He fumbled in his wallet and took out a twenty-dollar bill.

aWant to wait?a he said. aIall be coming back, but I may be some time. It rates another twenty.a aIall wait all night for that kind of dough,a the driver said eagerly.

He swung down a steep slope that led directly to the shed and pulled up.

aYouall find Kerr in that cabin down by the jetty,a he told English as he took the twenty-dollar bill.

English walked quickly down the path to the cabin at the sh.o.r.e end of the jetty and rapped on the door.

The door opened and a fat man in a turtleneck sweater and thick rubber boots looked at him enquiringly.

aYou Tom Kerr?a English asked.

aThatas right, mister. Come in.a English stepped into a warm, pleasant room. A girl sat before a bright fire nursing a baby. She looked at English and he saw her give a little start of recognition.

aI want a motorboat in a hurry,a he said to Kerr. aHow soon can you get one ready?a Kerr looked sharply at him.

aWhatas the trouble, Mr. English?a he asked.

English smiled crookedly.

aI wish my face wasnat so familiar,a he said. aI want to get to a yacht moored in Bay Creek.a aTake him there Tom,a the girl said sharply, aand donat ask questions. Canat you see Mr. English is in a hurry?a aIall take you there,a Kerr said. aGive me five minutes. You wait here. Iall get the boat now.a He grabbed up his oilskins and went out of the hut.

English wiped the rain off his face.

aDo you two know the police are looking for me?a he said. aI donat want to get you into trouble.a The girl smiled.

aWe mind our own business. Besides, Tom and I have had a lot of pleasure from your shows, Mr. English. And we watched the big fight on the television. Weare glad to do something for you.a English nodded.

aIave more friends than I thought,a he said, and came over to look at the baby. aYour first?a aYes, but thereall be more.a aWhen heas old enough, send him to me, and Iall give him a job,a English said.

The girl giggled.

aIt isnat a boy, itas a girl.a aSend her to me just the same. Iall fix her with something. Fine kid.a aIf you want any help, Mr. English, you can rely on Tom,a the girl said.

English smiled.

aThatas fine. I may need him.a The door opened and Kerr looked in.

aAll ready Mr. English. Want to borrow an oilskin?a English shook his head.

aThanks, no. I canat be wetter than I am now.a He looked over at Mrs. Kerr. aMy thanks to you. Donat forget, when she gets older Iall do something for her.a He went out into the rain to a powerful speedboat that bobbed up and down on the heavy swell. Kerr helped him into the boat, cast off, pushed forward the throttle and sent the boat shooting toward the mouth of the estuary.

aWe didnat talk terms,a English said, standing close to Kerr. aWould a hundred settle it?a Kerr nodded.

aAnything you say, Mr. English.a aThere may be some trouble on the yacht,a English went on. aA girl I know has been kidnapped, and I think sheas on board. Iall tackle it. You stay with the boat. Iall want you to take us back if sheas there.a aIf thereas going to be any rough stuff, count me in,a Kerr said, his face lighting up. aI used to be the MidWest heavyweight champion before I married, and I havenat had any action in years.a aYou have your wife and kid to think of,a English returned. aThese thugs donat fight with their fists.a Kerr reached for a belaying pin and flourished it.

aNor do I when Iave got one of these. Count me in, Mr. English.a aI guess I can use you if there are more than one of them.a They reached the mouth of the estuary, and in the distance they could see the lights of the yacht.

aPush her along,a English said impatiently.

Kerr advanced the throttle. The speedboat raced over the heavy swell, throwing a foaming wash behind as it cleaved through the water. English peered through the blinding spray, his eyes on the yacht. If Lois wasnat on board! he thought. If this was a wild goose chase!

Out of the shelter of the bay the wind whistled and the sea thundered.

English thought it was unlikely anyone on board would hear the approaching speedboat.

aCut down speed,a he said to Kerr, aand drift up to her. I donat want them to know weare coming.a aSure,a Kerr said, and throttled back.

The boat, moving on its own impetus, ran on toward the yacht and, in a few minutes, Kerr brought it alongside.

English caught hold of the glittering bra.s.s rail and steadied the boat while Kerr made it fast.

Then they swung aboard.

Above deck the yacht was deserted, but a light showed through two of the cabin portholes.

aIall go first,a English said under his breath. aYou keep out of sight. If thereas trouble, take them in the rear.a He moved softly to the companion hatch and paused to listen at the head of the companion stairway. Hearing nothing, he cautiously began to descend, and as he reached the bottom step, a cabin door toward the end of the pa.s.sage abruptly opened.

He crouched down, waiting, knowing he couldnat get along the pa.s.sage before he was seen, nor had he time to get up the stairway and out of sight. If whoever it was corning out of the cabin had a gun, he would be shot down before he could make a move.

