Bundled under the heavy layers of clothing, Gallagher and Katie had survived the night in fair shape. But General Hui, dressed only in his uniform and without a coat, was slowly, inexorably freezing to death. The wretched wind was cutting through his uniform like a thousand ice picks. His hair was coated with ice. Gallagher had taken off his heavy peacoat and given it to Hui, but it became obvious to Katie that the old war-horse was rapidly fading.

The raft was tossed over the crests and spun around by the brutal waves. It didn't seem possible that the frail craft could take the pounding. Yet it always recovered from the crush of the curling waves, righted herself, and steadied before facing the next onslaught. Never once did she cast her miserable passengers into the cold water.

Gallagher rose to his knees every hour and scanned the agitated waters from the top of the waves as the raft was thrown skyward before plummeting into the trough again. It was an exercise in futility. The waters were empty. During the awful night, they saw no sign of lights from another ship.

"There has to be a ship nearby," said Katie through chattering teeth.

Gallagher shook his head. "The water is as empty as a homeless waif's piggy bank." He didn't tell her that visibility was cut to less than fifty yards.

"I'll never forgive myself for abandoning Fritz," Katie whispered, the tears falling down her cheeks before turning to ice.

"My fault," Gallagher consoled her. "I should have grabbed him when we ran out of the cabin."

"Fritz?" queried Hui.

"My little dachshund," replied Katie.

"You lost a dog."

Hui abruptly sat up. "You lost a dog?" he repeated. "I lost the heart and soul of my country—"

He paused and went into a coughing spasm. Misery etched his face, despair clouded his eyes. He looked like a man whose life had lost all meaning. "I have failed in my duty. I must die."

"Don't be stupid, man," said Gallagher. "We'll come through. Just hang in a little longer."

Hui appeared not to hear him. He seemed to wither and give up. Katie was gazing into the general's eyes. It was as if a light behind them had suddenly switched off. They took on a glazed, unseeing look.

"I think he's dead," Katie murmured.

Gallagher checked to be sure. "Move over against his body and use it as a shield from the wind and spray. I'll lie on the other side of you."

It seemed ghoulish to her, but Katie found that she could hardly feel Hui's cadaver through the bulk of her clothing. The loss of her faithful little dog, the ship plunging under the black water, the insane wind and crazed waters all seemed unreal to her. She hoped that it was all a nightmare and soon she would wake up. She burrowed deeper between the two men, one alive, the other dead.