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McGeen was the first man to vote for pursuit after Pitt crashlanded the helicopter in shalloater near Fort Jackson, waded ashore with Giordino and Hogan, and described the situation At first there was undisguised disbelief, but after seeing their wounds, the bullet-riddled aircraft, and th
en hearing a deputy sheriff describe the dead and injured FBi agents a few miles down river, McGeen stoked up his boilers, Belcheron rounded up his deck crew and fortyand hollering and dragging along two ancient field cannons
"Pour on the coal, boys," McGeen pressed his black gang He looked like the devil with his trilare of the open furnace doors "If we ot to have more steam"
The Stonewall Jackson thrashed after the towboat and barge, alency of her mission When new, her top speed was rated at fifteen miles an hour, but in the past forty years she was never called on to provide more than twelve" She thrust down river with the current at fourteen, then fifteensixteeneighteen miles an hour When she burst froh the water at twenty, sh the flared capitals atop her stacks
The iment-the dentists, pluht battles of the Civil War as a hobby-grunted and sweated in the nondescript woolen gray and butternut uniforms that once clothed the Army of the Confederate States of Ae cotton bales into place as breastworks The two Napoleon twelve-pounder cannon from Fort Jackson heeled into position on the bow, their sed froine-room supply locker
Pitt stared down at the growing fortress of wired bales Cotton against steel, he ainst automatic rifles
It was going to be an interesting fight
Lieutenant Grant tore his eyes fros and radioed the ship flying the British flag
"This is Air Force Weather Recon zero-four-zero calling oceanographic research vessel Do you'read?"
"Righto, Yank Hear you clearly," came back a cheery voice fresh off a cricket field "This is Her Majesty's Ship Pathfinder
What can we do for you, zero-four-zero?"
"A chopper went into the drink about three miles west of you
Can you effect a rescue of survivors, Pathfinder?"
"We bloody well better Can't allow the poor chaps to drown, can we?"
"I'll circle the crash sector, Pathfinder Home in on me"