Then he saw Lois.

She came out of the cabin, her face white, her eyes scared. Her white nylon blouse was ripped off her shoulder, and one stocking was down to her ankle.

aLois!a English said softly.

aOh, Nick!a she said, and ran toward him.

III.

Halfway down the staircase, Kerr stopped and gaped. He was expecting to run into a rough house, and the sight of English holding a girl in his arms stopped him short, as if he had run into a brick wall.

But English was oblivious to Kerras astonishment. He held Lois close to him, thankful to find her alive.

aAre you all right?a he asked anxiously. aYouare not hurt?a aIam all right. I - I thought it was Sherman coming back. Oh, Iam so glad to see you,a Lois said, pus.h.i.+ng away from him, embarra.s.sed. aIam sorry to have run into your arms like that, only I was scared.a aMy dear girl,a English began, then realized this was no time for idle talk. aIs there anyone else on board?a Lois s.h.i.+vered.

aThereas Penn. Heas in there. She pointed to another cabin. Iave been scared to go in there again. I hit him.a aYou hit him?a English said blankly. aWhat happened?a aHe attacked me. I got away from him, and hit him over the head with a bottle. I - I think I may have killed him.a He could see she was struggling not to cry, and he put his arm around her.

aItas all right,a he said. aIam going to get you out of here.a He looked over his shoulder at Kerr. aTake a look in there and see whatas happened.a Kerr pushed past them, opened the cabin door and went in. He came out after a minute or so, grinning.

aWell, you certainly did hit him, miss,a he said admiringly, abut heas all right. Heall probably have a cracked skull, but heas not going to croak.a Lois leaned against English.

aI was so frightened he would die,a she said, abut he was such a brute.a aCome on,a English said. aYouare going home.a aNo, wait,a she said, catching hold of his arm. aThis is important, Nick. Thereas something in the next cabin we must take with us.a aAll right. Just a moment.a English turned to Kerr. aThink you can get that thug into the boat? I want him.a aSure,a Kerr said. aLeave him to me.a English followed Lois into the cabin next to the one in which she had been kept prisoner.

aI found this, Nick,a she said, pointing to a square leather suitcase. aItas a tape recorder. The tape contains all kinds of conversations between Sherman and Penn, and something that clears you. Sherman talked to me. Penn must have set the machine going. Listen to this.a She opened the case and flicked down the switch. The two reels containing the metal tape began to revolve.

aMurder is an odd thing,a Shermanas voice said clearly out of the machine. aItas like a s...o...b..ll rolling down a hill. One murder leads to another. I wouldnat be in this jam if that cheap little chiseller hadn't tried to gyp me. I was a fool to have picked him to work for me. Before he came I had a good business. Now, if Iam not very careful, the bottom could drop out of it. Itas worth a quarter of a million a year to me, and Iam not giving that up without a fight. I killed Roy English in a moment of anger. It would have been simpler to have kicked him out.a They stood side by side, listening to the flat, metallic voice, and when it said, aI arranged that he should hear about his mistress and Harry Vince. I couldnat be sure he would kill them, so I did it for him.a English put his arm round Lois and hugged her.

aThatas it! That lets me out!a he said. aNow weave got him where we want him!a aLetas go now, Nick,a Lois said, switching off the machine. aI canat wait until weave given this to the police.a English was looking past her, a sudden puzzled expression in his eyes.

aI donat remember shutting the door, do you, Lois?a he said, and walked over to the door and turned the handle. He pulled, shook the door, and then stepped back. aThatas odd. Itas locked.a aOh, Nick!a Lois said, her eyes frightened. aYou donat think heas here?a aOf course not,a English said, and rattled the door handle. aHey Kerr! Open the door. Weare locked in!a aNick! Put your hand on the wall. It feels as if the engines have started up.a English put his hand on the wall. He could feel a faint vibration, and he nodded.

aYouare right. Maybe Kerras decided to take the yacht in.a aIt isnat Kerr - itas Sherman,a Lois said. aI know it is.a English went swiftly to the porthole and looked out. He was in time to see the speedboat drifting away into the darkness. Even as he caught a glimpse of it, it vanished from sight, wallowing in the heavy swell.

aHeas cut the boat adrift,a he said, turning to face her. aI think youare right. Sherman is on board.a He went over to the door and rattled the handle again.

