White Cargo Read Online Free PDF Page A

waves. The sensation of speed was greatly increased at night, Cat reflected, especially on a dark night like this one.
    â€œNo thanks, Mr. Catledge,” Denny said in the darkness. “I’m happy to go all night, if that’s all right with you.”
    â€œI don’t believe in all-nighters,” Cat said. “No need to wear yourself out your first twenty-four hours at sea by pulling two watches. Save your strength; you might need it later.” He slid behind the wheel and took it from the younger man. “Besides, this is my favorite watch, midnight to four. I’m too stingy to let you have it.”
    â€œWell, if you insist,” Denny replied, rising reluctantly from the helmsman’s seat.
    â€œI insist,” Cat laughed.
    Denny climbed onto the deck from the cockpit. “I’ll just have a look forward, make sure everything’s shipshape.”
    â€œGood idea,” Cat said, tossing him a safety harness from a cockpit locker and retrieving one for himself. “Ship’s law is nobody goes on deck at night without a harness. I’d prefer it if you wore one even at the helm. It’s a nuisance to have to come about and recover bodies from the sea.”
    Denny got into the harness, clipped onto a jackstay, and worked his way forward. He spent a good ten minutes there, most of it behind the headsail, where he couldn’t be seen. Just enjoying the night, Cat thought.
    When Denny had gone below, Cat experienced a tiny moment of regret. It seemed, with the warm Caribbean breeze blowing across his face, that he had reached some sort of peak, that things couldn’t get better than this, so they would have to get worse. Then, he remembered that, after the Panama Canal, the South Pacific lay before them, that there would be many more nights as lovely, many more days of tropical sunshine with his wife and daughter as crew and friends. He passed his watch in a haze of bliss.
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    At a quarter to four the galley light went on, and Cat knew that Katie was awake and brewing her tea. But shortly before four, Denny appeared in the companionway, holding a mug. “I was awake,” he said, “so I thought I’d let Mrs. Catledge sleep. I’d like the watch, if that’s okay.”
    Cat shrugged. “If you’re sure you don’t need the rest.” He slid from behind the wheel and relinquished the helm.
    â€œI’d rather pull the watch,” Denny replied. “Sleep well.”
    Below, Cat got out of his harness, shucked off his jeans and T-shirt, and crawled into the double berth with Katie. She stirred as he snuggled close. “My watch?” she asked, sleepily.
    â€œDenny’s taking it,” Cat said, cupping a breast in his hand.
    â€œOh, good,” she said, turning toward him. “I get you in the middle of the night, for a change.”
    He kissed her, then they made love, gently, slowly, lying facing each other, coming quietly after a few minutes, together, as they usually did. Years of practice, Cat thought. Then he fell asleep.
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    A change in the motion of the yacht woke him. There was light against the curtains in the after cabin. Cat glanced at the gold-and-steel Rolex wristwatch Katie and Jinx had given him as a launching present: not quite 6 A.M . Why had the motion changed? Then the yacht, which had been heeled to port, rolled to starboard and seemed to settle. They were hove to; stopped. Then came a muffled, slithering sound and the thumps of footsteps on deck. The mainsail was coming down. Why? Had something broken? A halyard, maybe. The actions on deck seemed to fit that scenario. The main halyard had broken, and Denny had, quite properly, put the boat on the opposite tack, with the headsail backed while he got the mainsail in hand.
    Cat rolled out of the berth, naked, got into his jeans, and felt for his Topsiders with his feet. He