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d adjusted more quickly。 The attacker was ahead and to port out of machine gun range but still ahead and still in the way。 Wu smiled grimly。 〃Big Nose Lee！〃 His chief deckhand came promptly； and he handed him the machine gun。 〃Don't use it till I order it and don't hit one of those fornicators！〃
Suddenly the darkness split and the parrang of the deck gun deafened them。 A split second and a vast spout of water burst from the sea near their bow。 Wu was shocked and he shook his fist at the ship。 〃Fornicate you and all your mothers！ Leave us alone or Chairman Mao will sink all Hong Kong！〃
He hurried aft。 〃I'll take the tiller！〃 The helmsman was frightened。 So was Paul Choy； but at the same time he was curiously excited and vastly impressed with the way his father manded and the way everyone aboard reacted with discipline instead of as the motley ragtag bunch of pirates he had imagined them to be。
〃Haul to！〃
Again the gap began closing but the patrol boat kept out of machine gun range and the cutter kept out of range aft。 Stoically Wu held his course。 Another flash then another and parrang parrannng。 Two shells straddled the junk rocking her。
〃Fornicate all mothers；〃 Wu gasped； 〃all gods keep those gunners accurate！〃 He knew that the shots were only to frighten。 His friend the Snake had given him assurances that all patrols were ordered never to hit or sink a fleeing junk carrying PRC colors in case the colors were real； never to forcibly board unless one of their own seamen was killed or wounded。 〃Give them a burst；〃 he called out。
Obediently but with great care； the two men on the bow sprayed the waters。 The searchlight never wavered； but suddenly it went out。
Wu kept his course firm。 Now what？ he asked himself desperately。 Where's that fornicator going？ He searched the darkness； his eyes straining to see the patrol boat and the promontory he knew was nearby。 Then he saw the silhouette to port aft。 She was bearing down fast in a swirling rush to e up alongside with grappling hooks。 Safety was a hundred yards ahead。 If he turned from the new danger he would parallel safety and stay in international waters and then the ship would do the same again and shepherd him into open seas until his ammunition was gone or the dawn came and he was lost。 He dare not make a real battle for he knew British law had a long arm and the killing of one of their seamen was punished with hanging； and no money or high friends would prevent it。 If he held his course the ship could grapple him and he knew how adept and well trained these Cantonese seamen were and how they hated Haklos。
His face split into a grimace。 He waited until the patrol boat was fifty yards astern； ing up very fast； the siren whooping deafeningly； then grimly he turned the tiller into her and prayed the captain was awake。 For a moment the two ships hung in the balance。 Then the patrol boat swung away to avoid the collision； the wash from her props spraying them。 Wu wheeled starboard and slammed all throttles forward even though they were already as far forward as they could go。 A few more yards were gained。
He saw the patrol boat recover quickly。 She roared around in a circle and came back at them on a different tack。 They were just within Chinese waters。 Without hope Four Fingers left the tiller and picked up another submachine gun and sprayed the darkness； the barking thwack thwack thwack and the smell of cordite making his fear more intense。 Abruptly the searchlight splashed him； its light vicious。 He turned his head； blinded； and blinked； keeping his head and cap well down。 When he could see again he pointed the automatic directly at the light and cursed obscenely； frightened that they would grapple him and tow him from safety。 The hot barrel shook as he aimed for the light； his finger on the trigger。 It would be death if he fired and prison if he didn't。 Fear spread through him and throughout his ship。
But the light did not swoop down as he expected。 It remained aft and now he saw her bow wave lessening and her wake waves lessening and his heart began to beat again。 The patrol boat was letting him go。 The Snake had been right！
Shakily he put down the gun。 The loud…hailer was nearby。 He brought it to his mouth。
〃Victory to Chairman Mao！〃 he bellowed with all his might。 〃Stay out of our waters； you fornicating foreign devilllls！〃 The joy…filled words echoed across the waters。 His crew jeered； shaking their fists at the light。 Even Paul Choy was caught up in the excitement and shouted too as they all realized the patrol boat would not venture into Chinese waters。
