I've never seen anything like it before."
"How long will it last?"
Tiger glanced at his watch. "It's after six. The storm has been raging for almost eight hours. It can go on far into the night. Or into the morning. We just have to ride her out."
"Can we?" She took a deep breath. "I don't see how a boat can take a beating like this and still stay afloat."
"The Dragon's a seaworthy craft. She'll weather this." Tiger took a second sandwich and drank his coffee. Then he leaned back against the curved seat, and with his arm around Bethany, closed his eyes.
Bethany let him rest. Trying not to disturb him, she managed to hand the coffee and sandwiches to Chang, then sat close to Tiger. After a while she too closed her eyes and slept.
She awoke to silence. The wind had stopped. The sea was still rough but not as bad as it had been. Beside her Tiger stirred and opened his eyes. "It's over," Bethany said as she turned to him. "Tiger, the storm's over."
He sat up straighter and flexed his shoulders. "No, Bethany, this is the eye of the storm." He stood up. "How long have we been in it?" he asked Chang.
"Twenty minutes."
Tiger glanced at his watch. "It's nine-fifteen. Why don't you check for any damage now, while there is the opportunity? Report back to me, then get some rest. I have a feeling it's going to be a long night."
"But there's no wind," Bethany said. "Aren't we all right now?"
Tiger shook his head. "A typhoon is shaped something like a donut. One section of it comes, then there is the hole—the eye—where nothing happens. After that there is the other side of the storm."
"How long will the eye last?"
"Anywhere from half an hour to an hour, or even a little longer. But when it passes the storm will begin again, probably even worse than before." Tiger looked down at her. "Perhaps you would be better off in your cabin," he said.
"No." Bethany shook her head. "I want to stay with you."
"It may be a long night."
"That doesn't matter."
Tiger's green eyes appraised her. "Very well," he said, "you may stay."
He was right, it was a long night. The wind rose to a furious pitch. Each wave that crashed over the Dragon's bow seemed even more menacing than the last. Down, down, down, the cruiser plunged and each time Bethany held her breath, praying, tensing her shoulders as though by sheer willpower she could bring the boat out of the trough that appeared to be carrying her down into the depths of the sea.
Tiger fought the wheel, his face grimly determined as he brought the boat back up out of the waves.
Bethany stood beside him through the long dark night, her feet braced, hands curled around a strut as she tried to keep her balance. At last, just before dawn, the wind lessened and Tiger's grip on the wheel relaxed. With a tired smile he looked at her and said, "We've made it, Bethany. We'll be all right now."
A few minutes later Chang came into the wheel-house, full of apologies for having slept so long. "I'll take the wheel," he said to Tiger.
"How is the Dragon! Was there any damage?"
"Only to the salon. The glass in one of the portholes shattered and there's water damage. Lee is mopping up. Also he has managed to prepare something for you and Miss Bethany to eat. Then you must rest, Tiger."
"I will." Tiger stepped aside to give Chang the wheel. "Is there any sign of the boat that was following us?"
Chang shook his head. "I searched the sea with binoculars. I could see no one. I've told Lee that as soon as he serves you he's to keep watch. But don't worry, Tiger, I'm sure we lost them in the storm."
"You're probably right." Tiger took Bethany's arm. "I'll relieve you at noon," he told Chang as he guided her out of the pilothouse.
They went down to the galley where they break ed on bacon and eggs, hot rolls and coffee. When they were finished Tiger said, "Let's get some sleep now." His hand closed over Bethany's.
They left the galley and headed for the companion-way. Tiger led Bethany to the door of his
"How long will it last?"
Tiger glanced at his watch. "It's after six. The storm has been raging for almost eight hours. It can go on far into the night. Or into the morning. We just have to ride her out."
"Can we?" She took a deep breath. "I don't see how a boat can take a beating like this and still stay afloat."
"The Dragon's a seaworthy craft. She'll weather this." Tiger took a second sandwich and drank his coffee. Then he leaned back against the curved seat, and with his arm around Bethany, closed his eyes.
Bethany let him rest. Trying not to disturb him, she managed to hand the coffee and sandwiches to Chang, then sat close to Tiger. After a while she too closed her eyes and slept.
She awoke to silence. The wind had stopped. The sea was still rough but not as bad as it had been. Beside her Tiger stirred and opened his eyes. "It's over," Bethany said as she turned to him. "Tiger, the storm's over."
He sat up straighter and flexed his shoulders. "No, Bethany, this is the eye of the storm." He stood up. "How long have we been in it?" he asked Chang.
"Twenty minutes."
Tiger glanced at his watch. "It's nine-fifteen. Why don't you check for any damage now, while there is the opportunity? Report back to me, then get some rest. I have a feeling it's going to be a long night."
"But there's no wind," Bethany said. "Aren't we all right now?"
Tiger shook his head. "A typhoon is shaped something like a donut. One section of it comes, then there is the hole—the eye—where nothing happens. After that there is the other side of the storm."
"How long will the eye last?"
"Anywhere from half an hour to an hour, or even a little longer. But when it passes the storm will begin again, probably even worse than before." Tiger looked down at her. "Perhaps you would be better off in your cabin," he said.
"No." Bethany shook her head. "I want to stay with you."
"It may be a long night."
"That doesn't matter."
Tiger's green eyes appraised her. "Very well," he said, "you may stay."
He was right, it was a long night. The wind rose to a furious pitch. Each wave that crashed over the Dragon's bow seemed even more menacing than the last. Down, down, down, the cruiser plunged and each time Bethany held her breath, praying, tensing her shoulders as though by sheer willpower she could bring the boat out of the trough that appeared to be carrying her down into the depths of the sea.
Tiger fought the wheel, his face grimly determined as he brought the boat back up out of the waves.
Bethany stood beside him through the long dark night, her feet braced, hands curled around a strut as she tried to keep her balance. At last, just before dawn, the wind lessened and Tiger's grip on the wheel relaxed. With a tired smile he looked at her and said, "We've made it, Bethany. We'll be all right now."
A few minutes later Chang came into the wheel-house, full of apologies for having slept so long. "I'll take the wheel," he said to Tiger.
"How is the Dragon! Was there any damage?"
"Only to the salon. The glass in one of the portholes shattered and there's water damage. Lee is mopping up. Also he has managed to prepare something for you and Miss Bethany to eat. Then you must rest, Tiger."
"I will." Tiger stepped aside to give Chang the wheel. "Is there any sign of the boat that was following us?"
Chang shook his head. "I searched the sea with binoculars. I could see no one. I've told Lee that as soon as he serves you he's to keep watch. But don't worry, Tiger, I'm sure we lost them in the storm."
"You're probably right." Tiger took Bethany's arm. "I'll relieve you at noon," he told Chang as he guided her out of the pilothouse.
They went down to the galley where they break ed on bacon and eggs, hot rolls and coffee. When they were finished Tiger said, "Let's get some sleep now." His hand closed over Bethany's.
They left the galley and headed for the companion-way. Tiger led Bethany to the door of his
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