as　the　starboard　engineer　yelled；　〃Number　five's　gone　bad　again。〃
　I　pushed　myself　toward　my　seat　as　I　looked　out　the　window。　The　engine　was　shooting　oil　like　a　geyser。　〃Kill　it！〃　I　shouted；　strapping　myself　into　my　seat。
　The　cords　on　Amos'　neck　stood　out　like　steel　wire　as　he　fought　the　wheel　on　the　suddenly　bucking　plane。　I　grabbed　at　my　wheel　and　together　we　held　her　steady。　Slowly　she　eased　off　in　our　grip。
　〃Number　five　dead；　sir；〃　the　engineer　called。
　I　glanced　out　at　it。　The　propeller　turned　slowly　with　the　wind　force　but　the　oil　had　stopped　pouring　from　the　engine。　I　looked　at　Amos。　His　face　was　white　and　perspiration　was　dripping　from　it；　but　he　managed　a　smile。　〃We　can　make　it　back　on　five　engines　without　any　trouble。〃
　〃Yeah。〃　We　could　make　it　back　on　three　engines；　according　to　the　figures。　But　I　wouldn't