"E.Voiskunsky, I.Lukodyanov. The Crew Of The Mekong (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

you want your scuba gear now?"
"No," said Nikolai. "Bring it to me at home."
Bugrov swam back to his rowboat.
"I see you know him," remarked Opratin.
"Yes, we live in the same house." Nikolai stared at the generator, the
face plate of the cathode-ray tube of the oscillograph and the drum with the
cable running into the sea.
Opratin smiled. "How I envy you. Sailing is a wonderful sport. But I,
as you can see, have to carry out investigations on Sundays too."
"Yes, I see," said Nikolai, trying feverishly to make out what sort of
cable it was. "Well, good luck."
He pushed off from the motorboat and swam back to the sailboat. If only
he had known the circumstances under which he would cling to the life line
of that motorboat a second time!


CHAPTER EIGHT


IN WHICH PRIVALOV ACQUIRES A NEW ALLY


The wheel now worked well. Unwinding the "spool", a tug had laid the
first pipeline to Neftianiye Reefs. The pressure trials completed, they
returned home towards evening. At this time of day there was not much
traffic on the road, which ran between vineyards, with oil derricks beyond
them, and their sleek grey car made good time.
Privalov relaxed in the back seat, satisfied after two days of
intensive work. Pavel Koltukhov, who sat beside him, dozed and smoked
simultaneously; he woke every now and then to take a puff or two on his
cigarette and then closed his eyes again.
Nikolai was at the wheel. Beside him Yura was going through his notes
on the pressure trials.
"That's a load off my mind," Privalov said with a sigh. "I hope the
builders will be able to handle the parallel pipelines without us."
"You can gird your loins for another job," said Koltukhov.
"You mean the transcaspian pipeline? But the project hasn't been
approved yet."
"Approval was wired yesterday. Is your survey programme ready?"
"It's been ready a long time."
"That's fine. We'll discuss it tomorrow."
Nikolai slowed down as they passed through a small town and then put on
speed when they came out into open country again.
"How are things going, boys?" Privalov asked in a low voice. "Have you
read that book by Adam?"
"It isn't what you'd call light reading," Nikolai replied. "We're
stuck, Boris. We're thinking of experimenting with mercury."
The remainder of the drive into town passed in silence. After the young
men got out on the corner of Toilers of the Sea Street, Privalov took the
wheel and drove to the Institute.