cussler.blueandgold-第54节

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　　〃Mike's　a　good　boy；〃　Clarence　said。　〃He　and　his　wife　buy　me　stuff　so　I　won't　have　to　cook。　They　worry　that　I'm　lonely　since　my　wife　died。　I　like　visitors；　but　I　don't　want　to　bore　you　men。〃
　
　Austin　looked　around　the　room。　The　walls　were　decorated　with　primitive　harpoons　and　Eskimo　folk　art。　A　Norman　Rock　well　print　with　the　boy　sitting　in　the　dentist's　office　was　hung　in　congruously　next　to　a　fierce　walrus　mask。　There　were　family　pictures；　including　many　of　a　stout；　handsome　woman　who　could　have　been　the　old　man's　wife。　The　most　out…of…place　object　was　a　puter　tucked　in　the　corner。　Grandpa　Tinook　saw　Austin's　amused　gaze　and　said；　〃It's　amazing。　We've　got　the　satellite　so　the　kids　can　learn　about　the　rest　of　the　world。　I　can　talk　on　that　machine　with　anyone；　so　I'm　never　alone。〃
　
　Clarence　was　no　old　blubber…chewing　windbag；　Austin　deduced。　He　was　sorry　he　had　been　in　such　a　rush　to　avoid　meeting　him。　〃If　you　don't　mind；　we'd　very　much　like　to　hear　your　story；〃　he　said。
　
　Grandpa　Tinook　noisily　scooped　up　the　last　of　his　stew；　put　the　bowls　in　the　sink；　and　sat　down　again。　He　squinted　as　if　the　memory　were　hard　to　recall；　but　when　he　started　to　talk　it　was　clear　he　had　spun　this　tale　before。
　
　〃One　day　many　years　ago　I　was　out　hunting。　There　was　some　good　trout　and　salmon　fishing；　fox　to　trap；　and　herds　of　caribou。　I　always　got　something。　I　had　this　little　aluminum　skiff　and　a　fine　motor。　Got　me　around　pretty　good。　It　was　too　far　to　e　home　after　the　hunt；　so　I　used　to　stay　over　a　couple　of　nights　at　the　old　airfield。〃
　
　Austin　glanced　at　Zavala。　Alaska　is　dotted　with　airfields　hardly　worth　the　name。
　
　〃Where　was　this　airfield？〃　he　asked。
　
　〃Up　north　a　ways。　Left　over　from　the　Big　War。　They　used　to　ferry　planes　to　Russia　and　used　it　as　a　stopoff。　Blimps　there　used　to　look　for　subs。　Not　much　left。　There　was　a　hut　where　I　could　light　a　fire　and　keep　warm　and　dry。　I　could　store　game　and　smoke　it　there　'til　it　was　time　to　e　home。〃　
　
　　〃How　long　ago　was　that？'7
　
　　〃Oh；　fifty　years　ago　or　so。　My　memory　ain't　what　it　used　to　be。　I　remember　when　they　said　I　had　to　stop　going　there；　though。〃
　
　''171~y？〃
　
　The　old　man　nodded。　〃For　months　I　never　seen　anybody。　Then　one　day　two　men　e　by　in　a　plane　just　as　I'm　cooking　up　some　trout。　Hard…lookin'　white　men。　They　flash　their　badges；　say　they're　with　the　government　and　want　to　know　what　I'm　doing。　I　give　them　some　fish；　and　they're　a　lot　nicer。　They　say　there's　going　to　be　a　big　secret　at　the　base　and　I　can't　e　there　anymore。　But　they　will　buy　any　fresh　meat　and　fish　I　can　get　them。　One　of　them　gave　me　that　gun　you　saw　so　I　could　shoot　game。　I　took　them　lots　of　game　and　fish；　never　to　the　base；　though。　I'd　meet　them　halfway。〃
　
　〃Did　you　see　any　planes？〃

　
　〃Sure；　lots　ing　and　going。　Once　I　was　hunting　and　I　heard　one　that　sounded　like　a　hundred　rushing　rivers。　Big　as　this　whole　village　and　crazy　shape。〃
　
　〃What　kind　of　shape？〃
　
