deliberately trying to break me. He was lunging across the heaving
bridge - It's deliberate, you know I've won now. It's the only way can
stop me now. e swung a clumsy round arm blow. Nicholas ducked under it
and caught Duncan around the chest.
Listen to me/ he shouted, trying to calm him. This is only the eye!
You'd do anything to stop me. You swore you would stop me - 'Help
me/Nicholas called to the two seamen, and they grabbed Duncan's arms. He
bucked and fought like a madman, screaming wildly at Nicholas, his face
contorted and swollen with rage, sodden hair flopping into his eyes.
You'd do anything to destroy me, to destroy my ship Take him down to the
raft deck/ Nicholas ordered the two seamen. He knew he could not reason
with Duncan now, and he turned away and stiffened suddenly.
Wait he stopped them leaving the bridge.
Nicholas felt the terrible burden of weariness and despair slip from his
shoulders, felt new strength rippling through his body, recharging his
courage and his resolution for a mile away, from behind that receding
wall of dreadful grey cloud, Sea Witch burst abruptly into the sunlight,
tearing bravely along with the water bursting over her bows and flying
back as high as her bridgework, running without regard to the hazard of
sea and storm.
Jules, Nicholas whispered.
Jules was driving her like only a tugman can drive a ship, racing to
beat the far wall of the storm.
Nicholas felt his throat constricting and suddenly the scalding tears of
relief and thankfulness half-blinded him - for a mile out on Sea Witch's
port side, and barely a cable-length astern of her, Warlock came
crashing out of the storm bank, running every bit as hard as her sister
ship.
David, Nicholas spoke aloud. You too, David. He realized only then
that they must have been in radar contact with him through those wild
tempestuous hours of storm passage, hovering there, holding station on
Golden Dawn's crippled bulk and waiting for their first opportunity .
Above the wail and crackle of static from the overhead loud-speaker
boomed Jules Levoisin's voice. He was close enough and in the clear eye
the interference allowed a readable radio contact.
Golden Dawn, this is Sea Witch. Come in, Golden Dawn. Nicholas reached
the radio bench and snatched up the microphone.
Jules., He did not waste a moment in greeting or congratulations.
We are going to take the tanks off her, and let the hull go. Do you
understand? I understand to take off the tanks,, Jules responded
immediately. and clear again, he could see Nicholas brain was crisp
just how it must be done. Warlock takes off the port tanks first - in
tandem. in tandem, the two tanks would be strung like beads on a
string, they had been designed to tow that way.
Then you will take off the starboard side you must save the hull. Duncan
still fought the two seamen who held him. Goddamn you, Berg. I'll not
let you destroy me. Nicholas ignored his ravings until he had finished
giving his orders to the two tug masters. Then he dropped the
microphone and grabbed Duncan by the shoulders. Nicholas seemed to be
