“It’s the cabin. It’s been getting hotter and hotter for the past hour.”
“Feels like they’ve put on the steam heating. Stick it out for ten minutes, kid. I’ll be back by then.”
“Be careful.”
I gave her a little pat on her-arm, grinned at her and slid out on to the deck. I shot the bolt: began to move aft.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing up here?” a voice demanded out of the darkness.
I nearly jumped out of my skin.
A short, thickset man, wearing a yachting-cap, had appeared from nowhere. Neither of us could see the other’s face. We peered at each other.
“How many times do I have to tell you guys to keep clear of this deck?” he growled, and edged closer.
He nearly had me. I saw his arm flash up and I ducked. The sap glanced off my shoulder. I slammed a punch into his belly with everything I had. He caught his breath in a gasp of agony, bent forward, trying to breathe. I hung one on his jaw that nearly smashed my hand.
He went down on hands and knees and straightened out on his back. I leaned over him, grabbed his ears and cracked his skull on the deck.