alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第47章

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g　to　burst　it　open　that　night。〃
　 〃And　then？〃
　 〃I　ran　out；〃　Kinnaird　said。　〃I　couldn't　see　a　thing　for　black　smoke　and　flying　oil。　I　ran　maybe　twenty　yards　to　the　south　to　get　some　idea　of　what　was　happening。　The　whole　camp　seemed　to　be　on　fire。　When　you're　woken　up　like　that　at　two　in　the　morning；　half　blinded；　half　asleep　and　groggy　with　fumes；　your　mind　isn't　at　its　best　but　thank　God　I'd　enough　left　of　my　mind　to　realize　that　an　S。O。S。　radio　message　was　the　one　thing　that　was　going　to　save　our　lives。　So　I　went　back　inside　the　radio　hut。〃
　 〃We　all　owe　our　lives　to　Kinnaird。〃　Speaking　for　the　first　time　was　Jeremy；　a　burly；　red…haired　Canadian　who　had　been　chief　technician　on　the　base。　〃And　if　I'd　been　a　bit　quicker　with　my　hands；　we'd　all　have　been　dead。〃
　 〃Oh；　for　Christ's　sake；　mate；　shut　up；〃　Kinnaird　growled。
　 〃I　won't　shut　up；〃　Jeremy　said　soberly。　〃Besides；　Dr。　Carpenter　wants　a　full　report。　I　was　the　first　out　of　the　main　bunkhouse　after　Captain　Folsom。　As　Hewson　said；　we　tried　the　extinguisher　on　Major　Halliwell's　hut。　It　was　hopeless　from　the　beginning；　but　we　had　to　do　itafter　all；　we　knew　there　were　four　men　trapped　in　there。　But；　like　I　say；　it　was　a　waste　of　time。　Captain　Folsom　shouted　that　he　was　going　to　get　another　extinguisher　and　told　me　to　see　how　things　were　in　the　radio　room。
　 〃The　place　was　ablaze　from　end　to　end。　As　I　came　around　as　close　as　I　could　to　the　door　at　the　west　end　I　saw　Naseby　here　bending　over　Dr。　Jolly；　who'd　keeled　over　as　soon　as　he　had　e　out　into　the　fresh　air。　He　shouted　to　me　to　give　him　a　hand　to　drag　Dr。　Jolly　clear；　and　I　was　just　about　to　when　Kinnaird　came　running　up。　I　saw　that　he　was　heading　straight　for　the　door　of　the　radio　room。〃　He　smiled　without　humor。　〃I　thought　he　had　gone　off　his　rocker。　I　jumped　in　front　of　him　to　stop　him。　He　shouted　at　me　to　get　out　of　the　way。　I　told　him　not　to　be　crazy；　and　he　yelledyou　had　to　yell　to　make　yourself　heard　above　the　roar　of　the　flamesthat　he　had　to　get　the　portable　radio　out；　that　all　the　oil　was　gone；　and　the　generator　and　the　cookhouse　with　all　the　food　were　burning　up。　He　knocked　me　down；　and　the　next　thing　I　saw　was　him　disappearing　through　that　door。　Smoke　and　flames　were　pouring　through　the　doorway。　I　don't　know　how　he　ever　got　out　alive。〃
　 〃Was　that　how　you　got　your　face　and　hands　so　badly　burned？〃　mander　Swanson　asked　quietly。　He　was　standing　in　a　far　corner　of　the　wardroom；　having　taken　no　part　in　the　discussion　up　till　now　but　missing　nothing；　all　the　same。　That　was　why　I　had　asked　him　to　be　present；　just　because　he　was　a　man　who　missed　nothing。
　 〃I　guess　so；　sir。〃
　 〃That　should　earn　you　a　trip　to　Buckingham　Palace；〃　Swanson　murmured。
　 〃The　hell　with　Buckingham　Palace；〃　Kinnaird　said　violently。　〃How　about　my　mate；　eh？　How　about　young　Jimmy　Grant？　Can　he　make　the　trip　to　Buckingham　Palace？　Not　now　he　can't；　the　poor　bastard。　Do　you　know　what　he　was　doing？　He　was　still　〃inside〃　the　radio　room　when　I　went　back　in；　sitting　at　the　main　transmitter；　sending　out　an　S。O。S。　on　our　regular　frequency。　His　clothes　were　on　fire。　I　dragged　him　off　his　seat　and　shouted　to　him　to　grab　some　Nife　cells　and　get　out。　I　caught　up　the　portable　transmitter　and　a　nearby　box　of　Nife　cells　and　ran　through　the　door。　I　thought　Grant　was　on　my　heels；　but　I　couldn't　hear　anything；　what　with　the　roar　of　flames　and　the　bursting　of　fuel　drums；　the　racket　was　deafening。　Unless　you'd　been　there；　you　just　can't　begin　to　imagine　what　it　was　like。　I　ran　far　enough　clear　to　put　the　radio　and　cells　in　a　safe　place。　Then　I　went　back。　I　asked　Naseby；　who　was　still　trying　to　bring　Dr。　Jolly　round；　if　Jimmy　Grant　had　e　out。　He　said　he　hadn't。　I　started　to　run　for　the　door　again；　and；　well；　that's　all　I　remember。〃
　 〃I　clobbered　him；〃　Jeremy　said　with　gloomy　satisfaction。　〃From　behind。　I　had　to。〃
　 〃I　could　have　killed　you　when　I　came　round；〃　Kinnaird　said　morosely。　〃But　I　guess　you　saved　my　life　at　that。〃