The vibration was stronger now as if the engines were mounting to full speed, and when Lois looked through the porthole she could see the water foaming against the yachtas side as it forged ahead.

aHeas heading out to sea. What are we going to do, Nick?a English was examining the door.

aThe d.a.m.n thing opens inward. Thereas not much hope of smas.h.i.+ng the lock, but weave got to get out of here, Lois.a aThis table a" couldnat we use it as a battering ram?a aThatas an idea. Letas try. You take that side, and Iall take this.a Together they wrenched the table from its fastenings and carried it over to the door.

aNow, together.a They slammed the table against the door, drew back and slammed it again against the door. One of the door panels split.

aOnce again,a English said. aI think itas going to work.a They drew back and then ran at the door. The corner of the table smashed through the panel, making a gaping hole.

aFine,a English said. aI think I can tackle it now.a He kicked out the rest of the panel, leaned through the opening and found the key in the lock. He turned it and pushed open the door.

aNow look, Lois, you stay here,a he said, aor better still go into the next cabin and lock yourself in. Take the recorder with you. Whatever happens weare not going to lose that. Iam going to see whatas happening.a aNo, donat Nick. Donat leave me. If anything happened to you . . .a aIall be careful. Now get into the other cabin and wait for me.a He picked up the recorder and pushed her into the pa.s.sage. aIall be all right.a Before she could argue further, he handed her the recorder, and then went along the pa.s.sage to the companion stairway.

Lois stood in the doorway of the cabin and watched him, her face white and her eyes scared.

He went up the stairway slowly, his ears c.o.c.ked for the slightest sound, but all he could hear was the noise of the engines and the heavy thud of the sea against the yacht as she drove through the water.

When he was almost at the top of the stairway, he stopped, not sure if he had heard something. He listened, then went on, and very cautiously looked along the dark deck. He saw nothing to alarm him. The deck was deserted, and he looked toward the bridge, but that, too, was deserted, and his mouth set in a hard line.

He guessed Sherman must have lashed the wheel, and was hiding somewhere, waiting for him to show himself.

Then he saw a movement in the shadows ahead of him, and he quickly ducked down so he was no longer outlined against the white hatchway.

ah.e.l.lo English,a Sherman said from out of the shadows. aI can see you and Iam covering you with a gun.a English looked in the direction of the voice. He decided Sherman was too far away for a quick rush. He moved down a step so Sherman couldnat pick him off and waited.

aI thought you would walk into my trap sooner or later,a Sherman went on. aShe wouldnat believe youad come after her. I told her you would. I said you had the mentality of a cheap movie hero.a aWhere do you imagine youare going?a English asked. aEvery coast guard boat on the coast is on the lookout for you.a aThat, of course, is a stupid lie,a Sherman returned. aIn a few hours when Kerr recovers from the blow on the head I gave him, they might look for us, but by that time, it will be too late.a aDonat be too sure,a English said. aYou donat imagine you can get away in this yacht, do you?a Sherman laughed.

aNo, but itall be at the bottom of the sea by the time they come after us,a he said and came out of the shadows. He held an automatic in his hand, and it covered the companion hatch. aThatas where weare going, English. You and the girl and I - to the bottom of the sea.a aIs that necessary?a English asked. aSurely you donat want to join us.a aIam going to end it,a Sherman said. aIam sick of killing people. I shouldnat have killed Gloria. The janitor saw me leave. Of course I could have killed him, but I canat go on and on killing people. Iam sick of it! There seems no end to it. Well, Iam going to end it, and end you, too.a aAnd how do you propose to end it?a English asked, seeking information. He knew it was hopeless to attempt to close with Sherman. The distance between them was too great. He would be shot down long before he could reach him.

aIave set fire to the yacht,a Sherman said. aThere should be a pretty good blaze before long. Youall have the opportunity of either burning or drowning. Weare about twelve miles off sh.o.r.e now, and weare still going. Personally, I prefer to drown.a English had heard all he wanted to know now. He slid down the stairs and landed heavily in the pa.s.sage.

Lois had come along the pa.s.sage, and had heard what had been said. She looked at English, her face pale, but her eyes unafraid.

aHeas cracked,a English said. aHe says heas set fire to the yacht. Maybe heas lying, but if he isnat, we may have to swim for it. Can you swim, Lois?a She smiled.

aYes. You donat have to worry about me.a aBut I do worry about you.a He put his hand on her arm and looked down at her. aThis is the wrong time and place, my dear, but Iad better tell you now. Iam in love with you. I guess Iave been in love with you for years. It was only when I thought I was going to lose you, I realized it. Sorry, Lois, but there it is. Better late than never, I suppose. Having got that off my chest, letas get busy. There must be some lifebelts somewhere down here. Letas find them.a She gave him a quick, searching look before going into the cabin. A few minutesa search brought to light three lifebelts and a couple of oilskins.

aWeall wrap the recorder in the oilskins, and then put a lifebelt around it,a English said. aIam not losing it unless I have to.a aThere is a fire, Nick,a Lois said suddenly as she spread the oilskin out on the floor. I can smell smoke.

