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Bell tackled the Gerht the man down But the ave hith to wrest free fro ship still had not left the shed nor reached the water’s edge The German stood up and ran full tilt at its cradle

Bell had no idea where his Browning had fallen His hat had disappeared and with it his derringer He pulled his knife from his boot, propped erect on one knee, and threith a smooth overhand motion The razor-sharp steel pieced the back of the German’s neck He stopped in his tracks and reached back as if to swat a fly Grievously wounded, he buckled at the knees Yet he staggered toward the ship, raising his bomb But Isaac Bell’s knife had cost hi for an instant, he re ti his head

The dynamite fell fro for it He caught it in both hands before the percussion cap hit the ground and drew it gently to his chest as the long red hull hurtled past

The ground shook The drag chains thundered San accelerated out of the shed into the sunlit water, trailing the acrid scent of burning tallow fired by friction and billowing the river into clouds of spray that the sunshine pierced with rainbows

WHILE EVERY EYE IN CAMDEN locked on the floating ship, Isaac Bell seized the dead German and stuffed him in the wheelbarrow The detective who had checked the saboteur’s pass ca up, trailed by others Bell said, “Get this ue before anyone sees him Shipbuilders are superstitious We don’t want to spoil their party”

While they covered the body with scrap wood, Bell found his gun and put his hat on his head A detective handed him his knife, which he sheathed in his boot “I’irl to the luncheon How do I look?”

“Like somebody ironed your suit with a shovel”

They took out handkerchiefs and brushed his coat and trousers “You ever consider wearing a darker outfit for days like this?”

Marion took one look when Bell entered the pavilion and asked in a low voice, “Are you all right?”

“Tip-top”

“You ”

“Not entirely,” said Bell “How did you get along with Yamamoto Kenta?”

“Mr Yaan, “is a phony”

25

I LAID A TRAP, AND HE WALKED RIGHT INTO IT-ISAAC! HE did not know about Ashiyuki Utamaro’s Exile Scrolls”