第52部分(第7/7 頁)

〃

Norman　jumped　for　the　air　vent；　blew　out　the　water。

〃How'd　you　get　her　in　so　fast；　Harry？〃

〃Nature's　way；〃　Harry　said；　〃to　get　people　through　tight　spaces。〃　And　before　Norman　could　ask　what　that　meant；　he　had　opened　the　hatch　and　saw　that　Harry　had　pushed　Beth　into　the　airlock　head　first。　He　grabbed　her　shoulders　and　eased　her　onto　the　floor　of　the　submarine；　then　slammed　the　＇＇357＇＇ hatch　shut。　Moments　later；　he　heard　the　blast　of　air　as　Harry；　too；　vented　the　airlock。

The　submarine　hatch　clanged。　Harry　came　forward。　〃Christ；　one　minute　forty；〃　Harry　said。　〃Do　you　know　how　to　work　this　thing？〃

〃Yes。〃

Norman　sat　in　the　seat；　placed　his　hands　on　the　controls。　They　heard　the　whine　of　the　props；　felt　the　rumble。　The　sub　lurched；　moved　off　the　bottom。

〃One　minute　thirty　seconds。　How　long　did　you　say　to　the　surface？〃

〃Two　thirty；〃　Norman　said；　cranking　up　the　ascent　rate。　He　pushed　it　past　6。6；　to　the　far　end　of　the　dial。

They　heard　a　high…pitched　shriek　of　air　as　the　ballast　tanks　blew。　The　sub　nosed　up　sharply；　began　to　rise　swiftly。

〃Is　this　as　fast　as　it　goes？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Jesus。〃

〃Take　it　easy；　Harry。〃

Looking　back　down；　they　could　see　the　habitat　with　its　lights。　And　then　the　long　lines　of　explosives　set　over　the　spaceship　itself。　They　rose　past　the　high　fin