English stepped into the pa.s.sage. Smoke was drifting up through the floorboards, and when he touched the floor it felt hot. He returned to the cabin to help Lois tie the lifebelt around the recorder.

aWe canat get off the boat without going up on deck,a he said, helping her on with a lifebelt, aand heas guarding the head of the stairs. You wait here. Iall see what heas doing.a aBe careful, Nick.a He put his fingers under her chin and kissed her.

aYou bet, but weave got to get out of here.a A sudden gust of smoke whirled into the cabin, making them cough, and when he went into the narrow pa.s.sage, he found it full of smoke and the heat intense.

aCome on, Lois, we canat stay here.a She joined him, and they ran along the pa.s.sage to the stairway.

English hadnat yet put on his lifebelt. He didnat want Sherman to know they had lifebelts, and he put his belt on the stairs before he looked along the deck. A red glow came from the bridge, and the heat was now so violent English had to s.h.i.+eld his face as he peered through the smoke. He couldnat see anything, but he could hear the roar of the flames as they burned furiously, eating into the deck and slowly demolis.h.i.+ng the bridge house. Cautiously he went up the stairs and onto the deck. Still he could see no sign of Sherman.

aLois!a he called softly.

She joined him and he motioned her to keep down.

aI canat see him. Letas get out of here. Give me the recorder.a aYour lifebelt,a she said, thrusting the belt into his hands.

As he made to take it, he saw Sherman coming through the smoke. He dropped the belt, grabbed Lois by the arm and rushed her across the deck.

aIn you go,a he said, and lifting her, dropped her into the sea.

He ran back for the recorder and as he s.n.a.t.c.hed it up, Sherman saw him.

aDonat move!a he shouted.

English dodged to the right, reached the rail and tossed the recorder into the sea. As he put his hand on the rail to vault over, Sherman shot him.

English felt something hit him viciously in his side, sending a scorching pain through his body. He fell face down on the hot deck. The deck was so hot, his soaking clothes sizzled, and as he tried to push himself to his feet, his hands began to blister. He rolled over, frantically trying to get under the rail and into the sea. Sherman ran over to him, caught hold of one of his ankles and dragged him back.

aYouare not going to get away!a he cried wildly. aYouall roast here with me. How do you like it, English? How do you like your first taste of h.e.l.l?a English kicked out. The heel of his shoe crashed against Shermanas knee cap, bringing him down. Shermanas gun went off, and a slug ploughed a furrow in the deck near Englishas head.

English rolled on Sherman, pinning him flat on the deck. Snarling with pain and fury, Sherman tried to get his gun hand up, but English caught his wrist in both hands and pressed Shermanas hand down on the metal guard that ran the length of the yacht.

Sherman screamed as the almost red-hot metal burned into his flesh. Exerting all his great strength, English kept Shermanas hand down against the metal.

Sherman slammed his free fist into Englishas face, but English held on until Shermanas fingers opened in agony and the gun dropped into the sea. He let go of Shermanas wrist, tried to get to his feet, but the pain in his side was now so intense he blacked out for a moment. He came out of the faint, the hot deck scorching his back. Sherman was kneeling on him, his fingers digging into his throat. English caught hold of Shermanas thumbs and wrenched them back, breaking Shermanas hold. As Sherman groped for his throat again, English smashed his fist into Shermanas face, sending him sprawling on his back.

English grabbed hold of the rail and dragged himself to his feet. Before Sherman could reach him, English overbalanced and fell head first into the sea. The shock of the cold water revived him, and when he broke surface, he shook the water out of his eyes and turned on his back.

The yacht was blazing now like a torch, lighting up the sea. English kicked out to send himself away from the yacht and the intense heat.

aNick!a A hand closed over his shoulder. He turned his head. Lois was beside him, her other hand holding on to the recorder.

aOh, darling, are you hurt?a aItas all right,a English gasped. aItas nothing much. What happened to him?a aI think heas still on the yacht.a English reached out and put his arm over the recorder. With its help he kept his head above water. His legs hung like leaden weights, and if it hadnat been for the buoyancy of the recorder he would have sunk.

aKeep near me, Lois,a he said. aIam bleeding a little, and I donat feel too good.a aGet on your back,a she urged. aI can hold you. Keep a grip on that case.a As he turned on his back he saw Sherman, swimming strongly toward them. Shermanas eyes were gleaming, and his teeth showed in a vicious snarl.

aLook out!a English panted and pushed Lois away from him.

Shermanas hand caught hold of Englishas shoulder.

aWeall go down together!a he cried shrilly. aThis is the end for you, Englis.h.!.+a English struck out at him, but his strength was failing. He couldnat hold Sherman off, and he felt Shermanas fingers s.h.i.+ft from his shoulder to his throat. They went down together, Sherman locking his legs round Englishas body, his fingers digging into Englishas throat.