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charred corpses out of sight。
〃Fourth pointer。 Jolly said that 〃how〃 the fire started was unimportant。 A crude attempt to side…track me。 Jolly knew as well as I did that it was all…important。 I suppose； by the way； Jolly； that you deliberately jammed all the fire extinguishers you could before you started the fire。 About that fire； mander。 Remember you were a bit suspicious of Hewson because he said the fuel drums hadn't started exploding until he was on his way to the main bunkhouse？ He was telling the truth。 There were no fewer than four drums in the fuel stores that didn't explode。 The ones Jolly used to pour against the huts to start the fire。 How am I doing； Dr。 Jolly？〃
〃It's all a nightmare；〃 he said very quietly。 〃It's a nightmare。 Before God； I know nothing of any of this。〃
〃Pointer number five。 For some reason that is unclear to me； Jolly wanted to delay the 〃Dolphin〃 on its return trip。 He could best do this； he decided； if Bolton and Brownell； the two' very sick men still left out on the station； were judged too sick to be transferred to the 〃Dolphin〃。 The snag was that there were two other doctors around who might say that they 〃were〃 fit to be transferred。 So he tried； with a fair measure of success； to eliminate us。
〃First Benson。 Didn't it strike you as strange； mander； that the request for the survivors to be allowed to attend the funeral of Grant and Lieutenant Mills should have e from Naseby in the first place； then Kinnaird？ Jolly； as the senior man of the party； with Captain Folsom temporarily unfit； was the obvious man to make the approach； but he didn't want to go calling too much attention to himself。 Doubtless by dropping hints； he engineered it so that someone else should do it for him。 Now； Jolly had noticed how glasssmooth and slippery the ice…banked sides of the sail were and he made a point of seeing that Benson went up the rope immediately ahead of him。 You must remember it was almost pitch darkjust light enough for Jolly to make out the vague outline of Benson's head from the wash of light from the bridge as it cleared the top of the sail。 A swift outward tug on the rope and Benson overbalanced。 It seemed that he had fallen on top of Jolly。 But only seemed。 The loud； sharp crack I heard a fraction of a second after Benson's body struck was not caused by his head hitting the iceit was caused by Jolly here trying to kick his head off。 Did you hurt your toes much； Jolly？〃
〃You're mad；〃 he said mechanically。 〃This is utter nonsense。 Even if it wasn't nonsense； you couldn't prove a word of it。〃
〃We'll see。 Jolly claimed that Benson fell on top of him。 He even flung himself on the ice and cracked his head to give some verisimilitude to his story。 Our friend never misses any of the angles。 I felt the slight bump on his head。 But he wasn't laid out。 He was faking。 He recovered just that little bit too quickly and easily when he got back to the sick bay。 And it was then that he made his first mistake； the mistake that put me on to himand should have put me on guard for an attack against myself。 You were there； mander。〃
〃I've missed everything else；〃 Swanson said bitterly。 〃Do you want me to spoil a hundred per cent record？〃
〃When Jolly came to； he saw Benson lying there。 All he could see of him was a blanket and a big gauze pack covering the back of his head。 As far as Jolly was concerned； it could have been anybodyit had been pitch dark when the accident occurred。 But what did he say？ I remember his exact words。 He said： 'Of course； of course。 Yes； that's it。 He fell on top of me； didn't he？' 〃He never thought to ask who it was〃the natural； the inevitable question in the circumstances。 But Jolly didn't have to ask。 He knew。〃
〃He knew。〃 Swanson stared at Jolly with cold； bleak eyes； and there was no doubt in his mind now about Jolly。 〃You're right； Dr。 Carpenter。 He knew。〃
〃And then he had a go at me。 Can't prove a thing； of course。 But he was there when I asked you where the medical store was； and he no doubt nipped down smartly behind Henry and myself and loosened the latch on the hatch cover。 But he didn't achieve quite the same high degree of success this time。 Even so； when we went out to the station next morning； he still tried to stop Brownell and Bolton from being transferred back to the ship by saying Bolton was too ill。 But you overruled him。〃
〃I was right about Bolton；〃 Jolly said。 He seemed strangely quiet now。 〃Bolton died。〃
〃He died；〃 I agreed。 〃He died because you murdered him； and for Bolton alone I can make certain you hang。 For a reason I still don't know； Jolly was still determined to stop this ship。 Delay it； anyway。 I think he wanted only an hour or two's delay。 So he proposed to start a small fire； nothing much； just enough to cause a small scare and have the reactor shut down temporarily。 As the site of his fire 。he chose the machinery spacethe one place in the ship where he could casually let something drop and where it would lie hidden； for hours if need be； among the maze of pipes down there。 In the sick bay he concocted some type of delayed…action chemical fuse that would give off plenty of smoke but very little flamethere are a dozen binations of acids and chemicals that can bring this about； and our friend will be a highly trained expert well versed in all of them。 Now； all Jolly wanted was an excuse to pass through the engine room when it would be nice and quiet and virtually deserted。 In the middle of the night。 He fixed this； too。 He can fix anything。 He's a very； very clever man indeed； is our friend here： ；he's also an utterly ruthless fiend。
