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The short space of afterdeck was occupied by the little two…seater amphibian； painted dark blue and white to match the yacht； its wings now folded and its engine cowled against the sun； a big jolly…boat to hold about twenty men； and an electric derrick to hoist them in… and outboard。 Bond； estimating the ship's displacement and her freeboard； said casually； 〃And the hold？ More cabin space？〃
〃Just storage。 And the fuel tanks； of course。 She is an expensive ship to run。 We have to carry several tons。 The ballast problem is important with these ships。 When her bows e up； the fuel shifts aft。 We have to have big lateral tanks to correct these things。〃 Talking fluently and expertly； Largo led them back up the starboard passageway。 They were about to pass the radio room when Bond said； 〃You said you had ship…to…shore。 What else do you carry？ The usual Marconi short and long wave； I suppose。 Could I have a look？ Radio has always fascinated me。〃
Largo said politely； 〃Some other time； if you don't mind。 I'm keeping the operator full time on met。 reports。 They're rather important to us at the moment。〃
〃Of course。〃
They climbed up into the enclosed dome of the bridge； where Largo briefly explained the controls and led them out on the narrow deck space。 〃So there you are；〃 said Largo。 〃The good ship Disco Volante …the Flying Saucer。 And she really does fly； I can assure you。 I hope you and Mr。 Larkin will e for a short cruise one of these days。 For the present〃…he smiled with a hint of a secret shared… 〃as you may have heard； we are rather busy。〃
〃Very exciting； this treasure business。 Do you think you've got a good chance？〃
〃We like to think so。〃 Largo was deprecating。 〃I only wish I could tell you more。〃 He waved an apologetic hand。 〃Unfortunately； as they say； my lips are sealed。 I hope you will understand。〃
〃Yes； of course。 You have your shareholders to consider。 I only wish I was one so that I could e along。 I suppose there's not room for another investor？〃
〃Alas； no。 The issue； as they say； is fully subscribed。 It would have been very pleasant to have had you with us。〃 Largo held out a hand。 〃Well； I see that Mr。 Larkin has been looking anxiously at his watch during our brief tour。 We must not keep Mr。 Christie waiting any longer。 It has been a great pleasure to meet you； Mr。 Bond。 And you； Mr。 Larkin。〃
With a further exchange of courtesies they went down the ladder to the waiting launch and got under way。 There was a last wave from Mr。 Largo before he vanished through the hatch to the bridge。
They sat in the stern well away from the boatman。 Leiter shook his head。 〃Absolutely negative。 Reaction around the engine room and the radio room； but that's normal。 It was all normal； damnably normal。 What did you make of him and the whole setup？〃
〃Same as you…damned normal。 He looks what he says he is； and behaves that way。 Not much crew about； but the ones we saw were either ordinary crew or wonderful actors。 Only two small things stuck me。 There was no way down to the hold that I could see； but of course it could have been a manhole under the passage carpet。 But then how do you get the stores he talked of down there？ And there's the hell of a lot of space in that hold even if I don't know much about naval architecture。 I'll do a check with the oiling wharf through the customs people and see just how much fuel he does carry。 Then it's odd that we didn't see any of these shareholders。 It was around three o'clock when we went on board and most of them may have been having siestas。 But surely not all nineteen of them。 What do they do in their cabins all the time？ Another small thing。 Did you notice that Largo didn't smoke and that there was no trace of tobacco smell anywhere in the ship？ That's odd。 Around forty men and not one of them is a smoker。 If one had anything else to go on one would say that wasn't coincidence but discipline。 The real pros don't drink or smoke。 But I admit it's a damned long shot。 Notice the Decca Navigator and the echo…sounder？ Pretty expensive bits of equipment； both of them。 Fairly normal on a big yacht； of course； but I'd have expected Largo to point them out when he was showing us the bridge。 Rich men are proud of their toys。 But that's only clutching at straws。 I'd have said the whole outfit's as clean as a whistle if it wasn't for all that missing space we weren't shown。 That talk about fuel and ballast sounded a bit glib to me。 What do you think？〃
〃Same as you。 There's at least half of that ship we didn't see。 But then again there's a perfectly good answer to that。 He may have got a stack of secret treasure…hunting gear down there he doesn't want anyone to see。 Remember that merchant ship off Gibraltar during the war？ The Italian frogmen used it as a base。 Big sort of trapdoor affair cut in the hull below the water line。 I suppose he hasn't got something like that？〃
Bond looked sharply at Leiter。 〃The Olterra 。 One of the blackest marks against Intelligence during the whole war。〃 He paused。 〃The Disco was anchored in about forty feet of water。 Supposing they'd got the bombs buried in the sand below her。 Would your Geiger counter have registered？〃
〃Doubt it。 I've got an underwater model and we could go and have a sniff round when it gets dark。 But really； James〃…Leiter frowned impatiently…〃aren't we getting a bit off beam…seeing burglars under the bed？ We've got damn…all to go on。 Largo's a powerful…looking piratical sort of chap； probably a bit of a crook where women are concerned。 But what the hell have we got against him？ Have you put a Trace through on him and on these shareholders and the crew members？〃
〃Yes。 Put them all on the wire from Government House； Urgent Rates。 We should get an answer by this evening。 But look here； Felix。〃 Bond's voice was stubborn。 〃There's a damned fast ship with a plane and forty men no one knows anything about。 There's not another group or even an individual in the area who looks in the least promising。 All right； so the outfit looks all right and its story seems to stand up。 But just supposing the whole thing was a phony…a damned good one of course； but then so it ought to be with all that's at stake。 Take another look at the picture。 These so…called shareholders all arrive just in time for June third。 On that night the Disco goes to sea and stays out till morning。 Just supposing she rendezvous'd that plane in shallow water somewhere。 Just suppose she picked up the bombs and put them away…in the sand under the ship； if you like。 Anyway； somewhere safe and convenient。 Just suppose all that and what sort of a picture do you get？〃
〃A B picture so far as I'm concerned； James。〃 Leiter shrugged resignedly。 〃But I guess there's just enough to make it a lead。〃 He laughed sardonically。 〃But I'd rather shoot myself than put it in tonight's report。 If we're going to make fools of ourselves； we'd better do it well out of sight and sound of our chiefs。 So what's on your mind？ What es next？〃
〃While you get our munications going； I'm going to check with the oiling wharf。 Then we'll call up this Domino girl and try and get ourselves asked for a drink and have a quick look