cc.fireice-第69节

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　〃　'Ay；　tear　her　tattered　ensign　down！　Long　has　it　waved　on　high；'　〃　Austin　said；　quoting　the　first　line　of　the　Oliver　Wendell　Holmes　poem；　〃Old　Ironsides；〃　that　had　inspired　the　nation　to　save　the　ship　from　destruction。
　
　Slade　grinned　and　quoted　the　second　line；　〃　'And　many　an　eye　has　danced　to　see　that　banner　in　the　sky　。　。　。'　Sounds　as　if　you　know　your　naval　history；　sir。〃
　〃I　know　the　ship　fought　the　Barbary　pirates　and　gave　the　British　a　major　headache　during　the　War　of　1812。　That　she　was　undefeated　in　battle。　And　during　the　fight　with　the　British　frigate　H。M。S　Guerriere；　cannonballs　bounced　off　her　sides　as　if　they　were　made　of　iron。〃　His　eyes　fondly　swept　the　two…hundred…four…foot　length　of　the　frigate；　taking　in　the　long　bowsprit；　We　expansive　spar　deck　with　the　neat　rows　of　cannon　and　the　two…hundred…twenty…foot…tall　main…mast。　〃Hope　I　look　half　as　good　when　I'm　her　age。〃
　〃Thank　you。　We　take　great　pride　in　keeping　her　ship…shape。　She　was　built　not　far　from　here；　launched　in　1797。　Actually；　her　sides　were　made　of　live　oak　from　the　south…eastern　U。S。　Her　hull　is　twenty…five　inches　thick　at　the　waterline。　Paul　Revere　did　the　copperwork　and　made　the　ship's　bell。　Don't　mean　to　give　you　the　guide　routine；〃　he　apologized；　〃but　we're　awfully　proud　of　the　lady。〃　His　face　grew　serious。　〃Instead　of　giving　you　a　history　lesson；　I　should　call　the　Coast　Guard　and　let　them　know　we've　got　an　injured　man　on　board。〃　Slade　patted　the　pockets　of　his　coat　and　frowned。　〃Damn。　My　cell　phone　must　have　fallen　out　when　I　got　in　the　gig。　I've　got　a　walkie…talkie　we　use　to　keep　in　touch　with　the　tugboat　when　we're　being　pushed　or　towed。　I'll　ask　the　crew　to　relay　a　message　to　the　Coast　Guard。〃
　
　While　Slade　retrieved　his　handheld　radio；　Austin　went　over　to　where　Petrov　was　stretched　out　on　the　deck。　Someone　had　covered　him　with　a　section　of　sail。　A　crewman　was　keeping　watch。
　
　Austin　knelt　by　Petrov's　side。　〃How　are　you　feeling；　tovarich？〃
　
　Petrov　groaned。　〃I　have　a　splitting　headache；　as　you　would　expect　after　having　a　bullet　bounce　off　a　er　of　my　skull。　Why　is　it　that　every　time　I　get　too　close　to　you；　I　get　blown　up　or　shot　up？〃
　〃Just　lucky；　I　guess。　Razovmust　have　taken　something　I　said　the　wrong　way。　Sorry　that　you　lost　your　man。〃
　〃I　am；　too。　He　wasn't　a　bad　sort　for　a　Ukrainian。　He　was　aware　he　was　in　a　dangerous　business；　though。　His　family　will　be　well…pensated。〃
　
　Austin　told　Petrov　to　take　it　easy；　then　he　rose　and　walked　to　the　thick　wooden　bulwark；　the　chin…high　raised　side　that　enclosed　the　uppermost　deck。　While　he　was　scanning　the　harbor；　Slade　returned。
　
　〃Mission　acplished；〃　he　said。　〃The　tug　crew　will　notify　the　Coast　Guard　and　the　police　harbor　patrol。　They'll　ask　them　to　send　some　EMTs　over　to　take　care　of　your　friend。　How's　he　doing？〃
　〃He'll　live。　A　half　an　inch　lower　and　he　would　have　lost　some　brain　power。〃
　〃Is　he　with　NUMA；　too？〃
　〃He's　a　Russian　trade　representative　from　Siberian　Pest　Control。〃
　
　Slade　gave　him　that　funny　look　again。　〃What's　he　doing　in　Boston　Harbor？〃
