their blood streams.

With the boys and the scientists, Jimmy went over all visible portions
of the wreck. He summed up his attitude with an elaborate shrug and
spreading of his hands that said he didn't know where to begin. For his
frogmen, he made a sweeping gesture that told them to tackle the wreck
anywhere. The frogmen moved in, operating in pairs. The water clouded
rapidly with silt, particles of marine growth, and fish eggs.

The top of the captain's cabin came off. Rick swam in through the murk
and picked up the chair that had seemed to be in good condition. He
carried it to clear water and placed it on the sand. Now that it was out
in the open, it could be seen that teredos--shipworms--had feasted on it
and burrowed into it until it was nothing but a chair-shaped shell.

The same was true of the cabin interior. It collapsed soundlessly under
the prying bars of the frogmen. Under their enthusiastic attack the
water was soon so roiled that visibility at the wreck was reduced to
almost zero. Jimmy sounded the signal for ascent and the group surfaced
without decompressing. They had just about exhausted a single tank.

On the landing stage, the lieutenant said, "No use continuing until the
water settles. Any ideas, Chief?"

Sanders, the group's chief petty officer, replied, "I think we're going
to need a sand hose, Sir. Most of the wreck is buried."

Jonesy, a short, husky frogman with a bright-red crew cut, added, "Sir,
I think the cannon and stuff would be on the deck ahead of the cabin we
opened up, but the deck is under the sand. Could we rig a hose, Sir?"

"Good idea. Put a detail to work, Chief."

Sanders called out four names and issued instructions. Jimmy called a
ten-minute break for the rest.

During the break, Rick sought out Steve Ames. He commented, "You know,
this wasn't a very well-organized gang. I keep thinking about the two
who tried to get us at St. Thomas."

Steve disagreed. "You're wrong. It was a _very_ well-organized gang.
Their trouble was not enough trained agents. They had to hire extras,
and the extras were just ordinary mugs, and not very bright ones. It was
the mugs who made the mistakes, not the real agents."

Jimmy Kelly spoke up. "Did we tell you? We got reports from the other
UDT teams this morning. Our people have all the stations except one in
British territory. Maybe our British cousins can get the station team
for us. We've tipped them off."

The lieutenant finished