Crash Course by Derek Fee (freenovel24 .TXT) 📗

Kane slipped in behind Bell as they moved along the passageway.

“We call this the Captain’s Cabin,” David said as the three men entered the large office at the end of the passage.

The office reeked of tradition. The walls were covered with painted portraits of individuals who Kane took to be the previous occupants. Interspersed with the family portraits were paintings of yachts which he assumed the yard had constructed. The floorspace was dominated by a large antique oak desk behind which sat a battered red leather-covered captain’s chair.

“We’ll give your driver the opportunity to show us exactly what he means by his remark ‘a boat is a boat’.” David reached into a steel locker and pulled out two boiler suits. He tossed one to Tom. “If you’d be so kind as to slip into that.”

Kane waited but no boiler suit was forthcoming for him.

David removed his sweater and threw it on the chair behind the desk. He squeezed into the boiler suit. Bell followed his example.

“You were in the army,’ David said. ‘Not man enough for the Royal Marine Commandos? Eh!” A smile broke out on his face.

“When I was in Afghanistan…” Kane watched the older men struggle into their boiler suits. “…this Royal Marine Commando was tricking around with a pistol. He fired off a few shots and then stuck the gun in his belt. He was stupid enough to leave the safety off and the gun went off. The bullet took the end off his penis.”

Bell winced.

“When his comrades got him back to base,” Mark continued. “His CO had him immediately shipped back to England and out of the Corps.”

“That was a bit harsh,” Bell said.

“Not really, Tom,” Kane said with a smile on his face. “You see, you have to be a complete prick to be a Royal Marine Commando.”

Bell burst into ribald laughter. He had been totally taken in by Kane’s story. Streaks of red climbed from David’s neck along the sides of his face. He looked like he was about to burst. His fists were clenched together and he appeared ready to launch himself in Kane’s direction.

“Steady on, David,” Bell said and moved between the two men. He shot a glance at Kane and shook his head. “You opened yourself up for that one. It was only a bloody joke.”

David’s face slowly relaxed. “I did rather, didn’t I?” He unclenched his fists then bent and pulled a pair of gumboots from the locker. “Try these for size,” he said handing them to Bell.

“What about me?” Kane asked. “Don’t I get kitted out?”

“Sorry.” David smiled. “Nothing your size, I’m afraid. A strapping young lad should be prepared to face the elements.”

Kane was about to reply but caught the look of censure in Bell’s eyes.

“Are you ready, Tom?” David said.

The Yorkshireman nodded.

“Now let’s go for a little sightseeing trip around Falmouth Bay.” David led the other two men out of the office block and back through the boatyard in the direction of the slipway.

As they arrived at the slipway, David marched into the water and clambered aboard a thirty-foot motorboat which was bobbing gently several feet offshore. Bell picked his way gingerly behind him. Kane looked down at his training shoes and marched after the two older men. The cold water rushed into Kane’s shoes soaking his socks. He jumped gratefully aboard the motorboat.

“Think you can handle this?” The big Cornishman was looking at Kane’s waterlogged shoes.

“No worries.” Kane moved forward and examined the boat’s controls. The key was in the ignition. “Why don’t you cast off and let me take you for a little spin.”

David released the mooring ropes and without speaking he tossed life jackets to both Kane and Bell.

Kane put on his life jacket and turned the ignition key. The engine immediately burst into life. He slowly engaged the throttle and manoeuvred the boat out of the shallow water and pointed it at the broad mouth of the bay.

“We’re ready whenever you are, Mr Kane. Put her through her paces.” There was more than a hint of sarcasm in David’s tone. He motioned Bell to sit down and brace himself.

Kane eased the throttle forward gently, trying to get a feel for the boat’s response and its power. The boat sped forward under the urgings of its throbbing engine. Although the throttle was only about half out, the speedboat was already making twenty knots and the bow was beginning to bounce on the choppy sea, sending waves of spray flying over the fibreglass windscreen and into the cockpit.

“I asked you to put the damn boat through its paces, Mr Kane.” David stood at his shoulder and shouted into his ear, “Not to dawdle around the bay all day. Let’s see what you’re worth, man.”

The hell with this, Kane thought and pushed the throttle towards the fully open position. The boat responded immediately and David was thrown back into his seat. Kane hung on to the steering wheel as the boat sped across the choppy water. The bow of the boat bucked on the white-capped waves sending spray pouring in a continuous stream over the windscreen soaking the three occupants of the cockpit. He could scarcely control the bucking boat and his arms and knees were already beginning to feel the strain.

“Give it full throttle, man,” David roared above the noise of the engine.

Kane eased the throttle to the full position and the boat raced out into the centre of the bay. As far as he could estimate, they were travelling at about forty knots or thereabouts. He was concentrating so hard on steering the boat that he wasn’t worried about an exact estimation of the speed. The choppy waters made the boat bounce from wave to wave and he could feel the shudder when the propeller came clear of the blue-green waters. He steered the boat for the western edge of the bay feeling the pull on his arms as he manoeuvred the steering wheel. David was right. This wasn’t as