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Drummer ambled over from the computers and checked off a series of notations on a clipboard "As near as we can figure, ninety per cent of the ship's compartments are unwatered," he said "The main problem, as I see it, is that we have more lift than the coives way, she'll come up like a kite"

"The Sea Slug just dropped her last charge," Curly reported

"Ask her toby the Deep Fathom before she starts for the surface," Pitt said, "and see if she can make visual contact with Merker and his crew"

"Eleven o," Giordino announced

"What in hell is keeping the Sappho II?" Sandecker asked no one in particular

Pitt looked across the rooes ready to fire?"

Spencer nodded "Each row is tuned to a different transmitter frequency All we have to do is turn a dial and they'll go off in their proper sequence"

"What do you bet we see first, the bow or the stern?"

"There's no contest The bow is buried twenty feet deeper in the sedi free and then using its buoyant leverage to pull up the rest of the keel She should rise on very nearly the sareeable and rises at all"

"Last charge secured," droned Curly "Sappho II is etaway"

"Anything fro?"

"She reports no visual contact with Deep Fathom's crew"

"Okay, tell her to hightail it toward the surface," Pitt said "We fire the first row of charges in nine minutes"

"They're dead,"Dru "We're too late, they're all dead"

Pitt took two steps and gripped Dru we need is a prey"