cc.vixen03-第8部分

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　Steiger　gave　a　wide　grin。　〃The　fact　of　the　matter　is；　I　wasn't　about　to　let　the　price　of　a　stamp　cheat　me　out　of　a　prospecting　trip。〃
　〃A　prospecting　trip？〃
　〃I'm　killing　two　birds　with　the　same　stone；　so　to　speak。　One；　I'm　scheduled　to　speak　next　week　at　Chanute　Air　Force　Base；　in　Illinois；　on　aircraft　safety。　Two；　you're　sitting　in　the　heart　of　Colorado　mining　country；　and　since　I　have　a　raving　fetish　for　prospecting；　I　took　the　liberty　of　stopping　over　in　hopes　of　getting　in　a　little　gold　panning　before　continuing　on　to　my　lecture。〃
　〃You're　more　than　wele　to　bunk　with　me。　I'm　baching　it　at　the　moment　anyway。〃
　〃Mr。　Pitt；　I　accept　your　hospitality。〃
　〃Did　you　bring　any　luggage？〃
　〃Outside；　in　a　rented　car。〃
　〃Bring　it　in　and　I'll　fix　some　coffee。〃　Then；　as　an　afterthought；　〃Would　you　like　some　supper？〃
　〃Thanks；　but　I　had　a　bite　with　Harvey　Dolan　before　I　drove　up。〃
　〃You　saw　the　nose　gear；　then。〃
　Steiger　nodded　and　produced　an　old　leather　briefcase。　He　unzipped　the　sides　and　passed　Pitt　a　stapled　folder。　〃The　status　report　on　Air　Force　Boeing　C…ninety…seven；　number　75403；　manded　by　a　Major　Vylander。　You　might　as　well　go　over　it　while　I　unpack。　If　you　have　any　questions；　just　holler。〃
　After　Steiger　was　settled　in　a　spare　bedroom；　he　joined　Pitt　at　the　table。　〃Does　that　resolve　your　curiosity？〃
　Pitt　looked　up　over　the　folder。　〃This　report　states　that　03　vanished　over　the　Pacific　during　a　routine　flight　between　California　and　Hawaii　during　January　of　1954。〃
　〃That's　what　Air　Force　records　show。〃
　〃How　do　you　explain　the　presence　of　the　nose　gear　here　in　Colorado？〃
　〃No　great　mystery。　Sometime　during　the　aircraft's　service　life　the　gear　assembly　was　probably　replaced　with　a　new　one。　It's　not　an　unmon　occurrence。　The　mechanics　found　a　flaw　in　the　structure。　A　hard　landing　cracked　the　strut。　Perhaps　it　was　damaged　while　being　towed。　There　are　a　dozen　different　reasons　that　would　require　a　replacement。〃　〃Do　the　maintenance　records　show　a　replacement？〃
　〃No；　they　do　not。〃
　〃Isn't　that　a　bit　peculiar？〃
　〃Irregular；　maybe；　but　not　peculiar。　Air　Force　maintenance　personnel　are　noted　for　their　skill　at　mechanical　repair；　not　for　administrative　bookkeeping。〃
　〃This　also　states　that　no　traces　of　the　aircraft　or　its　crew　ever　turned　　up〃
　〃I'll　concede　a　puzzler　on　that　score。　The　records　indicate　the　search　was　an　extensive　one；　much　larger　than　the　normal　air…sea　rescue　proce…dures　called　for　by　the　book。　And　yet；　bined　units　of　the　Air　Force　and　Navy　drew　a　big　fat　zero。〃　Steiger　nodded　thanks　as　Pitt　handed　him　a　steaming　cup　of　coffee。　〃However；　these　things　happen。　Our　files　are　crammed　with　aircraft　that　have　flown　into　oblivion。〃
　〃　'Flown　into　oblivion。'　That's　very　poetic。〃　There　was　no　concealing　the　cynicism　in　Pitt's　voice。
　Steiger　ignored　the　tone　and　sipped　at　his　coffee。　〃To　an　air…safety　investigator；　every　unsolved　crash　is　a　thorn　in　the　flesh。　We're　like　doctors　who　occasionally　lose　a　patient　on　the　operating　table。　The　ones　that　get　away　keep　us　awake　nights。〃
