alistairmaclean.icestationzebra-第42节

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inguisher　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　bad。　Hassard；　too；　took　a　turn　after　the　first　dayhe'd　been　more　or　less　blinded　on　the　night　of　the　fire。〃
　 〃You　remained　in　charge　throughout；　Dr。　Jolly？〃　I　asked。
　 〃Bless　my　soul；　no。　Captain　Folsom　was　in　a　pretty　shocked　condition　for　the　first　twenty…four　hours；　but　when　he'd　recovered　from　that；　he　took　over。　I'm　only　a　pillroller；　old　boy。　As　a　leader　of　men　and　a　dashing　man　of　actionwell；　no；　quite　frankly；　old　top；　I　don't　see　myself　in　that　light　at　all。〃
　 〃You　did　damned　well　all　the　same。〃　I　looked　around　at　the　pany。　〃That　most　of　you　won't　be　scarred　for　life　is　due　entirely　to　the　quick　and　highly　efficient　treatment　Dr。　Jolly　gave　you　under　almost　impossible　circumstances。　Well；　that's　all。　Must　be　a　pretty　painful　experience　for　all　of　you；　having　to　relive　that　night　again。　I　can't　see　that　we　can　ever　hope　to　find　out　how　the　fire　started；　just　one　of　those　chancein…a…million　accidents；　what　the　insurance　panies　call　an　act　of　God。　I'm　certain；　Hewson；　that　no　shadow　of　negligence　attaches　to　you　and　that　your　theory　on　the　outbreak　of　the　fire　is　probably　correct。　Anyway；　although　we've　paid　a　hellishly　high　cost；　we've　learned　a　lesson：　never　again　to　site　a　main　fuel　store　within　a　hundred　yards　of　the　camp。〃
　 The　meeting　broke　up。　Jolly　bustled　off　to　the　sick　bay；　not　quite　managing　to　conceal　his　relish　at　being　the　only　medical　officer　aboard　who　wasn't　〃hors　de　bat〃。　He　had　a　busy　couple　of　hours　ahead　of　him：　changing　bandages　on　burns；　checking　Benson；　X…raying　Zabrinski's　broken　ankle　and　resetting　the　plaster。
　 I　went　to　my　cabin；　unlocked　my　case；　took　out　a　small　wallet；　relocked　my　case；　and　went　to　Swanson's　cabin。　I　noticed　that　he　wasn't　smiling　quite　so　often　now　as　when　I'd　first　met　him　in　Scotland。　He　looked　up　as　I　came　in　in　answer　to　his　call　and　said　without　preamble；　〃If　those　two　men　still　out　in　the　camp　are　in　any　way　fit　to　be　moved；　I　Want　them　both　aboard　at　once。　The　sooner　we're　back　in　Scotland　and　have　some　law　in　on　this　the　happier　I'll　be。