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“It will have to be me,” said Giles, “as I’m the only other worm in the barrel” Dobbs looked suitably embarrassed “I’ll try and bu with you, chair out Let’s hope he’s a Democrat”

“Thank you, Giles,” said E her as chairman

“How e did the ship suffer in the explosion?” asked Peter Maynard, who hadn’t spoken until then

All eyes turned to the other end of the table, where Captain Turnbull was seated

“Not as inally feared,” said the captain as he rose froed by the blast, and I won’t be able to replace it until we return to Avone to the hull, but it’s fairly superficial”

“Will it slow us down?” asked Michael Carrick

“Not enough for anyone to notice we’re covering twenty-two knots rather than twenty-four The other three propellers re order and as I had always planned to arrive in New York in the early hours of the fourth, only the er would realize we’re a few hours behind schedule”

“I bet Representative Rankin will notice,” said Knowles unhelpfully “And how have you explained the dae to the crew?”

“I haven’t They’re not paid to ask questions”

“But what about the return journey to Avonmouth?” asked Dobbs “Can we hope to make it back on time?”

“Our engineers will be working flat out on the da the thirty-six hours we’re docked in New York, so by the time we sail, we should be shipshape and Bristol fashion”

“Good show,” said the admiral

“But that could be the least of our probleet we have an IRA cell on board, and heaven knohat else they have planned for the rest of the voyage”

“Three of them have already been arrested,” said the captain “They’ve been quite literally clapped in irons and will be handed over to the authorities the moment we arrive in New York”

“But isn’t it possible there could be more IRA men on board?” asked the admiral