cussler.blueandgold-第26节

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out　two　thousand　feet；　an　altitude　that　would　give　them　a　reasonable　safety　margin。
　
　Keeping　the　airship　aloft　had　drained　the　propane　from　one　tank；　and　they　were　operating　on　reserve。　They　had　been　waiting　for　daylight　to　use　the　power　plant；　so　a　plentiful　fuel　supply　remained　for　the　propeller　drive。　A　pearl…gray　glow　in　the　east　announced　the　ing　of　dawn。　Soon　the　sky　turned　rose…petal　pink。　Even　after　the　sun　rose　the　visibility　was　obscured　by　fog。　The　vapors　rising　off　the　tree　canopy　absorbed　the　sky's　hue；　and　a　roiling；　reddish　sea　of　mist　stretched　off　to　the　horizon。　While　Paul　operated　the　airship　Gamay　rummaged　around　in　a　storage　box　between　the　two　seats。　〃Time　for　breakfast；〃　she　announced　cheerfully。
　
　〃I'll　have　mine　over　easy；〃　Paul　replied。　〃Crisp　on　the　bacon；　please；　and　the　home　fries　burned　around　the　edges。〃
　
　Gamay　offered　Paul　a　choice　of　granola　bars。　〃You　can　have　raspberry　or　blueberry。〃
　
　〃I'll　try　room　service。〃　He　flicked　on　the　radio；　but　all　they　heard　was　the　crackle　of　static。　〃Bet　Phineas　Fogg　never　had　to　rough　it　like　this；〃　Paul　said　with　a　frown。　〃Aw　hell；　I'll　take　blue　berry。〃
　
　She　handed　him　a　bar　and　a　bottle　of　warm　mineral　water。　〃That　was　quite　a　night。〃
　
　〃Yes；　I　would　say　that　having　a　brush　with　ruthless　bio　pirates；　witnessing　a　cold…blooded　murder；　and　escaping　from　savage　Indians　would　certainly　qualify　as　quite　a　night。〃
　
　〃We　owe　our　lives　to　Tessa。　I　wonder　how　she　got　hooked　up　with　Dieter。〃　
　
　　〃She's　not　the　first　woman　to　show　poor　judgment　in　men。　If　you　had　married　a　lawyer　or　a　doctor　instead　of　a　fisherman's　son；　you　would　be　floating　in　your　backyard　pool　instead　of　being　up　here。〃
　
　〃How　boring。〃　Gamay　chewed　thoughtfully　on　her　breakfast　bar。　〃Any　idea　where　we　are；　Mr。　Fisherman's　Son？〃
　
　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　wish　my　dad　were　here。　He　learned　how　to　navigate　the　old…fashioned　way　before　we　started　to　depend　on　electronic　gear。〃
　
　〃What　about　the　pass？〃
　
　〃Not　much　use　unless　you've　got　landmarks　or　navigational　buoys　to　go　with　it。　That's　obviously　east。〃　He　pointed　to　the　sun。
　
　〃The　Dutchman's　settlement　was　south　and　west　of　Ramirez；〃　Gamay　said。　〃What　if　we　aimed　this　thing　north　east？〃
　
　Paul　scratched　his　head。　〃That　might　work　if　we　were　sure　we　were　still　at　the　exact　spot　where　we　climbed　into　this　rig。　There　was　a　breeze　last　night。　I　don't　know　how　far　it　could　have　pushed　us。　Could　make　a　big　difference；　and　we've　only　got　a　limited　amount　of　fuel　left　for　the　burners。　Any　decision　will　have　to　be　the　right　one。　The　engine　tanks　are　full；　but　it　won't　do　much　good　to　go　forward　if　we　lose　altitude。〃
　
　Gamay　gazed　over　the　ocean　of　green。　〃Sure　is　beautiful。〃
　
　〃Not　as　beautiful　as　three　eggs　over　easy　and　bacon　with　home　fries。〃
　
　She　handed　him　another　granola　bar。　〃Use　your　imagination。〃
　
