Free The Poseidon Adventure by Paul Gallico Page A

the three behind him and ordered, 'Now lift!' and raised the trunk high above his head.
    'Got it!' cried Peters and seized the tip which had risen to the top of the opening.
    'Attaboy!' said Scott. 'You pull, we'll push.' The cooperation now worked smoothly; those above hauling, those below shoving until Scott cried, 'That's got it!' He and the others came out from under the branches, panting. Susan's chiffon frock had a tear at the sleeve.
    The tree had come to rest at an angle of forty-five degrees and for a moment they stood there regarding it with pride, having shared in a team effort that had succeeded.
    Martin stood up and said, 'I'm sorry I was sick. I'll help now.'
    Belle Rosen said, 'You want we should go up that?'
    Scott replied, 'It won't be too difficult. You've got the branches to hang on to. Wait 'til I see.' For all of his great bulk he went up the tree as agile as a monkey, his feet testing it. 'Great!' he called down, and dropped back on to the floor.
    The tree had some of the aspects of a ladder, with sturdy branches emerging from either side to give foot and handhold.
    Scott turned to Martin. 'Are you all right? Do you think you could get up there now?'
    'Yep.' He wanted his mind and the pictures it was screening for him to be taken forcibly away from Mrs Lewis. Paid had been put to their affair. He would never have to risk the visits to her in Chicago that he had promised. He was safe. Ellen could not possibly ever find out. If he thought of Wilma any more he might cry in front of them.
    'Okay, skin up there,' Scott said. 'Then you can reach down and lend a hand to the women.'
    Martin went at it effectively, thrusting the branches away from his face as he went and at the same time using them as steadying holds. But he paused in the middle.
    Scott coached, 'Don't look down. Just keep going. You're doing fine!'
    Martin was not looking down; he was thinking down to what that cabin, now below, must be like. Action had not succeeded in erasing the images. Why had not he insisted that Wilma come to dinner? Why had not he gone to her room?
    The next moment Peters had him by the hand and was hauling him through the upside-down doorway. 'There you are, sir. We'll have you all up here in a minute.'
    Scott looked from Linda Rogo to Pamela Reid. 'I'm afraid those long gowns will have to come off. The short frocks are all right, but you'll never make it hobbled like that. And take off your shoes. The men can put them in their pockets; you'll be wanting them later.'
    Linda said, 'What does he want?'
    Rogo answered, 'The dress! The dress! Take it off. How are you going to get up there with your can in that sausage skin?'
    'What do you want me to do?' Linda spat out at Rogo, 'Strip? In front of everybody?' Indecencies rose to her lips like air escapng from water.
    'Honeybun,' Rogo began, when she cut him off.
    Her lip and nose were swollen where he had struck her, and her doll face was suddenly all askew with venom.
    'That bum, there, just wants to see me with my clothes off. I know his kind: preach on Sunday and screw all week. He's had his eye on me the whole trip.'
    Rogo said, 'Aw, baby doll, you shouldn't say things like that. Here, lemme help you with your zipper.'
    Linda said, 'Take your filthy hooks off me,' and raked the backs of his hands with her fingernails. Blood seeped from the marks. The others tensed for the explosion to come.
    But it was milder this time, for Rogo only shook his head sorrowfully, 'They always ask for it,' and then with another of his lightning-like movements, ripped her gown from her body. She stood there in bra and pants, holding her arms over her bosom as he said, 'Baby, sweetie, you always make me do things I don' wanna do.'
    Linda began to cry again, 'Oh, I'm so ashamed with everybody looking!' She only took her arms from her breasts when she noticed that no one was interested.
    'Miss Reid?' said Scott.
    The English girl had been standing at The Beamer's side in her ice blue, rumpled