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Pitt completed the circumference and dipped the craft toward the third and outermost island This one looked dark and evil, and it took surprisingly little iination to see that the peak was shaped in the likeness of an upturned face, much like that of the devil, with slitty eyes, small rock protrusions for horns and a sharp beard below s lips

"Now that's what I call repugnant," said Pitt "I wonder what naoes by"

"No individual naiven on the chart," Giordino replied

Athe helicopter on a parallel course with the wave-swept palisades and began circling the barren island Suddenly, Giordino stiffened and peered intently through the front windscreen "Do you see that?"

Pitt turned briefly froazed forward and down "I see no flotsam"

"Forget the water Look over the top of that high ridge dead ahead"

Pitt studied the strange rock formation that trailed from the main mass and led into the sea like a e?"

"That ain't no blob of snow," Giordino said firmly

Pitt suddenly realized what it was "I've got it now!" he said withexcitele with the top cut off The upper rim was black, and there was some sort of painted emblem on the side "A ship's funnel! And there's her radar ood call, pal"

"If it's Polar Queen, she must have struck the cliffs on the other side of that spur"

But that was an illusion When they flew over the natural seawall jutting into the sea it becaood five hundred meters from the island It was incredible, but there she ithout a scratch

"She's still clear!" Giordino shouted

"Not for long," Pitt said In an instant he took in the dire situation The Polar Queen was steae circles, her helm somehow jammed hard to starboard They had arrived less than thirtyher in collision with the sheer rocks, crushing her hull and sending everyone on board into deep, icy water

"There are bodies on her deck," said Giordino soberly

A few lay scattered about the bridge deck Several had fallen on the sundeck near the stern A Zodiac, still attached to the gangas dragged along through the swells, two bodies lying on its bottom That no one was alive was obvious by the fact they were all covered with a thin coating of snow and ice