　〃I　am。　I'm　trying　to　imagine　how　they　got　this　airship　into　the　forest。　They　could　have　flown　it　in；　but　that's　doubtful　be　cause　this　isn't　big　enough　to　carry　all　the　supplies　and　spare　fuel　it　would　need。　My　guess　is　they　launched　it　from　the　ground　not　far　from　where　we　found　it。〃
　
　〃Since　there　are　no　roads；〃　Gamay　said；　picking　up　the　thread　of　logic；　〃they　probably　came　in　by　water。　If　we　found　the　river　or　tributary　we　could　retrace　our　way　back　to　Dr。　Ramirez's　camp。　Perhaps　if　we　went　higher；　we'd　see　more　of　the　forest。〃　
　〃Brilliant；〃　he　said；　and　goosed　the　throttle　with　his　foot。
　
　The　burners　responded　with　a　throaty　whisper；　and　after　a　pause　the　aircraft　began　to　rise。　As　they　ascended；　the　heat　of　the　sun　was　beginning　to　burn　off　the　mist。　The　tree　canopy　began　to　appear　as　ragged　patches　of　green。　Reddish　flowers　grew　in　patches　on　the　treetops　like　coral　reefs。
　
　At　three　thousand　feet　Gamay　squinted　through　the　haze。　〃I　see　something　over　there。〃
　
　Paul　started　the　power　plant　and　turned　the　steering　wheel　that　controlled　the　cables　running　to　the　rudder　until　the　airship　came　slowly　about。　With　the　water…cooled　engine　purring　quietly；　the　airship　gained　speed　slowly　as　it　overcame　its　inertia；　and　before　long　the　propeller　was　kicking　them　along　at　ten　miles　per　hour。　Gamay　had　found　a　pair　of　binoculars　and　was　using　them　to　scope　out　where　they　were　going。
　
　〃Incredible；〃　she　said　as　the　mists　cleared。
　
　〃What　do　you　see？〃
　
　Gamay　was　silent　for　a　second。　〃The　Hand　of　God；〃　she　said　with　quiet　awe。
　
　Paul　hesitated。　He　hadn't　slept　much　and　was　slow　on　the　uptake。　〃The　Great　Falls　the　Dutchman　talked　about？〃
　
　Gamay　nodded。　〃Even　at　this　distance　it's　magnificent。〃
　
　Paul　tried　to　increase　their　speed。　He　sensed　something　peculiar　about　the　controls。　The　airship　seemed　to　be　dragging。　He　peered　down　and　saw　a　red　triangular　object　dangling　from　lines　attached　to　the　gondola。
　
　〃Hello；〃　he　said。　〃We've　got　pany。〃
　
　Gamay　lowered　the　binoculars　and　followed　Paul's　gaze。　〃It　looks　vaguely　like　a　life　raft。　Made　out　of　rubber　tubing　and　mesh　in　the　middle。　They　probably　used　it　to　drop　people　and　supplies　off　on　the　tree　canopy。〃
　
　〃Sounds　like　a　reasonable　explanation。　We'll　have　to　be　careful　it　doesn't　catch　in　the　treetops。〃　He　lifted　his　head　to　check　on　their　course。　What　he　saw　sent　chills　up　his　spine。
　
　They　were　approaching　a　high　headland　that　rose　from　the　forest　in　the　shape　of　a　giant　step。　A　river　coursed　from　the　forest　toward　the　precipice　of　the　plateau　where　rocky　formations　broke　the　flow　into　five　waterfalls。　With　the　sunlight　sparkling　off　the　white　water　the　streams　looked　like　gems　being　run　through　the　fingers　of　a　diamond　merchant。　The　falls　had　the　deceptive　slow…motion　look　that　water　has　when　it　plunges　from　a　great　height。　A　thick　cloud　of　foglike　condensation　rose　from　the　explosive　force　of　thousands　of　gallons　of　water　cascading　into　a　lake　directly　below　the　steep…sided　bluff。
　
　Paul　said；　〃Those　falls　make　Niagara　look　like　a　herring~　brook。〃
　
　　'All　that　water　has　to　have　an　outlet。〃　Gamay　scanned　the　perimeter　of　the　lake。　〃Paul；　over　there！　I　can　see　the　river。　It's　flowing　out　of　the　lake。　All　we　have　to　do　is　follow　it。〃
