Hungry as the Sea Read Online Free PDF Page A

GMT.
YOU ARE CLEARED TO ISSUE SIGNIFY. BREAK. BREAK. BREAK.
YOU ARE EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN TO CONTRACT TOW OR SALVAGE WITHOUT REFERENCE CHRISTY MARINE. ACKNOWLEDGE.
    Duncan was not even putting in the old chestnut, except in the event of danger to human life. The reason was too apparent. Christy Marine underwrote most of its own bottoms through another of its subsidiaries. The London and European insurance and Finance Company, The self-insurance scheme had been the brain-child of Alexander Duncan himself when first he arrived at Christy marine. Nick Berg had opposed the scheme bitterly, and now he might live to see his reasoning being justified.
    “Are we going to signify?” David Allen asked quietly.
    “Radio silence!” snapped Nick irritably, and began to pace the bridge, the crack of his heels muted by the cork coating on the deck.
    “Is this my wave?” Nick demanded of himself, applying the old rule he had set for himself long ago, the rule of deliberate thought first, action after. The Golden Adventurer was drifting in the ice-fields two thousand and more miles south of Cape Town, five days and nights of hard running for the Warlock . If he made the go decision, by the time he reached her, she might have effected repairs and restarted, she might be under her own command again. Again, even if she was still helpless, Warlock might reach her to find another salvage tug had beaten her to the scene. So now it was time to call the roll.
    He stopped his pacing at the door to the radio room and spoke quietly to the Trog. “Open the telex line and send to Bach Wackie in Bermuda - quote call the roll unquote.”
    As he turned away, Nick was satisfied with his own forethought in installing the satellite telex system which enabled him to communicate with his agent in Bermuda, or with any other selected telex station, without his message being broadcast over the open frequencies and monitored by a competitor or any other interested party. His signals were bounced through the high stratosphere where they could not be intercepted.
    While he waited, Nicholas worried. The decision to go would mean abandoning the Esso oil-rig tow. The tow fee had been a vital consideration in his cash flow situation. Two hundred and twenty thousand sterling, without which he could not meet the quarterly interest payment due in sixty days time - unless, unless … He juggled figures in his head, but the magnitude of the risk involved was growing momentarily more apparent - and the figures did not add up. He needed the Esso tow. God, how badly he needed it!
    “Bach Wackie are replying,” called the Trog above the chatter of the telex receiver, and Nick spun on his heel.
    He had appointed Bach Wackie as the agents for Ocean Salvage because of their proven record of quick and aggressive efficiency. He glanced at his Rolex Oyster and calculated that it was about two o’clock in the morning local time in Bermuda, and yet his request for information on the disposition of all his major competitors was now being answered within minutes of receipt.
FOR MASTER WARLOCK FROM BACH WACKIE LATEST REPORTED POSITIONS. JOHN ROSS DRY DOCK DURBAN. WOLTEMA WOLTERAAD ESSO TOW TORRES STRAITS TO ALASKA SHELF
    That took care of the two giant Safmarine tugs; half of the top opposition was out of the race.
WITTEZEE SHELL EXPLORATION TOW GALVESTON TO NORTH SEA. GROOTEZEE LYING BREST
    That was the two Dutchmen out of it. The names and positions of the other big salvage tugs, each of them a direct and dire threat to Warlock , ran swiftly from the telex and Nicholas chewed his cheroot ragged as he watched, his eyes slitted against the spiralling blue smoke, feeling the relief rise in him as each report put another of his competitors in some distant waters, far beyond range of the stricken ship.
La Mouette.
    Nick’s hands balled into fists as the name sprang on to the white paper sheet,
LA MOUETTE DISCHARGED BRAZGAS TOW GOLFO SAN JORGE ON 14TH REPORTED ENROUTE BUENOS