　He　went　to　the　wall　and　took　down　a　harpoon。　Touching　the　sharp　metal　point　with　his　finger；　he　said；　〃Something　like　this。〃
　
　Austin's　gaze　was　unwavering。　〃How　long　did　you　hunt　game　for　these　men？〃
　
　〃'Bout　six　months；　I　think。　One　day　they　showed　up；　said　they　didn't　need　any　more。　They　told　me　to　stay　away　from　the　airfield。　Didn't　want　me　to　step　on　a　mine。　Said　I　could　keep　the　rifle。　They　left　in　a　big　hurry。〃
　
　Zavala　said；　〃We've　been　looking　for　an　old　airfield　supposed　to　be　on　a　piece　of　land　that　looked　like　an　eagle's　nose；　but　we　can't　find　it。〃
　
　〃Oh；　sure；　this　place　used　to　be　like　that。　Things　have　changed　from　ice　and　wind。　In　the　summer　the　water　es　in　from　rivers　and　floods　the　land。　Doesn't　look　the　same　as　it　did　back　then。　You　got　a　map？〃
　
　Kurt　pulled　the　map　from　his　jacket　and　unfolded　it。　
　
　　Grandpa　Tinook's　thick　finger　came　down　on　a　section　of　coast　under　the　pencil　shading。　〃Right　here；〃　he　said。
　
　〃We　must　have　flown　right　over　it；〃　Zavala　said。
　
　〃Tell　me；〃　Austin　said；　〃those　men；　did　they　give　you　their　names？〃
　
　〃Sure；　Hewy　and　Dewy；　they　said。〃
　
　Zavala　chuckled。　〃I　suppose　Lewy　was　busy。〃
　
　The　old　man　shrugged。　〃I　read　Donald　Duck　when　I　shipped　out　on　merchant　ships　out　of　Anchorage。　They　figured　I　musta　ate　whale　blubber　all　my　life。　I　let　them　think　that。〃
　
　〃It　was　probably　a　good　thing　that　you　did。〃
　
　〃Like　I　said；　they　were　hard　men；　although　we　became　pretty　good　friends。　I　went　back　to　the　old　base　after　the　war。　I　think　they　just　said　that　about　the　mines　to　scare　me　off。　Felt　like　something　had　been　poisoned　and　left　to　rot。〃　He　paused　thoughtfully。　〃Maybe　you　can　tell　me。　One　thing　I　always　wondered。　What　was　the　big　secret？　We　weren't　fighting　the　Japanese。　The　war　was　over。〃
　
　〃Some　men　can't　live　without　war；〃　Austin　replied。　〃If　they　don't　have　one　they　find　another。〃
　
　〃Sounds　crazy　to　me；　but　what　do　I　know？　Well；　that　was　years　ago。　Why　do　you　men　want　to　go　to　that　old　place？〃
　
　For　once　Austin　was　at　a　loss　for　words。　He　could　have　said　how　important　it　was　to　find　an　odd　substance　named　anasazium　before　Gogstad　got　its　hands　on　it　and　made　worldwide　mischief。　But　he　suspected　his　real　reasons　were　more　visceral。　The　story　of　Buzz　Martin's　father　had　smoldered　in　him　and　offended　his　sense　of　right　and　wrong。
　
　The　best　answer　he　could　muster　was；　〃There　was　a　boy　once　who　went　to　his　father's　funeral；　only　his　father　wasn't　dead。〃
　
　The　old　man　nodded　solemnly　as　if　Austin　had　been　the　soul　of　clarity。
　
　Austin's　mind　was　already　racing　toward　the　task　ahead。　〃Thank　you　very　much　for　telling　us　your　story；〃　Kurt　said；　rising。　〃And　for　lunch；　too。〃
　
　〃Wait；〃　Clarence　said。　He　perused　the　wooden　figures　he'd　carved；　picked　out　two；　and　gave　one　to　each　of　the　NUMA　men。　〃Take　these。　The　bear　for　strength　and　the　wolf　for　cunning。〃
　Austin　and　Zavala　thanked　the　old　man　for　his　generosity。
　
　　〃Makes　me　feel　better　to　give　you　some　luck　after　telling　you　how　to　get　to　that　place。　You　go　back　to　that　old　base；　I　got　the　feeling　you're　going　to　need　it。〃
　
　Chapter　30
