cc.floodtide-第120章

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　〃The　Gallaghers　are　your　kind　of　people；　Admiral。　Unlike　Qin　Shang；　they　were　never　driven　by　greed。　They　felt　it　was　best　not　to　disturb　the　wreck　until　the　proper　time。〃
　〃They　should　receive　a　fat　reward　as　a　finders'　fee。〃
　〃A　grateful　government　may　make　the　offer；　but　I　doubt　if　they'll　accept　it。〃
　〃Incredible；〃　said　Sandecker　quietly。　〃The　Gallaghers　have　restored　my　faith　in　the　human　race。〃
　〃Now　that　we　have　a　ballpark；　we're　going　to　require　a　proper　search…and…survey　vessel。〃
　〃I'm　way　ahead　of　you；〃　Sandecker　said　smoothly。　〃Rudi　has　already　hired　a　fully　equipped　search　boat。　The　crew　is　on　its　way　to　Manitowoc　from　Kenosha。　The　boat's　name　is　Divercity。　Because　we　have　a　requirement　for　secrecy　to　consider；　I　felt　you'd　attract　less　attention　with　a　smaller　vessel。　Not　wise　to　advertise　a　hunt　for　a　treasure　of　inestimable　value。　If　word　leaked；　a　thousand　treasure　seekers　would　flood　onto　Lake　Michigan　like　a　school　of　piranha　in　a　pond　stocked　with　catfish。〃
　〃A　phenomenon　that　takes　place　with　every　treasure　find；〃　Pitt　concurred。
　〃And　in　the　hope　and　anticipation　that　you'll　make　a　successful　discovery；　I've　also　ordered　the　Ocean　Retriever　off　a　project　on　the　Maine　coast　and　directed　her　to　Lake　Michigan。〃
　〃The　perfect　choice。　She's　ideally　equipped　for　intricate　salvage　work。〃
　〃She　should　arrive　on　site　and　be　in　position　over　the　wreck　within　four　days。〃
　〃You　planned　and　arranged　all　this　before　you　knew　if　Gallagher　could　lead　us　to　the　wreck？〃　Pitt　asked　incredulously。
　〃Again；　anticipation。〃
　Pitt's　admiration　of　Sandecker　never　ceased。　〃You're　a　tough　man　to　keep　up　with。　Admiral。〃
　〃I　always　hedge　my　bets。〃
　〃I　can　see　that。〃
　〃Good　luck；　and　let　me　know　how　it　goes。〃
　
　With　Julia　in　tow；　Pitt　spent　the　day　talking　to　local　divers　about　water　conditions　and　studying　charts　of　the　lake　bed　in　the　general　location　of　the　Princess　Don　Wan。　The　following　morning　at　the　crack　of　dawn；　they　parked　the　car　at　Manitowoc's　yacht　basin　and　walked　along　the　dock　until　they　found　the　Divercity　and　her　crew　waiting　for　them。
　
　The　boat；　a　twenty…five…foot　Parker　with　a　cabin；　was　powered　by　a　250　Yamaha　outboard。　Functional　and　electronically　well　equipped　with　a　NavStar　differential　global…positioning　system　interfaced　with　a　state　of　the　art　PC　and　Geometerics　866　marine　magnetometer；　the　Divercity　also　mounted　a　Klein　side…scan　sonar　that　would　play　a　key　role　in　seeking　out　the　remains　of　the　Princess　Don　Wan。　For　a　close…up　identification；　the　boat　carried　a　Benthos　MiniRover　MK　II　underwater　robotic　vehicle。
　
　The　experienced　crew　consisted　of　Ralph　Wilbanks；　a　big；　jolly　man　in　his　early　forties　with　expansive　brown　eyes　and　a　bristling　mustache；　and　his　partner；　Wes　Hall；　easygoing；　soft…spoken　and　smoothly　handsome；　who　could　have　doubled　for　Mel　Gibson。
　Wilbanks　and　Hall　greeted　Pitt　and　Julia　warmly　and　introduced　themselves。　〃We　didn't　expect　you　this　early；〃　said　Hall。
　〃Up　with　the　birds；　that's　us；〃　Pitt　said；　nodding　humorously。　〃How　was　your　trip　from　Kenosha？〃
　〃Calm　water　all　the　way；〃　answered　Wilbanks。
　
　Both　men　spoke　in　a　soft　Southern　accent。　Pitt　liked　them　almost　immediately。　He　didn't　need　a　drawing　to　see　they　were　a　professional；　job…dedicated　pair。　They　watched　amused　as　Julia　jumped　from　the　dock；　landing　on　the　deck　with　the　finesse　of　a　limber　cat。　She　was　dressed　in　jeans　and　a　sweater　under　a　nylon　windbreaker。
　〃She's　a　fine；　no…nonsense　boat；〃　said　Pitt；　admiring　the　Divercity。
　Wilbanks　nodded　in　agreement。　〃She　does　the　job。〃　He　turned　to　Julia。　〃I　hope　you　don't　mind　roughing　it；　ma'am。　We're　not　equipped　with　a　head。〃
　〃Don't　worry　about　me；〃　Julia　said；　smiling。　〃I've　got　an　iron　bladder。〃
　Pitt　looked　across　the　water　of　the　little　harbor　at　the　seemingly　endless　lake。　〃Light　breeze；　one…　to　two…foot　waves；　conditions　look　good。　Are　we　ready　to　cast　off？〃
　Hall　nodded　and　unwound　the　mooring　lines　from　the　dock's　cleats。　Just　as　he　was　about　to　climb　on　board；　he　pointed　down　the　dock　at　a　figure　awkwardly　approaching　and　waving　wildly。　〃Is　he　with　you？〃
