descendants of Fletcher-bloody-Christian and the Bounty mutineers. Then, if you’re blown off course, it’s not your fault.”
Keith leaned forward. “Is there anyone you might recommend for such a trip?”
“I’d have to ask around, see what’s in port and available. You’ll need a skipper who knows how to keep his mouth shut, and that sort isn’t likely to be running a floating palace.” Abbott gave Keith a level look. “But before we go any further, you’d better tell me the rest. You didn’t come all this way just to make a tour of inspection. Suppose you find what you’re looking for—then what?”
Keith hesitated. “I’m not sure. But if it were possible to get hold of some kind of explosive, depth charges, perhaps—”
“Full marks.” Abbott smiled. “Of course you can’t expect to pick up that sort of thing on the open market. There’s all sorts of ammo and weaponry in the local ordnance, but getting one’s hands on government property takes a bit of doing. I’d have to grease a few palms.”
Keith shook his head. “I wouldn’t expect you to take such a risk.”
“The whole business is risky. Forged ship’s papers, bribing military personnel, handling live depth charges.” Abbott grinned. “Just the ticket for toning up a sluggish liver. With your permission, I’d like to sign on for the duration.”
“You’d come with me?”
“I’m tired of baching it alone, and you’re going to need someone who knows how to set off those charges,” Abbott said. “I had a crack at it a few years back, in ’Nam. Harbor duty with a demo outfit.” He sobered. “Besides, if there’s any chance that what we both suspect is true, the job has to be done.”
“It could be dangerous.”
Abbott shrugged. “Frankly, I think you’re a bloody idiot. But that makes two of us. With your leave, I’ll get cracking on it first thing tomorrow morning.”
It took three days to complete the preparations. Because of their nature, Abbott avoided using the phone to detail his progress. Several times he invited Keith to come out to his home in the black sand beach area on the far side of the island, but Keith thought it best to avoid comings and goings that might attract attention. Accordingly, Abbott reported to him in person at the hotel, and made the necessary arrangements with the cash Keith provided from his bank drafts and stock of traveler’s checks.
On the fourth day they were under way at last. The sea was calm and this proved to be a blessing, for the Okishuri Maru was an old tub, and Captain Sato—as Abbott had predicted—did not extend himself in keeping a tight ship. But no one could fault his seamanship, and Abbott seemed satisfied to leave matters in his hands once the course was set.
Keith saw little of the eight-man crew and made no attempt to communicate with them when their duties brought them above deck. “They don’t speak English,” Abbott said. “Pretty scruffy lot, but the best we could scrape together on short notice. I didn’t want local people, for obvious reasons—these boys are out-islanders, from Tuamota. Sato picked up the steward and the cook; he swears they’re reliable and we’ll just have to take them on trust. At least the grub’s not too bad.”
“How much does Captain Sato know?” Keith asked, as they sat over coffee and cognac the first night out.
“A bit more than I’d prefer.” Abbott lowered his voice. “He’s nobody’s fool—at first he must have reckoned we had some sort of smuggling operation in mind, and didn’t turn a hair. Then, when we took the depth charges aboard, he got the wind up. I had to tell him a cock-and-bull yarn about you being an oceanographer, and exploding the charges to bring up rare, deep sea specimens.”
“Did he buy that?”
“Hard to tell. But he knows we’re up to something illegal, and set the price accordingly. When he sees what we’re really after, you may have to part with a bit more of the
Keith leaned forward. “Is there anyone you might recommend for such a trip?”
“I’d have to ask around, see what’s in port and available. You’ll need a skipper who knows how to keep his mouth shut, and that sort isn’t likely to be running a floating palace.” Abbott gave Keith a level look. “But before we go any further, you’d better tell me the rest. You didn’t come all this way just to make a tour of inspection. Suppose you find what you’re looking for—then what?”
Keith hesitated. “I’m not sure. But if it were possible to get hold of some kind of explosive, depth charges, perhaps—”
“Full marks.” Abbott smiled. “Of course you can’t expect to pick up that sort of thing on the open market. There’s all sorts of ammo and weaponry in the local ordnance, but getting one’s hands on government property takes a bit of doing. I’d have to grease a few palms.”
Keith shook his head. “I wouldn’t expect you to take such a risk.”
“The whole business is risky. Forged ship’s papers, bribing military personnel, handling live depth charges.” Abbott grinned. “Just the ticket for toning up a sluggish liver. With your permission, I’d like to sign on for the duration.”
“You’d come with me?”
“I’m tired of baching it alone, and you’re going to need someone who knows how to set off those charges,” Abbott said. “I had a crack at it a few years back, in ’Nam. Harbor duty with a demo outfit.” He sobered. “Besides, if there’s any chance that what we both suspect is true, the job has to be done.”
“It could be dangerous.”
Abbott shrugged. “Frankly, I think you’re a bloody idiot. But that makes two of us. With your leave, I’ll get cracking on it first thing tomorrow morning.”
It took three days to complete the preparations. Because of their nature, Abbott avoided using the phone to detail his progress. Several times he invited Keith to come out to his home in the black sand beach area on the far side of the island, but Keith thought it best to avoid comings and goings that might attract attention. Accordingly, Abbott reported to him in person at the hotel, and made the necessary arrangements with the cash Keith provided from his bank drafts and stock of traveler’s checks.
On the fourth day they were under way at last. The sea was calm and this proved to be a blessing, for the Okishuri Maru was an old tub, and Captain Sato—as Abbott had predicted—did not extend himself in keeping a tight ship. But no one could fault his seamanship, and Abbott seemed satisfied to leave matters in his hands once the course was set.
Keith saw little of the eight-man crew and made no attempt to communicate with them when their duties brought them above deck. “They don’t speak English,” Abbott said. “Pretty scruffy lot, but the best we could scrape together on short notice. I didn’t want local people, for obvious reasons—these boys are out-islanders, from Tuamota. Sato picked up the steward and the cook; he swears they’re reliable and we’ll just have to take them on trust. At least the grub’s not too bad.”
“How much does Captain Sato know?” Keith asked, as they sat over coffee and cognac the first night out.
“A bit more than I’d prefer.” Abbott lowered his voice. “He’s nobody’s fool—at first he must have reckoned we had some sort of smuggling operation in mind, and didn’t turn a hair. Then, when we took the depth charges aboard, he got the wind up. I had to tell him a cock-and-bull yarn about you being an oceanographer, and exploding the charges to bring up rare, deep sea specimens.”
“Did he buy that?”
“Hard to tell. But he knows we’re up to something illegal, and set the price accordingly. When he sees what we’re really after, you may have to part with a bit more of the
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