　〃And　03？〃　asked　Pitt　evenly。　〃Does　that　one　keep　you　awake？〃
　〃You're　asking　me　about　an　accident　that　occurred　when　I　was　four　years　old。　I　can't　relate　to　it。　As　far　as　I'm　concerned；　Mr。　Pitt；　and　as　far　as　the　Air　Force　is　concerned；　the　disappearance　of　03　is　a　closed　book。　She's　lying　on　the　bottom　of　the　sea　for　all　eternity　and　the　secret　behind　the　tragedy　lies　with　her。〃
　Pitt　looked　at　Steiger　for　a　moment；　then　refilled　the　man's　coffee　cup。　〃You're　wrong；　Colonel　Steiger；　dead　wrong。　There　is　an　answer　and　it's　not　three　thousand　miles　from　here。〃
　After　breakfast　Pitt　and　Steiger　went　their　separate　ways…Pitt　to　probe　a　deep　ravine　that　had　been　too　narrow　for　the　helicopter　to　enter；　Steiger　to　find　a　stream　in　which　to　pan　gold。　The　weather　was　crisp。　A　few　soft　clouds　hovered　over　the　mountaintops　and　the　temperature　stood　in　the　low　sixties。
　It　was　past　noon　when　Pitt　climbed　out　of　the　ravine　and　headed　back　toward　the　cabin。　He　took　a　faintly　marked　trail　that　meandered　through　the　trees　and　came　out　on　the　shore　of　Table　Lake。　A　mile　along　the　waterline　he　met　a　stream　that　emptied　out　of　the　lake；　and　he　followed　it　until　he　ran　into　Steiger。
　The　colonel　was　contentedly　sitting　on　a　flat　rock　in　the　middle　of　the　current；　swishing　a　large　metal　pan　around　in　the　water。
　〃Any　luck？〃　Pitt　yelled。
　Steiger　turned　around；　waved；　and　began　wading　toward　the　bank。　〃I　won't　be　making　any　deposits　at　Fort　Knox。　I'll　be　lucky　if　I　can　scrounge　half　a　gram。〃　He　gave　Pitt　a　friendly　but　skeptical　look。　〃How　about　you？　Find　what　you　were　looking　for？〃
　〃A　wasted　trip；〃　Pitt　replied。　〃But　an　invigorating　hike。〃
　Steiger　offered　him　a　cigarette。　Pitt　declined。
　〃You　know；〃　Steiger　said；　lighting　up；　〃you're　a　classic　study　of　a　stubborn　man。〃
　〃So　I've　been　told；〃　Pitt　said；　and　laughed。
　Steiger　sat　down　and　inhaled　deeply　and　let　the　smoke　trickle　between　his　lips　as　he　spoke。　〃Now；　take　me：　I'm　a　bona　fide　quitter；　but　only　on　the　matters　that　don't　really　count；〃　he　said。　〃Crossword　puzzles；　dull　books；　household　projects；　hooked　rugs…I　never　finish　any　of　them。　I　figure；　without　all　that　mental　stress；　I'll　live　ten　years　longer。〃
　〃A　pity　you　can't　quit　smoking。〃
　〃louche；〃　Steiger　said。
　Just　then　two　teenagers；　a　boy　and　a　girl；　wearing　down　vests　and　standing　on　a　makeshift　raft；　rounded　a　bend　in　the　stream　and　drifted　past。　They　were　laughing　with　adolescent　abandon；　totally　oblivious　of　the　men　on　the　bank。　Pitt　and　Steiger　watched　them　in　silence　until　they　disappeared　downstream。
　〃Now；　there　is　the　life；〃　said　Steiger。　〃I　used　to　go　rafting　down　the　Sacramento　River　when　I　was　a　kid。　Did　you　ever　try　it？〃
　Pitt　did　not　hear　the　question。　He　stood　gazing　intently　at　the　spot　where　the　boy　and　the　girl　became　lost　to　view。　His　facial　expression　transformed　from　deep　thoughtfulness　to　sudden　enlightenment。
　〃What's　with　you？〃　Steiger　asked。　〃You　look　as　though　you've　seen　God。〃
　〃It　was　socking　me　in　the　face　all　this　time　and　I　ignored　it；〃　Pitt　murmured。
　〃Ignored　what？〃