　Pitt　found　himself　staring　at　Al　Giordino；　who　was　stomping　across　the　wooden　planks　on　a　pair　of　crutches；　his　wounded　leg　encased　in　a　plaster　cast　from　ankle　to　crotch。　Giordino　flashed　his　celebrated　smile　and　said；　〃A　pox　on　your　house　for　thinking　you　could　leave　me　onshore　while　you　got　all　the　glory。〃
　
　Happy　to　see　his　old　friend；　Pitt　said；　〃You　can't　say　I　didn't　try。〃
　Wilbanks　and　Hall　gently　lifted　Giordino　over　the　side　and　sat　him　on　a　long　cushion　that　lay　on　a　raised　hump　in　the　middle　of　the　boat。　Pitt　introduced　him　to　the　crew　as　Julia　fussed　over　him　and　pressed　a　cup　of　coffee　in　his　hand　from　a　thermos　she　carried　in　a　picnic　basket。
　〃Shouldn't　you　be　in　a　hospital？〃　she　asked。
　〃I　hate　hospitals；〃　Giordino　grumbled。　〃Too　many　people　die　in　them。〃
　〃Is　everyone　aboard　who's　ing　aboard？〃　Wilbanks　inquired。
　〃All　present　and　accounted　for；〃　replied　Pitt。
　Wilbanks　grinned　and　said；　〃Then　let's　do　it。〃
　
　As　soon　as　they　cleared　the　harbor；　Wilbanks　pushed　the　throttle　forward　and　the　Divercity　leaped　ahead；　bow　clear　of　the　water；　until　she　was　skimming　the　waves　at　nearly　thirty　miles　an　hour。　While　Julia　and　Giordino　sat　aft；　enjoying　the　view　and　the　beginning　of　a　spectacular　day　under　a　sky　decorated　with　clouds　drifting　overhead　like　a　grazing　herd　of　white　buffalo；　Pitt　gave　Wilbanks　his　chart　with　an　X　marked　twenty…five　miles　just　south　of　east　frorh　the　Gallagher's　house。　He　had　enclosed　the　X　within　a　five…mile…by…five…mile　search　grid。　Wilbanks　then　programmed　the　coordinates　into　the　puter　and　watched　as　the　numbers　came　up　on　the　monitor。　Hall　busied　himself　studying　the　photos　and　dimensions　of　the　Princess　Dou　Wan。
　It　seemed　hardly　any　time　had　passed　before　Wilbanks　slowed　the　boat　and　announced；　〃ing　up　on　lane　one　in　eight　hundred　meters。〃　He　used　the　metric　system；　since　the　equipment　was　set　up　for　it。
　Pitt　helped　Hall　drop　over　the　magnetometer　sensor　and　the　side…scan　sonar　towfish；　trailing　them　behind　the　stern　of　the　boat　on　tethered　cables。　After　tying　off　the　cables；　they　returned　to　the　cabin。
　Wilbanks　steered　the　boat　toward　the　end　of　a　line　displayed　on　the　monitor　that　led　to　a　search　grid　with　parallel　lanes。　〃Four　hundred　meters　to　go。〃
　〃I　feel　like　I'm　taking　part　in　an　adventure；〃　said　Julia。
　〃You're　going　to　be　sadly　disappointed；〃　Pitt　laughed。　〃Running　search　lanes　for　a　shipwreck　is　downright　tedious。　You　might　pare　it　to　mowing　grass　on　an　endless　lawn。　You　can　go　hours；　weeks　or　even　months　without　finding　so　much　as　an　old　tire。〃
　Pitt　took　over　the　magnetometer　duties　as　Hall　set　up　the　Klein　&　Associates　Systems　2000　sonar。　He　sat　on　a　stool　in　front　of　the　high…resolution　color　video　display　unit　that　was　mounted　in　the　same　console　as　a　thermal　printer　that　recorded　the　floor　of　the　lake　in　256　shades　of　gray。
　〃Three　hundred　meters；〃　Wilbanks　droned。
　〃What　range　are　we　set　for？〃　Pitt　asked　Hall。
　〃Since　we're　hunting　for　a　large　target　five　hundred　feet　in　length；　we'll　run　thousand…meter　lanes。〃　He　pointed　to　the　lake…bed　detail　that　was　beginning　to　unreel　from　the　printer。　〃The　bottom　looks　flat　and　undisturbed；　and　since　we're　operating　in　fresh　water；　we　should　have　no　problem　spotting　an　anomaly　that　fits　the　target's　dimensions。〃
　〃Speed？〃
　〃The　water's　pretty　calm。　I　think　we　can　run　at　ten　miles　an　hour　and　still　get　a　sharp　recording。〃
　〃Can　I　watch？〃　asked　Julia　from　the　cabin　doorway。
　〃Be　my　guest；〃　said　Hall；　making　room　for　her　in　the　cramped　quarters。
　〃The　detail　is　amazing；〃　she　said；　staring　at　the　image　from　the　printer。　〃You　can　clearly　see　ripples　in　the　sand。〃
　〃The　resolution　is　good；〃　Hall　lectured　her；　〃but　nowhere　near　the　definition　of　a　photograph。　The　sonar　image　translates　similar　to　a　photo　that's　been　duplicated　and　then　run　through　a　copy　machine　three　or　four　times。〃
　Pitt　and　Hall　exchanged　grins。　Observers　always　became　addicted　to　watching　the　sonar　data。　Julia　would　be　no　different。　They　knew　that　she　would　gaze　entranced　for　hours；　enthusiastically　waiting　for　the　image　of　a　ship　to　m