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o sabotage his expedition。 There was little to fear from a Sunday swimmer or a diving tourist discovering my little underwater modus operandi However； a trained ocean scientist； that was
something else again。 I could not take the risk。 The raid was； I am still convinced； an excellent plan。 Colonel Lewis would have had no choice but to order the its name escapes me； ah yes； the First Attempt to evacuate the Thasos coast if the attack had continued unhindered。 You couldn't have known； of course； that the Albatros intended to make a token strafing run against the ship immediately after it neutralized the airfield。 Inopportunely； Major Pitt； you blundered onto the scene and ruined everything。〃
〃The fortunes of war；〃 Pitt offered sarcastically。
〃It is a shame Willie cannot be here to hear you say that。〃
〃Where is good old peeping…Tom Willie？〃 Pitt asked。
〃Willi was the pilot；〃 von Till answered。 〃When the Albatros crashed into the sea； poor Willie was trapped in the wreckage。 He drowned before we could reach him。〃 Von Till's face abruptly became hard and menacing。 〃It seems you cost me my chauffeur and pilot as well as my dog。〃
〃Gullibility on Willie's part；〃 Pitt said quietly。 〃I suckered him with the same old balloon trick that the British used on Kurt Heibert。 As to the dog； before you sic another one of your hydrophobic bitches on your next unsuspecting dinner guest； I suggest you count your table utensils。〃
Von Till looked at Pitt curiously for a moment Then he nodded knowingly。 〃Remarkable； quite remarkable。 You killed my champion hound with a knife from my own dinner table。 Most ungracious of you； Major； to say the least May I ask how you were forewarned？〃
〃Premonition；〃 Pitt replied。 〃No more； no less。 You should never have tried to kill me。 That was your first mistake。〃
〃It is a pity your escape from the labyrinth only prolonged your existence by a few hours。〃
Pitt nonchalantly glanced past von Till and Darius。
The ominous black tunnel was now strangely empty； the two guards had disappeared。 Not so the five guards who lined the cavern wall with the machine pistols…they looked as menacing as ever。
〃Your reception mittee leads me to believe you were expecting us；〃 Pitt murmured quietly。
〃Of course we were expecting you；〃 von Till acknowledged matter…of…factly。 〃Good friend Darius here informed me of your impending arrival。 The exact time became apparent when the First Attempt began acting suspiciously； no captain in his right mind would run his ship that close…in to the Thasos cliffs。〃
〃How many pieces of silver did it take for Darius to turn traitor？〃
〃The exact sum wouldn't be of interest to you；〃 said von Till。 〃The fact is。 Darius has been in my employ for ten years。 You might say that our association has proved to be quite mutually rewarding。〃
Pitt stared into Darius' coal…black eyes。 〃No matter how you slice it。 it still add up to treason。 That's your second mistake； von Till Hiring a slimey cockroach of a bastard like Darius。 it's bound to backfire。〃
Darius shivered in involuntary rage。 The Luger protruded from his massive fist as if it were a mutant growth extension； and it was aimed unsteadily at Pitt's navel。
Von Till shook his head tiredly。 〃Antagonizing Darius will only make you very； very dead。〃
〃What's the difference。 You're going to kill all of us anyway。〃
〃Premonition again。 Major？ It serves you well。〃 Von Till spoke cheerfully。 Too cheerfully to suit Pitt。
〃I hate surprises；〃 Pitt said caustically。 〃How and when？〃
With a practiced flourish； von Till pushed back his sleeves and carefully studied the dial of his watch。 〃In eleven minutes to be exact。 That is all the time I can afford。〃
〃Why not now？〃 Darius growled。 〃Why wait？ We have other business at hand。〃
〃Patience Darius；〃 von Till chided。 〃You're not thinking。 We can use the extra hands to load our supplies on board the submarine。〃 He gazed down at Pitt and smiled 〃Because of your wound。 Major。 you're excused The rest of your men can begin by carrying the equipment you see on the dock into the forward hatch。〃
〃We don't work for butchers；〃 Pitt spoke softly and evenly。
〃Very well； if you insist。〃 Von Till beamed at Darius。 〃Shoot away his left ear。 With your next bullet； take off his nose。 After that his…〃
〃Stow it； you sadistic old hun。〃 The words fairly spat from Woodson's lips。 〃We'll load your goddamned pigboat。〃
They had no choice。 Pitt had no choice。 He could only sit by helplessly and watch as Spencer and Hersong began attacking a small mountain of wooden crates on the dock and passing them to Knight and Thomas on the sub。 Woodson vanished into the hatch； only his arms； rising occasionally above the deck to receive a crate； revealed his whereabouts。
The burning sensation returned to Pitt's leg in earnest now。 If he hadn't known better； he'd have sworn that a microscopic little man was running back and forth through his wound with a flamethrower。 One or twice he nearly blacked out； each time he fought desperately to hold on until the engulfing waves of darkness subsided。 On sheer will power alone he kept his voice on a conversational tone。
〃You only answered the when half of my question； von Till。〃
〃Does the method of your demise really matter that much to you？'
〃Like I said。 I hate surprises。〃
Von Till studied Pitt in cold speculation； then he shrugged。 〃I suppose it does no harm to hide the inevitable。〃 He paused to check his watch again。 〃You and your men will be shot A bit barbaric and ruthless； I grant； but I prefer to think of it as a rather humane death； especially when pared to being buried alive。〃
Pitt thought for a moment 〃The loading of supplies and equipment。 those men removing the guns from the wrecked Albatros； it all spells get…away。 You're folding your tent； von Till； and stealing off into the night Then after you've left； one minute； five minutes； maybe even half an hour。 explosive charges will detonate and seal the cavern under tons of rock； entombing the six of us and erasing all evidence of your underwater smuggling operation。〃
Von Till looked at Pitt in puzzled suspicion。 〃Go on； Major。 I find your assumptions extremely fascinating。〃
〃You're running on a tight time schedule； and you're running scared。 Under our feet； beneath this dock； rests a hundred and thirty tons of heroin…loaded into the sub at Shanghai and carried across the Indian Ocean and through the Suez Canal by a Minerva Lines freighter。 I have to hand it to you； anyone else would have tried to sneak the heroin into the United States through the backdoor without fanfare。 Not so Bruno von Till。 BBD&O together with J。 Walter Thompson and all the other agencies on Madison Avenue couldn't have created a more professional job of advertising the Queen Artemisia's illegal cargo and final destination。 It was shrewd thinking。 Even though INTERPOL agents have finally unriddled your underwater transportation； it makes little difference。 All their eyes are still trained on the Queen Artenusia。 Do you follow me？〃
They stood mute and offered no affirmative or negative reply。 〃As Darius has undoubtedly informed you；〃 Pitt went on； 〃Inspector Zacynthus and the Bureau of Narcoti