He led us below and, after shifting some cargo, opened up a small space under the false deck, forward of the engine room. In it he had a powerful radio transmitter, a case containing two heavy machine guns with ammunition, and a few boxes of burp guns and grenades.
"I used to run guns to the guerrillas," he explained. "These may be very useful."
We set up the machine guns on deck and I felt better. By now we were running south at the full speed of the powerful engines, the two small junks towing behind, still manned and helping with their own engines. Sung had said we might need them when I suggested sinking them before we hauled up our anchor. I steered the course while he worked his radio, trying to raise his contacts and get help to us. It took some time but finally he came on deck smiling.
"I got them," he said. "We rendezvous with a destroyer off the coast tonight. It will escort us to Japan."
"What do we do in the meantime?"
"There is danger that the Communists picked up my signals and got a bearing. If the coast patrol or the jets don't see us we will be OK."
"What about our own jets? Can't we get fighter cover?"
"Only as a last resort ... and it would probably be too late. The Air Force has been warned to avoid all incidents and they do not wish to fly close to the coast."