　The　Sun's　blinding　reflection　on　the　mirrored　surface　of　the　water　had　prevented　a　good　look　at　the　Eagle's　Beak　on　the　first　pass。　Only　a　thin；　ragged　crescent　of　tundra　could　be　seen；　part　of　an　inundated　coastal　plain　ex　tending　into　a　pear…shaped　bay。　Zavala　angled　the　plane　so　that　the　dark　outline　of　General　MacArthur's　nose　was　visible　under　the　translucent　covering　of　water。　Austin　gave　Zavala　the　thumbs　up。　This　is　it。　The　thumb　pointed　down。　Land。
　
　Zavala　brought　the　plane　around　in　a　low　sweep　and　flew　the　length　of　the　peninsula　at　an　altitude　of　about　two　hundred　feet。　The　crooked　finger　of　land　was　more　than　a　mile　long　and　less　than　half　as　wide。　Blackwater　marsh　had　encroached　on　its　borders　and　added　to　the　ravages　of　wind　and　ice　that　had　distorted　its　original　shape。
　
　〃See　how　close　you　can　get　us　to　those　moraines；〃　Austin　said；　pointing　to　the　low；　glacier…carved　mounds　that　began　where　the　peninsula　joined　the　mainland。
　
　Zavala　tapped　the　brim　of　his　NUMA　baseball　cap。　〃No　sweat。　This　baby　can　land　on　the　head　of　a　pin。　Stand　by　for　a　picture…perfect　landing。〃
　
　Austin　had　every　bit　of　confidence　in　his　partner's　flying　ability。　Zavala　had　logged　hundreds　of　hours　flying　every　conceivable　type　of　aircraft。　There　were　times；　though；　when　he　had　visions　of　Snoopy　pretending　his　doghouse　was　a　World　War　I　Sopwith　Camel。　He　pushed　the　thought　out　of　his　mind　as　Zavala　circled　the　strip　again；　dropped　into　a　long　glide；　and　reduced　speed　until　the　plane's　floats　skimmed　the　shallow　water。
　
　The　plane　was　about　to　set　down　smoothly　when　they　heard　a　loud　thump　under　their　feet　followed　by　the　tortured　sound　of　metal　tearing。　The　plane　snapped　around　like　an　amusement　park　ride。　The　two　men　were　flung　against　their　seatbelts　like　rag　dolls。　The　spinning　plane　came　to　rest　at　a　drunken　angle。　Zavala　had　the　wind　knocked　out　of　him　but　managed　to　kill　the　engine。
　
　As　the　propeller　spun　to　a　stop　Austin　felt　his　head　to　make　sure　it　was　still　attached　to　his　shoulders。　〃If　that　was　picture　perfect；　I'd　hate　to　see　a　rough　landing。　What　happened　to　the　head　of　a　pin？〃
　
　Zavala　adjusted　his　baseball　cap　and　straightened　his　reflecting　sunglasses　on　his　nose。　〃Sorry；〃　he　said　with　uncharacteristic　humbleness。　〃They　must　be　making　pins　bigger　than　they　used　to。〃
　
　Austin　shook　his　head　and　suggested　they　inspect　the　dam　age。　They　climbed　out　onto　the　pontoons　to　be　met　by　the　local　weling　mittee。　A　cloud　of　condor…sized　Alaskan　mosquitoes　thirsting　for　human　blood　drove　them　back　into　the　cockpit。　After　liberally　dousing　themselves　with　Cutter's　industrial…strength　bug　repellent；　they　ventured　out　again。　They　stepped　off　the　plane　into　about　two　feet　of　water　and　examined　the　twisted　metal　around　the　right…hand　float。
　
　〃We'll　have　some　'splaining　to　do　at　the　plane　rental　place；　but　we'll　be　able　to　take　off；〃　Zavala　said。　He　sloshed　back　along　their　landing　path。　Moments　later　he　bent　over　and　said；　〃Hey；　check　this　out。〃
　
　Austin　came　over　and　examined　a　metal　post　covered　by　a　few　inches　of　water。　Met