"Burial at sea 1961" - читать интересную книгу автора (Thompson Hunter S)

Laurenson looked up from the rope he was splicing. "We'll eat in town tonight," he said. "We want to try the lobster at Gianinni's."

Maier shook his head. "It's rotten - take my word for it." He lit a cigarette. "No sense in not eating here. Like I said, you're my guests for the next two weeks." He pointed the rope at Eble. "Bill, go below and show Anne how to work the stove."

No one moved for a moment, then Eble got up and started down the ladder. Anne followed obediently.

Almost an hour went by before she re-appeared. Her hair was mussed and her face was damp with sweat. "Ready," she said meekly.

"Hot damn!" Maier exclaimed. "Let's eat. Come on Laurenson. You look like you need it."

The table in the main cabin was neatly set with four plates of ground beef and string beans. Maier and Laurenson sat on one side of the table, with Anne and Eble on the other.

Nothing was said until the meal was over. "We'll take turns cleaning up the galley," Maier said. "Tonight the job falls to seaman Laurenson."

Eble went up on deck and Laurenson joined his wife in the kitchen. "Jesus," he muttered, "this may not be as much of a lark as I thought."

It was still dark when Maier woke them the next morning. "Let's get going," he snapped. "I want to clear this harbor before the sun comes up."

Maier announced the watches while Eble hoisted the jib. "You and Bill will be together," he said to Laurenson, "and me and Anne will take the other one. That way we'll have one experienced hand on deck all the time."

Laurenson was instantly awake. "How does this watch business work?" he said quickly.

Maier smiled, swacking the rope-whip against his palm. "I thought you were the big sailor, Laurenson. One watch handles the boat while the other sleeps. We'll be four on, four off. That means you'll work four hours, then sleep." He paused for an instant. "And you'd better damn well get your sleep, because you'll need it."

Laurenson felt a flutter of panic. He tried to catch Anne's eye, but she was looking down at the deck.

By the time the sun came up the Sebastian was in open water with the bow pointed north to Bermuda. The sea was smooth. Maier and Eble took turns at the helm. Anne made lunch and Laurenson did his best to grasp the basic elements of sailing.

At noon, Maier took a sun-sight with the sextant. "Get a good look at that land," he shouted, pointing to St. Cyr. on the horizon. "It's the last you'll see for a week."

In the afternoon Eble showed Laurenson how to steer a compass course. The day passed slowly and he was tired when Maier called him for the eight-to-midnight watch. "Come on Laurenson, hit the deck. Me and Anne have to get some sleep."

Laurenson steered for an hour, but found it difficult to concentrate. The cockpit was above Maier's cabin and he listened carefully for any sounds.

Maier appeared exactly at midnight and Laurenson went below to wake Anne. She was already up.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"Fine. Is anything wrong."

His next words were out of his mouth before he realized it. "Don't let him bother you," he whispered. "Call me if anything happens."

She smiled and kissed him lightly. "Don't worry. Nothing's going to happen." Then she flitted like a host through the cabin and up the hatch.

The wind was steady the next day and Maier put up the big Genoa to catch more wind. "We may hoist the spinnaker later on," he said. "Take advantage of every puff we can."

At noon he called for the sinnaker and sent Laurenson out on the bowsprint to haul in the jib. When the head of the sail fell into the water, Maier exploded. "You worthless bastard! Can't you do anything right?"

Laurenson gritted his teeth and said nothing. Later, when the watches changed, he found Anne alone in the cabin. "One of these days I'm going to punch that hairy little bastard in the face," he whispered.