　 〃I　certainly　did；　brother。〃　Jeremy　grimaced。　〃That　was　my　big　contribution　that　night。　Hitting　people。　After　Naseby　had　brought　Dr。　Jolly　round；　he　suddenly　started　shouting；　'Where's　Flanders　and　Bryce；　where's　Flanders　and　Bryce！'　Those　were　the　two　who　had　been　sleeping　with　him　and　Hewson　in　the　cookhouse。　A　few　others　had　e　down　from　the　main　bunkhouse　by　that　time；　and　the　best　part　of　a　minute　had　elapsed　before　we　realized　that　Flanders　and　Bryce　weren't　among　them。　Naseby…　started　back　for　the　cookhouse　at　a　dead　run。　He　was　making　for　the　doorway；　only　there　was　no　doorway　left；　just　a　solid　curtain　of　fire　where　the　doorway　used　to　be。　I　swung　at　him　as　he　passed；　and　he　fell　and　hit　his　head　on　the　ice。〃　He　looked　at　Naseby。　〃Sorry　again；　Johnny；　but　you　were　quite　crazy　at　the　moment。〃
　 Naseby　rubbed　his　jaw　and　grinned　wearily。　〃I　can　still　feel　it。　And　God　knows　you　were　right。〃
　 〃Then　Captain　Folsom　arrived；　along　with　Dick　Foster；　who　also　slept　in　the　main　bunkhouse；〃　Jeremy　went　on。　〃Captain　Folsom　said　he'd　tried　every　other　extinguisher　on　the　base　and　that　all　of　them　were　frozen　solid。　He'd　heard　about　Grant　being　trapped　inside　the　radio　room　and　he　and　Foster　were　carrying　a　blanket　apiece；　soaked　with　water。　I　tried　to　stop　them　but　Captain　Folsom　ordered　me　to　stand　aside。〃　Jeremy　smiled　faintly。　〃When　Captain　Folsom　orders　people　to　stand　aside。。　。　well；　they　do　just　that。〃
　 〃He　and　Foster　threw　the　wet　blankets　over　their　heads　and　ran　inside。　Captain　Folsom　was　out　in　a　few　seconds；　carrying　Grant。　I've　never　seen　anything　like　it：　they　were　burning　like　human　torches。　I　don't　know　what　happened　to　Foster；　but　he　never　came　out。　By　that　time　the　roofs　of　both　Major　Halliwell's　hut　and　the　cookhouse　had　fallen　in。　Nobody　could　get　anywhere　near　either　of　those　buildings。　Besides；　it　was　far　too　late　by　then。　Major　Halliwell　and　the　three　others　inside　the　major's　hut　and　Flanders　and　Bryce　inside　the　cookhouse　must　have　been　dead　already。　Dr。　Jolly　doesn't　think　they　would　have　suffered　very　much：　asphyxiation　would　have　got　them；　like　enough；　before　the　flames　did。〃
　 〃Well；〃　I　said　slowly；　〃that's　as　clear　a　picture　of　what　must　have　been　a　very　confusing　and　terrifying　experience　as　we're　ever　likely　to　get。　It　wasn't　possible　to　get　anywhere　near　Major　Halliwell's　hut？〃
　 〃You　couldn't　have　gone　within　fifteen　feet　of　it　and　hoped　to　live；〃　Naseby　said　simply。
　 〃And　what　happened　afterward？〃
　 〃I　took　charge；　old　boy；〃　Jolly　said。　〃Wasn't　much　to　take　charge　of；　though；　and　what　little　there　was　to　be　done　could　be　done　only　by　myselffixing　up　the　injured；　I　mean。　I　made　'em　all　wait　out　there　on　the　ice　cap　until　the　flames　had　died　down　a　bit　and　there　didn't　seem　to　be　any　more　likelihood　of　further　fuel　drums　bursting。　Then　we　all　made　our　way　to　the　bunkhouse；　where　I　did　the　best　I　could　for　the　injured　men。　Kinnaird　here；　despite　pretty　bad　burns；　proved　himself　a　first…class　assistant　doctor。　We　bedded　down　the　worst　of　them。　Young　Grant　was　in　a　shocking　condition'fraid　there　never　really　was　very　much　hope　for　him。　Andwell；　that　was　about　all　there　was　to　it。〃
　 〃You　had　no　food　for　the　next　few　days　and　nights？〃
　 〃Nothing　at　all；　old　boy。　No　heat；　either；　except　for　the　stand…by　Coleman　lamps　that　were　in　the　three　remaining　huts。　We　managed　to　melt　a　little　water　from　the　ice；　that　was　all。。　By　my　orders　everyone　remained　lying　down　and　wrapped　up　in　what　was　available　in　order　to　conserve　energy　and　warmth。〃　…
　 〃Bit　rough　on　you；〃　I　said　to　Kinnaird。　〃Having　to　lose　any　hard…earned　warmth　you　had　every　couple　of　hours　in　order　to　make　those　S。O。S。　broadcasts。〃
　 〃Not　only　me；〃　Kinnaird　said。　〃I'm　no　keener　on　frostbite　than　anyone　else。　Dr。　Jolly　insisted　that　everyone　who　could　should　take　turns　sending　out　the　S。O。S。's。　Wasn't　hard。　There　was　a　pre…set　mechanical　call…up；　and　all　anyone　had　to　do　was　to　send　this　and　listen　in　on　the　earphones。　If　any　message　came　through；　I　was　across　to　the　met　office　in　a　flash。　It　was　actually　Hewson　here　who　contacted　the　ham　operator　in　Bodd　and　Jeremy　who　got　through　to　that　trawler　in　the　Barents　Sea。　I　carried　on　from　there；　of　course。　Apart　from　them；　there　were　Dr。　Jolly　and　Naseby　to　give　a　hand；　so　it　wasn't　so　b