　〃Looking　for　Siberian　pests；〃　Austin　said。
　
　Slade　noticed　Austin　peering　back　toward　where　the　tugboat　was　nudged　up　against　the　stern　of　the　ship。
　
　〃The　tug　pushed　us　away　from　the　wharf；〃　Slade　explained。　〃We　were　getting　ready　to　raise　sail　after　they　got　us　into　the　outer　harbor。　We're　supposed　to　do　a　run　for　the　television　cameras；　then　rendezvous　with　the　tug　and　get　a　ride　back　to　the　navy　yard。〃
　
　Austin　was　only　half　listening。　He　squinted　into　the　darkness　at　the　snarl　of　boat　motors。　The　sound　grew　louder。　Then　he　saw　firefly　points　of　light　made　by　muzzle　flashes。
　
　Traveling　in　a　line；　three　fast　powerboats　materialized　and　raced　toward　the　stern　of　the　sailing　vessel。　Then　came　the　snap　and　whine　of　rounds　ricocheting　off　the　tugboat。　Sparks　exploded　where　the　bullets　struck　the　steel　hull。　The　tugboat　crew　got　over　its　surprise　at　being　fired　upon。　With　a　roar　of　its　engines；　the　tugboat　went　into　reverse　and　headed　off　at　full　throttle。　The　boats　circled　the　slower　craft；　riddling　the　wooden　pilothouse　with　bullets。　The　tug　slowed；　traveled　a　few　hundred　feet　before　it　stopped　pletely。
　
　Austin　clenched　his　fists　in　anger；　helpless　to　prevent　the　cowardly　attack　on　the　innocent　tugboat。　He　asked　Slade　to　call　the　tug　on　his　walkie…talkie。　After　several　attempts；　the　sailor　gave　up。　；　〃It's　no　use；〃　he　said。　〃Damn；　why'd　they　attack　those　guys？〃
　〃They　know　the　tug　was　our　only　propulsion。〃
　
　Although　the　boats　were　out　of　sight　at　the　edge　of　darkness；　Austin　could　hear　their　idling　motors。　Then　he　saw　the　gun　flashes；　followed　by　what　sounded　like　a　hundred　woodpeckers　attacking　the　ship。　Slade　tried　to　lean　over　the　bulwark　to　check　out　the　noise。　Austin　pulled　him　down　on　the　deck。
　
　〃Jeez；　those　idiots　are　shooting　at　us！〃　Slade　yelled。　〃Don't　they　know　this　is　a　national　treasure？〃
　〃We'll　be　fine；〃　Austin　said。　〃Old　lronsides　stopped　cannonballs。　A　little　automatic　gunfire　isn't　going　to　sink　her。〃
　〃I'm　not　worried　about　that。　I　don't　want　my　crew　hurt。〃
　
　Austin　had　been　listening　with　one　ear　to　the　gunfire。　〃They've　stopped　shooting。　Tell　your　men　to　keep　their　heads　down　and　wait　for　orders。〃　Austin　realized　Slade　was　in　mand。　〃I'm　sorry。　Those　are　suggestions。　This　is　your　mand。〃
　〃Thanks；〃　Slade　said。　〃Your　suggestions　are　well　taken。　Don't　worry；　I　won't　fall　apart。　I　was　a　Marine　before　they　gave　me　this　duty。　I'm　only　here　because　I　hurt　my　knee　in　an　accident。〃
　
　Austin　studied　the　young　man's　face　and　saw　no　fear；　only　determination。
　
　〃Okay；　here's　my　take　on　that　strafing　run。　They　wanted　to　drive　off　the　tug　so　we'd　be　dead　in　the　water。　They　know　they　can't　sink　us。　My　guess　is　that　they'll　try　to　board　us。〃
　
　Slade　tucked　his　chin　in。　〃That's　unacceptable。　No　enemy　has　ever　e　aboard　the　Constitution　except　for　prisoners　of　war。　You　can　be　certain　it's　not　going　to　happen　on　my　watch。〃　He　glanced　around　the　spar　deck。　〃There's　only　one　problem。　The　ship　originally　carried　more　than　four　hundred　men。　We're　a　little　shorthanded。〃
