participants of future interplanetary flight and to sail in Silent
ocean.
– Around water. Defenseless, unarmed, we stand in full view of all… —
lady Hinton continued the complaints. Stormer was bothered, probably, by it
grumbling.
– You begin to hallucinate? – almost he shouted at the old woman. —
Whom do you see? Who has us on a look? Who looks at us? The ocean is desert,
as in the first days of creation. And who will look for us now? Believe,
nobody does not care about us. Ocean not of Oxford Street, not Piccadilly. In the ocean
there are roads and the solitudes. We are in the center
the triangle which is formed crossing of big ocean ways: from
Yokohama and Valparaiso – Japan, South America; from Wellington – New
Zealand to Panama and from Panama along coast of South America to Magellanic
to the passage. More than one thousand kilometers separate us from west banks Southern
America. Here any ship does not come, unless a cyclone a sailing vessel
will bring. But sailing vessels to us are not terrible. Ocean steamships all are equipped
radio stations. They notify on themselves, we have a radio direction finder.
From a special mast tower watchmen sharp-sightedly watch the horizon. Ours
vessel one of the most high-speed. And we could not get away unless only
from warships. And, at last, we have hydroplanes. All valuable freight
long ago it is stored in the Andes.
Lady Hinton became angry about the fact that Stormer-city was called not her
name. Not to irritate the old lady, Stormer at her presence
called Stormer-city descriptively: “the city in mountains”, “the city where is under construction
rocket”.
– In case of extreme danger we can always depart there.
– But why don’t we make it now – not to depart to this yours
Stormer-city? – lady Hinton asked.
– Because there yet the hotel is not built. You to live in a working barrack
you will not be. Yes here, believe, and more safely. Here we can
to maneuver. If not yours, – Stormer wanted to tell “whims”, but
restrained, – not your indispositions, we would go down in more southern latitudes,
there we would be already in the absolute safety. There we would be “on
to look” at one penguins. And if to cover us in Stormer-city before
the rocket will be ready, we died. It is possible to run only by air from there.
But also there will be no place to run.
– My God! My God, my God! – tragicly lady Hinton exclaimed.
– Why you so nakazut us?
– Smoke on the horizon! – lingeringly the watchman from a tower shouted.
– Where? Where? – the turned pale bishop and too hasty shouted for
the dignity walked to a board, taking out on the run from a case prismatic
field-glass.
– Second smoke., the third., whole squadron!. – the watchman proclaimed.
By the ship vanity rose. Sharply the team was distributed. Powerful recovered
cars, the vessel case began to tremble. It began to be developed on the left board,
accelerating the course.
On the deck Shnirer ran, swinging Kant’s volume.
– Amelie! What? And? Already?
Being unsteady, there was Ellen. From where the baron crept out. His jaw shivered.
He tried to tell something to Stormer:
– E-e-e…
That waved away from it, as from a fly. Stormer was also excited, but
kept better than others.
The ship turned on the South and went with speed limit.
– Well, solve horsepowers now, – Stormer murmured.
– Perhaps, we absolutely are also not pursued, – suggested
Ticker. – The whole world is at war. The Japanese and American fleet chases in the ocean
one after another.
Lady Hinton for the first time with gratitude looked at the doctor.
These words of calm worked on it better than drugs. Teker caught
the mercy look of lady Hinton also used it.
– I will go to visit the wife and the child. I will return soon, lady Hinton, —
he told.
– For us or not for us a pursuit, but we were found, and this harm, – not
Stormer was appeased. – The unknown squadron follows us close. If
it will not be possible to disappear before nightfall, put rubbish.
There came burdensome silence. It was heard only as cuts
stem an ocean smooth surface yes diesels gradually knock.
Hour passed after an hour. The sun was inclined to the horizon, distance
between motor ship and the pursuing squadron everything decreased.
– It is good still that they do not shoot! – Stormer told. All were too
are suppressed to keep up the conversation. The captain phoned,
that, by its calculations, before twilight the squadron will not manage to overtake
them. And, perhaps, for the first time for many years of lady Hinton it is passionate
wanted that time went rather.
Before
