Gunn looked puzzled。 〃But we should be gone by then。〃
〃You get the picture；〃 Pitt laughed。
〃We should consider ourselves lucky that rumors of treasure haven't brought out swarms of salvors。〃
〃They e as soon as they get the word and rush out to pick over the scraps。〃
Julia came into the control room balancing a tray on one hand。 〃Breakfast；〃 she announced gaily。 〃Isn't it a beautiful morning？〃
Pitt rubbed the stubble of a beard on his chin。 〃I hadn't noticed。〃
〃What are you so happy about？〃 Gunn asked her。
〃I just received a message from Peter Harper。 Qin Shang came off a Japanese airliner at the Quebec airport disguised as a crew member。 The Canadian Royal Mounted Police followed him to the waterfront； where he boarded a small boat and rendezvoused with the Jade Adventurer。〃
〃Hallelujah！〃 exclaimed Gunn。 〃He took the bait。〃 〃Hook； line and sinker；〃 said Julia； flashing her teeth。 She set the tray on the chart table and removed a tablecloth； revealing plates of eggs and bacon； toast； grapefruit and coffee。
〃That is good news；〃 said Pitt； pulling a chair up to the table without being told。 〃Did Harper say when he plans to take Qin Shang into custody？〃
〃He's meeting with the INS legal staff to formulate a plan。 I must tell you； there is great fear the State Department and White House may intervene。〃 〃I was afraid of that；〃 said Gunn。
〃Peter and missioner Monroe are very afraid Qin Shang will slip through the net because of his political connections。〃 〃Why not board the Jade Adventurer and haul his ass off now？〃 Gunn asked。
〃We can't legally apprehend him if his ship skirts the Canadian shoreline while sailing through Lakes Ontario； Erie and Huron；〃 explained Julia。 〃Only after the Jade Adventurer has passed through the Straits of Mackinac into Lake Michigan will Qin Shang be on American waters。〃
Pitt slowly ate his grapefruit。 〃I'd like to see his face when his crew lays a camera on the Princess and finds her guts ripped out and her cupboards bare。〃
〃Did you know that he's filed a claim on the ship and its cargo through one of his subsidiary corporations in state and federal district courts？〃
〃No；〃 said Pitt。 〃But I'm not surprised。 That's the way he operates。〃
Gunn rapped a knife on the table。 〃If any of us were to stake a claim on a treasure ship through legal channels； we'd be laughed out onto the street。 And whatever artifacts we found would have to be turned over to the government。〃
〃People who search for treasure；〃 Pitt said philosophically； 〃believe their problems are over when they make the big strike； never realizing their troubles are only beginning。〃
〃How true；〃 Gunn assented。 〃I've yet to hear of a treasure discovery that wasn't contested in court by a parasite or government bureaucrat。〃
Julia shrugged。 〃Maybe so； but Qin Shang has too much influence to have the door slammed in his face。 If anything； he's bought off all opposition。〃
Pitt looked at her as though his fatigued mind had suddenly thought of something。 〃Aren't you eating？〃 he asked。
She shook her head。 〃I had a bite in the galley earlier。〃
The ship's first officer leaned in the doorway and motioned to Pitt。 〃The barge has surfaced； sir。 You said you wanted to take a look at her payload before she was towed away。〃
〃Yes； thank you；〃 Pitt acknowledged。 He turned back to Gunn。 〃She's all yours； Rudi。 I'll see you； same time； same place tomorrow。〃
Gunn waved without taking his eyes from the monitors。 〃Sleep tight。〃
Julia hung on Pitt's arm as they stepped out onto the bridge wing and gazed down at the big barge that had risen from the depths。 The interior cargo hold was filled with crates of all sizes containing incredible treasures from China's past。 All had been neatly spaced by the cranes and submersibles。 In a divided partment with extra…thick padding； the artworks whose packing crates had been either damaged or destroyed sat open and exposed。 Some were musical instruments…tuned chimes of stone； bronze bells and drums。 There was a three…legged cooking stove with a hideous face molded on the door； large jade ceremonial carvings of half…size men； women and children； and animal sculptures in marble。
〃Oh； look；〃 she said； pointing。 〃They brought up the emperor on the horse。〃
Standing under the sun for the first time in over half a century； the water glistening on the bronze armor of the rider and streaming from his horse； the two…thousand…year…old sculpture looked little the worse for wear than the day it came out of the mold。 The unknown emperor now stared over a limitless horizon； as if in search of new lands to conquer。