　〃We'll　have　to　make　do。　Can　we　get　the　old　girl　moving？〃
　〃We　were　about　to　hoist　sail　when　we　stopped　to　pick　you　and　your　friend　up。　The　best　we　can　get　out　of　it　is　a　couple　of　knots。　lronsides　is　no　speedboat。〃
　〃The　main　thing　is　that　we　establish　even　a　little　control　of　the　situation。　It　will　keep　them　guessing。　Speed's　not　important。　What　about　weapons？　Any　on　board？〃
　
　Slade　laughed　and　pointed　to　the　cannon　lined　up　on　both　sides　of　the　deck。　〃You're　talking　about　a　fighting　ship。　Take　your　pick；　thirty…two…pounder　Carronades　on　this　deck　and　twenty…four…pounder　long　guns　below。　Plus　a　couple　of　Bow　Chasers。　More　than　fifty　cannon　total。　Unfortunately；　we're　not　allowed　to　carry　gunpowder。〃
　〃I　was　thinking　about　something　more　practical。〃
　〃We've　got　boarding　pikes　and　axes　and　cutlasses。　There　are　belaying　pins　everywhere。　They　make　fine　blackjacks。〃
　
　Austin　told　the　young　officer　to　do　what　he　could。　Slade　gathered　his　men　around；　introduced　Austin　and　told　the　crew　that　the　people　who　shot　up　the　ship　might　try　boarding　it。　He　ordered　every　light　on　the　ship　doused　and　told　some　of　the　crew　to　get　aloft。　They　scrambled　up　the　rigging　and　onto　the　yards；　where　they　loosed　the　topsails。　The　inner　jib　was　set　and　the　ship　began　to　move；　on　her　own；　at　a　speed　of　about　one　knot。
　
　The　sail　crew　dropped　down　to　the　deck　and　hauled　up　the　main　topsail　yard。　The　3；500…square…foot　mainsail　filled　with　the　breeze；　and　the　mast　began　to　squeak。　The　ship　crept　along　at　the　speed　of　a　fast　snail。　Then　the　outer　jib　was　set；　followed　by　the　fore　topsail。　The　ship　tripled　its　speed。　The　movement　would　pose　no　problem　for　anyone　trying　to　board；　but　it　gave　the　crew　a　modicum　of　control。　In　the　meantime；　weapons　were　being　stacked　on　the　deck。
　
　Slade　picked　up　a　cutlass　and　felt　the　sharp　edge　of　the　blade。　〃Warfare　was　a　personal　thing　back　then；　wasn't　it？〃
　〃Unless　you　know　how　to　use　that　thing；　this　might　be　more　practical；〃　Austin　said；　hefting　a　boarding　pike；　basically　a　long　wooden　shaft　with　a　sharp　metal　spearhead　on　one　end。
　
　The　crew　split　up　into　two　parties；　one　for　each　side；　and　nervously　kept　watch。　A　party　was　dispatched　to　the　fighting　platform　halfway　up　the　main　mast　where　Marines　and　sharpshooters　used　to　rain　death　down　on　attackers。　Austin　paced　restlessly　back　and　forth；　a　belaying　pin　in　his　hand。
　
　They　didn't　have　to　wait　long。　The　first　sign　of　the　renewed　attack　was　the　loud　rapping　against　the　ship's　side。　The　attackers　were　trying　to　soften　them　up　with　automatic　gunfire。　The　bullets　chipped　the　black　and　white　paint；　but　hardly　put　a　dent　in　the　two…foot…　thick　oak　hull。　The　doughty　old　ship　plowed　through　the　water；　brushing　off　the　bullets　as　if　they　were　a　swarm　of　pesky　mosquitoes。　Like　the　Barbary　pirates　and　the　British　navy；　the　attackers　learned　Old　lronsides　was　no　pushover。
　
　The　attackers　saw　that　their　bullets　were　having　no　effect　and　stopped　firing；　instead　switching　on　their　spotlights；　revving　their　motors　and　closing　on　their　slow…moving　target。　Austin　heard　the　boats　thump　against