　
　〃Not　unless　you　see　a　gas　station；　too；〃　Trout　said　with　a　glance　at　the　propane　fuel　gauge。　The　tank　was　practically　on　empty。　〃We're　about　to　drop　out　of　the　sky。〃
　
　〃We　can　still　move　forward。　Get　us　as　close　to　the　river　as　possible。　We'll　ditch　this　thing　and　use　the　raft。〃
　
　Trout　did　a　mental　rundown　of　a　water　splashdown。　The　gondola's　weight　would　pull　it　under　the　water。　Residual　air　in　the　envelope　might　keep　the　gondola　from　going　down　immediately；　but　the　hundreds　of　square　feet　of　fabric　would　pose　a　hazard；　trapping　them　in　its　folds。　They　should　both　be　clear　of　the　airship　before　it　hit　water　and　do　their　best　to　keep　the　raft　in　tact。　It　could　be　their　ticket　out　of　the　forest。
　
　Paul　quickly　outlined　his　analysis　and　plan。　〃I　think　we　should　cut　the　raft　loose　before　we　land。　Otherwise　we　could　lose　it。〃
　
　Gamay　took　another　look　over　the　side。　Nine　nylon　lines；　three　at　each　corner；　were　attached　to　the　dangling　raft。
　
　〃There's　a　Swiss　Army　knife　in　the　storage　box；〃　she　said。
　
　Paul　tested　the　sharpness　of　the　blade　with　his　thumb　and　tucked　the　knife　in　the　big　pocket　of　his　cargo　shorts。
　
　〃You　take　us　in；〃　he　said。　〃Get　us　as　low　to　the　water　as　you　can。　I'll　cut　the　raft　free。〃
　
　〃Then　I　bring　this　buggy　to　a　hover　and　we　abandon　ship　and　go　in　for　a　swim；〃　Gamay　said。　
　〃As　easy　as　one…two…three；〃　Paul　said　with　a　grin。
　
　Gamay　took　over　the　steering　wheel　and　put　the　airship　into　a　slow　turn　away　from　the　falls。　Sunlight　streaming　through　the　mists　that　rose　off　the　lake　created　multiple　rainbows。　Gamay　hoped　it　was　a　good　sign。
　
　The　gondola　tilted　from　Paul's　weight　as　he　climbed　out　onto　the　right　side　of　the　framework。　He　looked　down　at　the　red　tri　angle　swinging　about　thirty　feet　below　and　made　his　way　to　the　rear　of　the　gondola　behind　the　tanks　and　burners。　He　sawed　away　at　the　lines　attached　to　the　rear　left　corner　of　the　raft；　then　continued　across　the　gondola's　framework　and　repeated　his　work。　Attached　to　the　gondola　only　by　its　nose　lines；　the　raft　bobbed　and　twisted　in　the　wind。
　
　Using　a　light　foot　on　the　burner　control；　Gamay　aimed　for　a　spot　near　the　river；　bringing　the　airship　down　in　a　long；　easy　glide。　She　was　starting　to　think　that　his　crazy　scheme　might　work。　Her　optimism　vanished　as　the　burner　went　ploof；　then　was　silent。　They　had　run　out　of　fuel　at　an　altitude　of　a　thousand　feet。
　
　There　was　no　immediate　change　in　the　airship's　behavior。　The　heated　air　maintained　the　envelope's　streamlined　shape；　and　the　propeller　kept　the　craft　at　a　shallow　angle。　The　airship　continued　on　its　heading。　At　five　hundred　feet　altitude　the　situation　began　to　e　apart　at　the　seams。　As　the　air　cooled；　lift　was　lost；　and　the　angle　of　descent　became　steeper。　Pressure　inside　the　envelope　diminished　as　well；　and　the　front　end　developed　a　dent。　The　airship　assumed　the　shape　of　a　rotten　tomato　and　swung　to　the　left。
　
　Paul　was　working　a　few　feet　directly　in　front　of　Gamay。　He　had　severed　two　lines　and　was　about　to　work　on　the　thi