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e bunk exposing the storage chest。 Survival food and bottled water tumbled out。 He grabbed two water jugs and headed back to the surface。 He left one jug just inside the door and pulled the other to the surface。 His lungs ached when he reached the surface again。
〃Carmen！ Reach this。 I'm going back for more。〃
Ron found the second jug easily and passed it up to Carmen。
〃Ron； what about the life raft？ Can you get that？〃
The。 inflatable life raft was strapped to the bow just in front of the cabin。 It was packed with survival gear and a canopy。 Ron hesitated。 He couldn't be sure it was still strapped to the deck。
The Entrepreneur had taken quite a beating。 His family was temporarily safe on the hull； and he was retrieving food and water they would need。 If he tried to unstrap the raft； he would have to do it upside down； underwater； and it might take several dives。 He decided on another trip for the gear in the cabin first and was about to dive again when Carmen called down to him。
〃Ron； is there a life jacket for Rosa？〃
Suddenly； Ron was mortified。 In his worry about Chris； he had forgotten about Carmen's child。 Ron dove again； and found a life jacket floating in the cabin and wrestled it down and through the opening。 It snagged on something on the way out and he had to get another breath before he could free it。 Carmen's smile when he tossed her the life jacket meant he could forgive himself。
Nearly exhausted； Ron decided it was time to get the raft。 Ron paddled forward to the bow； took several deep breaths； and then dove。 He found the raft almost immediately and felt for the straps that held it to the deck。 The strap catches were still holding but one of the straps was loose； its cleat torn away。
The raft had a length of cord with a loop on the end； for looping around the arm or leg。 Then； when you tossed the raft overboard； you pulled the inflation ring； and the rope would keep the inflated raft from drifting out of reach。
Confident he could locate all the raft's features； Ron returned to the surface to replenish his air supply。 On the swim back； he ran into the railing。 Now he was getting tired and making mistakes。 He wouldn't be able to do many more trips without resting。 As soon as he broke the surface he heard Carmen's warning。
〃Ron！ There's something ing； another wave！〃
Ron used most of his remaining energy to sprint to the stern and climb up the rudder。 Chris was sitting with his head down； but Carmen and Rosa were staring into the night。 Ron turned to their direction and spotted the wave。 It was almost on them。 Although much smaller than the first wave； it would be even more dangerous。 Even in the dark the wave was a chocolate brown color； and full of debris…even whole trees…from the island。 The Entrepreneur dipped into the trough before the wave； nearly rocking them off the hull； then started to rise as it climbed the wave。 As it climbed it started to roll。 Then something hit the Entrepreneur hard； shaking the hull and tilting it even farther。 Chris slid off first； but Carmen and Rosa went with him； their hands gripping his life jacket。 As Ron went over he heard pounding and tearing as the Entrepreneur's hull took the beating of the debris。 Some swept over the hull； pounding down mud； leaves； and limbs on Ron and his family。 Something huge hit the Entrepreneur； and Ron felt himself being pulled under the hull by an undertow and fought to stay on top。
Suddenly the wave smashed a tree trunk into the hull of the Entrepreneur； nearly splitting it in two。 Splinters from the hull showered the family； and everyone tried to kick away from it as the muddy wave finished halving the boat。
Ron swam toward the piece of the hull that still held the raft； but it was sinking rapidly。 The tree trunk that had shattered it was between Ron and the raft； and he dove to go under them。 As he swam under he realized it still had many branches attached； and he dove deeper。 As the hull sank it rolled and Ron easily reached the bow； but it was sinking quickly and pulling him down with it。 He hung on to the loose strap and released the catch of the other strap； and the raft began to drift out。 The raft was sinking fast。 Deftly； Ron pulled the inflation ring and heard the pressed air flood the cells。 Ballooning； the raft squirted out from under the remaining strap。 He grabbed for it； but it shot out of his reach。 His lungs burning again； he kicked for the surface pulling with his arms。
He was farther down than he realized； much farther。 His lungs screamed for oxygen and he was flailing like a drowning man。 But he surfaced。
When his panic died he looked around。 To his relief he saw Carmen had the children organized and was moving them toward the raft。 Exhausted； Ron rolled over to his back to float。 The sea was too rough； however； and the debris…laden waves kept washing over his face。 He gave up and rolled into a breast stroke； reaching the raft at the same time as the others。
〃Rosa's hurt； Ron；〃 Carmen said。 〃Help her into the raft。〃
Ron swam around Carmen to Rosa and found her grimacing from pain。
〃What's wrong？ Where are you hurt？〃
〃It's my side。 Something hit me。 I think it was a tree。〃
The raft was octagonal； with four inflated pillars that held the canopy four feet above。 The sides were a double row of inflated cells。 Ron tried to help Rosa up gently； while Carmen did the same thing with Chris。 Finally； Ron gave up on gentle and shoved hard。 With a gasp； she flopped into the raft and lay on the floor shuddering。 Ron hung on to the edge of the raft； exhausted； then felt Carmen pulling him up。 His weight pushed the raft down and a muddy wave washed in and over Rosa。 Then he felt Carmen's hands on his bottom and she pulled him up and over。 He ended up on his back in the soup on the bottom with Rosa； his head in Carmen's lap。
The raft was rocking and pitching； but still it seemed restful。 Occasional waves broke over the raft； but the family was oblivious to them。 They stayed like that for a long time。
15。 COOP
There were thunders and lightnings； and a thick cloud upon the mount； and the voice of the trumpet exceedingly loud； so that all the people that was in the camp trembled。
…Exodus 19：16
Carlton； Oregon
TIME QUILT： SUNDAY； 12：13 A。M。 PST
Police Chief Vincent Peters was eating a Mount Vesuvius in the Copper Skillet restaurant。 The omelette filled his plate and was covered with chili and sour cream。 He knew eating it this time of night meant he would pay in a couple of hours； but that was then and this was now； and he was going to enjoy every bite。 That is； if Coop would let him。 Reserve Officer Stanley Cooper was across the table working on a Godfather's Special； his eggs covered with spaghetti sauce； olives； and sausage。 〃Coop；〃 as he liked to be called； was temporarily distracted by the waitress across the aisle； who bent over arranging forks and knives。 Then she finished arranging the table； scooped a small pile of change into her palm； and left； Coop's eyes trailing after her。
〃As I was saying； Chief； before I got distracted〃…Coop wiggled his eyebrows up and down and then continued…〃at the rate we're growing； it won't be long before you're going to have to expand the force。 I mean we already got a fair amount of fiscal underachievers for a city our size； and I don't have to tell you what that means。 We also got ourselves a problem with transients and non…goal…oriented members of society。 Just last weekend we ran six of them out of City Park。〃
Peters was listening to Coop as well as anyone could； but wishing he wasn't。 A city the size of Carlton couldn't afford a large permanent force of officers； so they used part…time reserve officers； like Coop； to fill in。 Peters needed the reserves； so he took them to lunch occasionally； had them out to his house for barbecues； and was generally nice to them。 It wasn't always easy； especially with Coop。 More than any of the other reserve officers； Coop wanted to work full…time； but it would never happen as long as Peters was chief。
Nearly everything Coop did irritated Chief Peters。 For example； the way Coop talked。 〃Fiscal underachievers〃 were poor people； 〃non…goal…oriented members of society〃 were str