〃Late in the evening of the night before the fire； the good healer here made a round of his patients。 I went with him。 One of the men he treated was Bolton； in the nucleonics laband； of course； to get to the nucleonics lab you have to pass through the engine room。 There was an enlisted man watching over the patients； and Jolly left special word that he was to be called at any hour if Bolton became any worse。 He was called。 I checked with the engine…room staff after the fire。 The engineer officer on watch and two others were in the maneuvering room； but an engineman carrying out a routine lubrication job saw him passing through the engine room about 1：30 a。m。 in answer to a call from the man watching over the patients。 He took the opportunity to drop his little chemical fuse as he was passing by the machinery space。 What he didn't know was that his little toy lodged on or near the oil…saturated lagging on the housing of the starboard turbo generator； and that when it went off； it would generate sufficient heat to set the sheathing on fire。〃
Swanson looked at Jolly； bleakly and for a long time； then turned to me and shook his head。 〃I can't buy that； Dr。 Carpenter。 This phone call because a patient just happens to turn sick。 Jolly is not the man to leave 〃anything〃 to chance。〃
〃He isn't；〃 I agreed。 〃He didn't。 Up in the refrigerator in the sick bay I have an exhibit for the Old Bailey。 A sheet of aluminum foil liberally covered with Jolly's fingerprints。 Smeared on this foil is the remains of a salve。 That foil was what Jolly had bandaged on Bolton's burned forearm that night； just after he had given him pain…killing shotsBolton was suffering very badly。 But before Jolly put the salve on the foil he spread on something else first； a layer of sodium chloridemon or garden household salt。 Jolly knew that the drugs he had given Bolton would keep him under for three or four hours： he also knew that by the time Bolton had regained consciousness； his body heat would have thinned the salve and brought the salt into contact with the raw flesh on the forearm。 He knew that Bolton； when he came out from the effects of the drugs； would e out screaming in agony。 Can you imagine what it must have been like？ The whole forearm a mass of raw fleshand covered with salt？ When he died soon after； he died from shock。 Our good healer herea lovable little lad； isn't he？
〃Well； that's Jolly。 Incidentally； you can discount most of the gallant doctor's heroism during the firealthough he was understandably as anxious as any of us that we survive。 The first time he went into the engine room it was too damned hot and unfortable for his liking； so he just lay down on the floor and let someone carry him for'ard to where the fresh air was。 Later〃
〃He had his mask off；〃 Hansen objected。
〃He took it off。 〃You〃 can hold your breath for ten or fifteen secondsdon't you think Jolly can； too？ Later on； when he was performing his heroics in the engine room； it was because conditions there were better； conditions outside worse and because by …going into the engine room he was entitled to a closed…circuit breathing set。 Jolly got more clean air last night than any of us。 He doesn't mind if he causes someone to die screaming his head off in agonybut he himself isn't going to suffer the slightest degree of hardship。 Not if he can help it。 Isn't that so； Jolly？〃
He didn't answer。
〃Where are the films； Jolly？〃
〃I don't know what you're talking about；〃 he said in a quiet； toneless voice。 〃Before God； my hands are clean。〃
〃How about your fingerprints on that foil with the salt on it？〃
〃Any doctor can make a mistake。〃
〃My God！ Mistake！ Where are they； Jollythe films？〃
〃For God's sake； leave me alone；〃 he said tiredly。
〃Have it your own way。〃 I looked at Swanson。 〃Got some nice secure place where you can lock this character up？〃
〃I certainly have；〃 Swanson said grimly。 〃I'll conduct him there in person。〃
〃No one's conducting anyone anywhere；〃 Kinnaird said。 He was looking at me； and I didn't care very much for the way he was looking at me。 I didn't care very much either for； what he held in his hand： a very nasty…looking Mauser。 It was cradled in his fist as if it had grown there； and it was pointing straight between my eybs。
13
〃Clever clever counter…espionage； Carpenter；〃 Dr。 Jolly murmured。 〃How swiftly the fortunes of war change； old boy。 But you shouldn't be surprised really。 You haven't found out anything that actually matters； but surely you should have found out enough to realize that you are operating out of your class。 Please don't try anything foolish。 Kinnaird is one of the finest pistol shots I 'have ever knownand you will observe how strategically he's placed； so that everyone in the room is covered。〃
He delicately patted his still bleeding mouth with a handkerchief； rose； went behind me； and ran his hands quickly down my clothes。
〃My word；〃 he said。 〃Not even carrying a gun。 You really are unprepared； Carpenter。 Turn round； will you； so that your back is to Kinnaird's gun？〃
I turned around。 He smiled pleasantly； then hit me twice across the face with； all his strength； first with the back of his right hand and then with the back of his left。 I staggered but didn't fall down。 I could taste the salt of blood。
〃Can't even call it regrettable loss of temper；〃 Jolly said with satisfaction。 〃Did it deliberately and with malice aforethought。 Enjoyed it； too。〃
〃So Kinnaird was the killer；〃 I said slowly； thickly。 〃He was the man with the gun？〃
〃Wouldn't want to take all the credit； mate；〃 Kinnaird said modestly。 〃Let's say we sorted them out fifty…fifty。〃
〃〃You〃 were the one who went out with the monitor to find the capsule；〃 I nodded。 〃That's why you got your face as badly frost…bitten。〃
〃Got lost；〃 Kinnaird admitted。 〃Thought I'd never find the damned station again。〃
〃Jolly and Kinnaird；〃 Jeremy said wonderingly。 〃Jolly and Kinnaird。 Your own mates。 You two ifithy； murderous〃
〃Be quiet；〃 Jolly ordered。 〃Kinnaird； don't bother answering questions。 Unlike Carpenter here； I take no pleasure in outlining my 〃modus operandi〃 and explaining at length how clever I've been。 As you observed； Carpenter； I'm a man of action。 mander Swanson； get on that phone there； call up your control room； order your ship to surface and steam north。〃
〃You're being too ambitious； Jolly；〃 Swanson said calmly。 〃You can't hijack a submarine。〃
〃Kinnaird；〃 Jolly said。 〃Point your gun at Hansen's stomach。 When I reach the count of five； pull the trigger。 One； two； three〃
Swanson half raised a hand in acknowledgment of defeat； crossed to the wall phone； gav