〃It's all so incredibly beautiful；〃 said Julia； staring at the ancient wonder。 Then she gestured at the other crates； their contents still hidden。 〃I'm amazed the wooden containers did not rot away after being submerged all these years。〃
〃General Hui was a thorough man；〃 Pitt said。 〃Not only did he insist that the crates be built with an outer wall and an inner lining； he specified teak instead of a more mon wood。 It was probably transported to Shanghai from Burma by freighter for use in the shipyards。 Hui knew that teak is extraordinarily strong and durable； and he undoubtedly seized the shipment to construct the crates。 What he couldn't have predicted at the time was that his foresight paid off in protecting the treasures for the fifty years they were resting underwater。〃
Julia raised a hand to shield her eyes from the glare of the sun on the water。 〃A pity he couldn't have made them watertight。 The lacquerware； wooden carvings and paintings cannot have survived without some damage or disintegration。〃
〃The archaeologists will know soon enough。 Hopefully； the icy； fresh water will have preserved many of the more delicate objects。〃
As the tugboat maneuvered into position to tow the barge to the receiving dock in Chicago； a crewman stepped from the wheelhouse with a paper in his hand。 〃Another message for you； Ms。 Lee； from Washington。〃
〃Must be another message from Peter；〃 she said； taking the munication。 She studied the wording for a long time； her facial expression turning from surprise to utter frustration to downright anger。 〃Oh； good God；〃 she muttered。 〃What is it？〃
Julia held out the message to Pitt。 〃The INS operation to apprehend Qin Shang has been called off by order of the White House。 We are not to molest or harass him in any way。 Any and all treasure recovered from the Princess Dou Wan is to be turned over to Qin Shang as acting representative of the Chinese government。〃
〃That's crazy；〃 Pitt said wearily； too tired to display outrage。 〃The man is a proven mass murderer。 Give him the treasure？ The President must have a brain hemorrhage。〃
〃I've never felt so helpless in my life；〃 Julia said； furious。 Suddenly； unpredictably； Pitt's lips spread in a crazy grin。 〃I wouldn't take it too badly if I were you。 There's always a bright side。〃
She stared at him as if he was certifiably insane。 〃What are you talking about？ Where do you see a bright side in allowing that scum to roam free and steal the art masterpieces for himself？〃
〃The orders from the White House definitely state that the INS is not to molest or harass Qin Shang。〃 〃So？〃 〃The orders；〃 Pitt said； still grinning but with a hard edge to his voice； 〃make no mention of what NUMA can or cannot do…〃
He broke off as Gunn ran excitedly from the control room onto the bridge wing。 〃Al thinks he's got them；〃 the words rushed out。 〃He's ing to the surface now and wants to know how you want them handled。〃
〃Very carefully；〃 said Pitt。 〃Tell him to rise slowly and maintain a good grip。 When he surfaces； we'll lift the Sappho IV aboard with them。〃
〃Who is them？〃 asked Julia。
Pitt gave her a quick glance before he rushed down a ladder to the submersible recovery deck。 〃The bones of Peking man； that's who。〃
Word quickly spread throughout the salvage fleet； and the Ocean Retriever's crew began assembling on the stern work deck。 The crews of the other vessels crowded their railings； watching the activity aboard the NUMA ship。 There was a strange silence as the turquoise Sappho TV broke the surface and rolled slightly from the low waves of the lake。 Divers waited in the water to attach the crane's cable hook to the lifting ring on top of the submersible。 Every eye was on the large wire…mesh basket between the twin articulated arms。 Two wooden boxes sat in the basket。 They all held their breath as the submersible was slowly lifted from the lake。 The crane operator used great caution in swinging the underwater craft over the stern before lowering it gently into its cradle。
The crowd on deck gathered around the sub as the ship's archaeologist directed the unloading of the crates on the deck。 While the archaeologist； a blond lady in her forties by the name of Pat O'Connell； was engaged in exposing the interior of the crates； Giordino threw back the hatch from inside the submersible and pushed his head and shoulders into the open air。
〃Where did you find them？〃 Pitt shouted up at him。
〃Using a diagram of the deck plans I managed to force entry into the captain's cabin。〃
〃The location sounds right；〃 said Gunn； peering through his eyeglasse