The searchlight vanished。 When their eyes had adjusted they saw the patrol boat broadside； making hardly any way； her riding lights on now。
〃She'll have us on their radar；〃 Paul Choy muttered in English。
〃Wat？〃
He repeated it in Haklo； using the English word； radar； but explaining it as a magic eye。 Both Poon and Four Fingers knew about radar in principle though they had never seen one。 〃What does that matter？〃 Wu scoffed。 〃Their magic screens or magic eyes won't help them now。 We can lose them easily in the channels near Lan Tao。 There's no evidence against us； no contraband aboard； no nothing！〃
〃What about the guns？〃
〃We can lose them overboard； or we can lose those mad dogs and keep our guns！ Eeeee； Goodweather Poon； when those shells straddled us I thought my anus was jammed shut forever！〃
〃Yes；〃 Poon agreed happily； 〃and when we fired into the darkness at the fornicators 。。。 all gods fornicate！ I've always wanted to use those guns！〃
Wu laughed too until the tears were running down his face。 〃Yes； yes； Old Friend。〃 Then he explained to Paul Choy the strategy that the Snake had worked out for them。 〃Good； heya？〃
〃Who's the Snake？〃 Paul Choy asked。
Wu hesitated； his small eyes glittering。 〃An employee； a police employee you might say； Profitable Choy。〃
〃With the cargo gone the night's not profitable at all；〃 Poon said sourly。
〃Yes；〃 Wu agreed； equally sourly。 He had already promised Venus Poon a diamond ring that he had planned to pay for from tonight's transactions。 Now he would have to dip into his savings； which was against all his principles。 You pay for whores out of current earnings； never out of savings； so piss on that police boat！ he thought。 Without the diamond present 。。。 Eeeee； but her Beauteous Box is everything Richard Kwang claimed； and the wriggle of her rump everything rumor had promised。 And tonight 。。。 tonight after the TV station closes； her Gorgeous Gate is due to open once more！
〃Filthy joss； that sharp…nosed bandit finding us tonight；〃 he said； his manhood stirring at the thought of Venus Poon。 〃All that money gone and our expenses heavy！〃
〃The cargo's lost？〃 Paul Choy asked； greatly surprised。
〃Of course lost； gone to the bottom；〃 the old man said irritably。
〃You haven't got a marker on it； or a beeper？〃 Paul Choy used the English word。 He explained it to them。 〃I presumed it would have one … or a float that would release itself in a day or two； chemically … so you could recover it or send frogmen to fetch it when it was safe to do so。〃 The two men were gaping at him。 〃What's the matter？〃
〃It is easy to find these 'beepers' or to arrange a delayed float for a day or two？〃 Wu asked。
〃Or a week or two weeks if you want； Father。〃
〃Would you write all this down； how to do it？ Or you could arrange it？〃
〃Of course。 But why don't you also have a magic eye； like theirs？〃
〃What do we need with them … and who could work them？〃 The old man scoffed again。 〃We have noses and ears and eyes。〃
〃But you got caught tonight。〃
〃Watch your tongue！〃 Wu said angrily。 〃That was joss； joss； a joke of the gods。 We're safe and that's all that matters！〃
〃I disagree； Captain；〃 Paul Choy said； without fear now as everything fell into place。 〃It would be easy to equip this boat with a magic eye … then you can see them as soon or sooner than they can see you。 They can't surprise you。 So you can thumb your noses at them without fear and never lose a cargo。 Heya？〃 He smiled inwardly； seeing them hooked。 〃Never a mistake； not even a little one。 And never danger。 And never a lost cargo。 And cargo with beepers。 You don't even need to be anywhere near the drop。 Only a week later； heya？〃
〃That would be perfect；〃 Poon said fervently。 〃But if the gods are against you； Profitable Choy； even magic eyes won't help。 It was close tonight。 That whore wasn't supposed to be here。〃
They all looked at the ship； just lying aft。 Waiting。 A few hundred yards aft。 Wu set the engine to slow ahead。 〃We don't want to go too deep into PRC waters；〃 he said uneasily。 〃Those civilized fornicators are not so polite or so law…abiding。〃 A shiver went through him。 〃We could use a magic eye； Goodweather Poon。〃
〃Why don't you own one of those patrol boats？〃 Paul Choy said； baiting the hook again。 〃Or one a little faster。 Then you could outrun them。〃
〃One of those？ Are you mad？〃
〃Who would sell us one？〃 Wu asked impatiently。
〃Japanese。〃
〃Fornicate all Eastern Sea Devils；〃 Poon said。
〃Perhaps； but they'd build you something like that； radar equipped。 They … 〃
He stopped as the police patrol boat cut in her deep growling engines； and； with her si