[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] lights. I turned on my own, but could see only the single line, taut now, leading from the net which was now thoroughly tangled around me to a vague bulk just on the edge of visibility. The line, it may be remarked, was quite strong enough for what it had to do; we were descending much faster than my original ballast had carried me down. If the owners of that rope were prepared to trust it under such stress, I saw no point in doubting their judgment. I didn't even bother to hope it would break. I calculated that I'd be on the bottom in twenty minutes or so, and let it go at that. At least, I could eat now. I began to absorb a dextrose pill with such calmness as I could collect. There was nothing else to do; they had me. We were still several hundred feet from the bottom when company showed up. Two more subs, brightly lighted, hove into view. They were work machines similar to the one I'd had trouble with a few hours before. If they were in communication with the one which had me in tow, it was by means of something none of my instruments could pick up. They probably were, since their maneuvers were perfectly coordinated. First one and then the other newcomer swung close beside me, and each used its 'hands' to hang several hooked slugs of metal into my net. These weights took Page 25 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html nearly all the stress off the tow rope and removed any hope there might have been of its breaking at the last moment. Then a swimmer slipped out of each boat and took station beside me, saving themselves work by holding onto the net too. I flicked my lights on for a moment, but couldn't recognize either face. I began to wonder about the fellow I'd hit and what his friends might think about it if I'd hurt him really seriously. The human mind sometimes goes off on funny sidetracks; I never once, while I was being towed, thought about their reaction to my having discovered their obviously secret installation. If I had, I'd probably have told myself that if they really wanted to do anything final any of their subs could have cracked the tank with no trouble at all. Eventually the bottom came into view in the range of my own lights. It wasn't luminous this time. I thought at first that they must have turned their lights off; then I realized that the storm must have carried me some distance, and there was no reason to expect to be very near the tent. This was ordinary sea bottom complete with crab burrows; I could tell, because after reaching it the sub reeled in most of the tow line and left me only about twenty feet up. This gave me a good look at the boat itself, too, and I could see that it wasn't my former antagonist. For one thing, it was about twice as big. It wasn't very different in general design, though. There was still plenty of equipment on the outside - more, if anything. It was meant for work, not travel. Even without the drag of my tank it wouldn't have made very good speed over the bottom, but I could see that we were moving. I had no doubt we were heading either for the entrance I'd seen earlier or for some other one and kept looking ahead for its lights. As it turned out, we reached a different one. We were a couple of hours getting there, though that's an academic point since I didn't know where we'd started from anyway. This pit was smaller than the other, and the lighted tent roof was nowhere in sight when we reached it. This entrance was only about twenty-five feet across, much too small for the sub that was towing me and borderline for the other two. It was perfectly cylindrical, with vertical sides, and opened from the bottom of a shallow bowl just as the other had. It was very well lighted, so I had no trouble making out details. There were many ladders around the rim. At first they led down out of sight, but as I came closer I found I could see the bottom ends of those on the farther side of the opening. The pit was apparently a hole in the roof of a chamber something like forty feet deep. There were several more swimmers in and above the hole who seemed to be waiting for us. As we approached, they paddled out rather casually and gathered around the tank as the sub that was towing me settled to the bottom just beside the entrance. My tank drifted upward and slightly forward until the tow rope was vertical. One of the swimmers waved a signal, and an escort sub swung back in and hung another slug of ballast onto my net. That took the rest of the tension off the rope, and I began to sink. The swimmer signaled again, and the tow line came free of the big sub. Several men grabbed it; the rest took hold of the net, and they all began to work me toward the pit as I settled. This seemed to be the last lap. Unless they had the stupidity to leave me right under their hole in the roof, which would be too much to expect even in twentieth-century realistic literature, the most remote chance of my getting back without their consent and assistance would vanish once I was inside that entryway. I was nearly frantic. Don't ask me why I felt so scared at one time and so Page 26 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html calm and steady at another; I can't tell you. It's just the way I am, and if you don't like it you don't have to live with it, at least. I don't know what I did or thought in those few minutes, and I'd probably not want to tell anyone if I did remember. The fact was that there was nothing whatever I could do. I had all the power of a goldfish in his bowl, and that sometimes upsets a man  who, after all, is used to having at least a little control over his environment. I was a little more calm as I reached the edge of the pit; I don't know the reason for that, either, but at least I can report the incident. There was a pause as we reached the tops of the ladders, and the subs and swimmers both clustered around and began hanging more ballast onto my net, adding insult to injury. The swimmers also picked up what looked like tool belts from hooks near the ladder tops and buckled them around their waists, though I couldn't see why they should have more need of these inside than out. At least, I couldn't see any reason at first; then it occurred to me that tools might be [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl blacksoulman.xlx.pl