　〃It　just　goes　to　prove　the　toughest　problems　fall　by　the　simplest　solutions。〃
　〃You　haven't　answered　my　question。〃
　〃The　oxygen　tank　and　the　nose　gear；〃　Pitt　said。　〃I　know　where　they　came　from。〃
　Steiger　only　looked　at　Pitt；　his　eyes　clouded　with　skepticism。
　〃What　I'm　getting　at；〃　Pitt　continued；　〃is　that　we've　been　overlooking　the　one　quality　they　share。〃
　〃I　fail　to　see　the　connection；〃　said　Steiger。　〃When　installed　in　the　aircraft；　they　work　under　two　entirely　different　flow　systems；　one　gas　and　the　other　hydraulic。〃
　〃Yes；　but　take　them　off　the　aircraft　and　they　both　have　one　charac…teristic　in　mon。〃
　〃Which　is？〃
　Pitt　gazed　at　Steiger　and　smiled　and　smiled。　Then　he　spoke　the　magic　words。
　〃They　float。〃
　
　8
　
　Alongside　most　sleek　executive　jets；　the　Catlin　M…200　came　off　like　a　flying　toad。　Also　slower　in　flight；　it　had　one　redeeming　quality　that　was　unmatched　by　any　other　airplane　its　size：　the　Catlin　was　designed　to　land　and　take　off　in　impossible　places　with　cargo　loads　twice　its　own　weight。
　The　sun　gleamed　on　the　aquamarine　color　scheme　adorning　the　plane's　fuselage　as　the　pilot　expertly　banked　the　craft　and　settled　it　onto　the　narrow　asphalt　strip　of　the　Lake　County　airport　outside　Leadville。　It　came　to　an　abrupt　halt　with　nearly　two　thousand　feet　to　spare　and　then　turned　and　taxied　toward　the　area　where　Pitt　and　Steiger　waited。　As　it　neared；　the　letters　NUMA　could　be　clearly　distinguished　on　the　side。　The　Catlin　rolled　to　a　stop；　the　engines　were　shut　down；　and　a　minute　later　the　pilot　climbed　down　and　approached　the　two　men。
　〃Thanks　a　lot；　buddy；〃　he　said；　and　grimaced　at　Pitt。
　〃For　what；　a　carefree　all…expenses…paid　vacation　in　the　Rockies？〃
　〃No；　for　prodding　me　out　of　the　sack　with　a　madcap　redhead　in　the　middle　of　the　night　to　assemble　a　cargo　and　fly　it　out　here　from　Washington。〃
　Pitt　turned　to　Steiger。　〃Colonel　Abe　Steiger；　may　I　present　Al　Giordino；　my　sometimes　able　assistant　and　always　chief　bellyacher；　of　the　National　Underwater　and　Marine　Agency。〃
　Giordino　and　Steiger　sized　each　other　up　like　two　professional　fighters。　Except　for　Steiger's　cleanly　shaved　head　and　Semitic　features；　and　Giordino's　mischievous　Italian　grin　and　curly　mop　of　black　hair；　they　could　have　passed　for　brothers。　They　were　built　exactly　alike：　same　height；　same　weight；　even　the　muscles　that　fought　to　escape　their　cloth…ing　seemed　poured　from　the　same　mold。　Giordino　extended　his　hand。
　〃Colonel；　I　hope　you　and　I　never　get　mad　at　each　other。〃
　〃The　feeling　is　mutual；〃　Steiger　said；　smiling　warmly。
　〃Did　you　bring　the　equipment　I　specified？〃　asked　Pitt。
　Giordino　nodded。　〃It　took　some　conniving。　If　the　admiral　finds　out　about　your　little　back…door　project；　he'll　throw　one　of　his　renowned　temper　tantrums。〃
　〃Admiral？〃　Steiger　queried。　〃I　don't　see　how　the　Navy　enters　into　this。〃
　〃They　don't；〃　Pitt　answered。　〃Admiral　James　Sandecker；　retired；　happens　to　be　Chief　Director　of　NUMA。　He　has　this　Scrooge　hangup：　he　frowns　on　clandestine　expenditures　by　the　hired　help　that　aren't　included　in　the　agency's　fiscal　budget。〃
　Steiger's　eyebrows　rose