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¨They ought to have heard it downwind。〃
¨They should have。〃
¨So now？〃
¨You get out to the ship and send Ara back for Henry and me。 They might still be back。〃
¨What about Peters？ We can take him。〃
¨Take him now。〃
¨Tommy； youˇre parapeted up on the wrong side；〃 Willie said。 ¨Weˇve both been wrong and Iˇm not offering any advice。〃
¨I know it。 Iˇm going down in the afterhatch as soon as Ara loads Peters。〃
¨He better load him by himself；〃 Willie said。 ¨They could see silhouettes。 But they couldnˇt make out an object flat on the deck without glasses。〃
Thomas Hudson explained to Ara and Ara climbed up and handled Peters quite easily and impersonally but he knotted the cloth behind his head。 He was neither tender nor rough and all he said as he lifted him and slid him head first into the dinghy was； ¨He is very rigid。〃
¨Thatˇs why they call them stiffs；〃 Willie said。 ¨Didnˇt you ever hear？〃
¨Yes；〃 Ara said。 ¨We call them fiambres which means cold meats as in a restaurant when you can have fish or cold meats。 But I was thinking of Peters。 He was always so limber。〃
¨Iˇll get him right back； Tom。 Do you need anything？〃
¨Luck；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨Thank you for the recon； Willie。〃
¨Just the usual shit；〃 Willie said。
¨Have Gil put Merthiolate on the scratches。〃
¨Fuck the scratches；〃 Willie said。 ¨Iˇm going to run as a jungle man。〃
Thomas Hudson and Henry were looking out from the two hatches toward the broken and indented line of keys that lay between them and the long bay that formed the inland channel。 They spoke in a normal tone of voice since they knew the others could not be closer than those small green islands。
¨You watch；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨Iˇm going to throw that ammunition of theirs overboard and have another look around below。〃
Below he found several things he had not noticed before and he lifted the case of ammunition out onto the deck and pushed it over the side。 I suppose I should have scattered all the cartons； he thought。 But the hell with it。 He brought up the Schmeisser pistol and found it was not functioning。 He laid it down with his own stuff。
Iˇll let Ara break it down； he thought。 At least we know why they did not take it with them。 Do you suppose they left that wounded man behind just as a reception committee and pulled out？ Or do you suppose they made him comfortable and went off for a recon？ How much do you think they saw and how much do they know？
¨Donˇt you think we might have kept that ammo for evidence？〃 Henry asked。
¨Weˇre way past the evidence stage now。〃
¨But itˇs always good to have it。 You know how stuffy they are and theyˇll probably just evaluate the whole thing as doubtful。 Maybe ONI wonˇt even give it a doubtful。 Do you remember the last one； Tom？〃
¨Yes； I remember。〃
¨She went all the way up the mouth of the Mississippi and sheˇs still doubtful。〃
¨Thatˇs correct。〃
¨I think we might have kept the ammo。〃
¨Henry；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨Please take it easy。 The deads from the massacre are on the key。 We have Schmeisser bullets from them and from the dead Kraut。 We have another dead Kraut buried with the location in the log。 We have this turtle boat sunk and a dead Kraut in her bows。 We have two Schmeisser pistols。 One is nonfunctioning and the other is smashed by the frag。〃
¨A hurricane will come along and blow everything away and they will say the whole thing is doubtful。〃
¨All right；〃 said Thomas Hudson。 ¨Letˇs concede the whole thing is doubtful。 And Peters？〃
¨One of us probably shot him。〃
¨Sure。 Weˇll have to go through all that。〃
They heard the outboard and then saw Ara round the poult。 That dinghy rides as high in the bow as a canoe； Thomas Hudson thought。
¨Get your junk together； Henry；〃 he said。 ¨Weˇre going back to the ship。〃
¨Iˇm glad to stay aboard this thing if you want me to。〃
¨No。 I want you on the ship。〃
After Ara came alongside Thomas Hudson changed his mind。
¨Stay here； Henry； a little while and Iˇll send Ara for you。 If they come out； get a frag into the skiff if they come alongside。 Take this back hatch where you have lots of room。 Use your head。〃
¨Yes； Tom。 Thank you for letting me stay。〃
¨Iˇd stay and send you in。 But I have to talk things over with Antonio。〃
¨I understand。 Shouldnˇt I fire on them when they are alongside before I throw the frag？〃
¨If you want。 But keep your head down and then throw the frag in from the other hatch。 And hold it all you can。〃
He was lying in the lee scuppers passing his things to Ara。 Then he lowered himself over the side。
¨Is there too much water for you down there？〃 he asked Henry。
¨No； Tom。 Itˇs quite all right。〃
¨Donˇt get claustrophobia and keep a good lookout。 If they come in； let them get right alongside before you make your play。〃
¨Of course； Tom。〃
¨Think of it as a duck blind。〃
¨I donˇt have to； Tom。〃
Thomas Hudson was lying flat on the planking of the dinghy now。
¨Ara will be back as soon as you ought to come in。〃
¨Donˇt worry； Tom。 I can stay here all night if you like but Iˇd like Ara to bring out something to eat and a little rum perhaps and some more water。〃
¨Heˇll be back and pick you up and weˇll have a little rum on board。〃
Ara pulled the cord on the motor and they headed for the ship。 Thomas Hudson felt the frags along his legs and the weight of the ni？o across his chest。 He put his arms around it and cuddled it and Ara laughed and leaned down and said； ¨This is a bad life for good children。〃
XIX
THEY WERE ALL ON BOARD THE SHIP NOW and it was cool in late afternoon wind。 The flamingoes were gone from the flat although it was still uncovered。 The flat was gray in the afternoon light and there was a flock of willets working over it。 Beyond was the shallow water； the channels that could not be seen for the mud； and in the background were the keys。
Thomas Hudson was standing now on the flying bridge； leaning against a corner of it； and Antonio was talking to him。
¨We donˇt get a high tide until after eleven tonight；〃 Antonio said。 ¨This wind is emptying the water right out of the bay and the flats and I donˇt know what sort of depths we will have。〃
¨Will it float her or will we have to kedge off？〃
¨It will float her。 But we havenˇt any moon。〃
¨Thatˇs right。 Thatˇs why we have these big springs。〃
¨She only made last night；〃 Antonio said。 ¨Sheˇs new。 We didnˇt see her last night because of the squall。〃
¨Thatˇs right。〃
¨I sent George and Gil in to cut some brush to stake the channel so we can get out。 We can always sound it with the dinghy and get stakes on the points。〃
¨Look。 What Iˇd like to do when she floats is get in to where I can bring the searchlight and the 。50ˇs to bear on the turtle boat and put somebody on board to blink to us if they come out in the skiff。〃
¨That would be ideal； Tom。 But you canˇt get in there in the dark。 You could get in there with the searchlight and the dinghy sounding ahead of you and calling the soundings and staking。 But nobody would come