Pitt spoke slowly and precisely. "A hundred and one things could happen between now and when the Queen Artemisia is boarded by Customs. You yourself said three weeks was enough time to search the city's waterfront. Why rush things? I strongly suggest that you wait and do a little more fact digging before you fully commit yourself."

Zacynthus looked at Pitt quizzically. "What do you have in mind?"

Pitt leaned against the truck; already the blue-coated metal was hot to the touch. He looked out toward the sea again, the rugged face beneath the wavy black hair intense with concentration. He breathed deeply, drawing in the salt-scented air of the Aegean, and he was lost for long seconds at the wonder of the intoxicating sensation. With effort he shook his mind back to the cold reality of the moment, and when he spoke he knew there was something he had to do.

"Zac, I need ten good men and an old sea dog who is familiar with the waters around Thasos."

"Why?" Zacynthus asked simply.

"It stands to reason that if von Till carries out his smuggling activities from the villa and communicates with his ships underwater he must have a hidden base of operations somewhere along this coastline."

"And it is your intention to find it."

"That's the general idea," Pitt stated flatly. He looked Zacynthus straight in the face. "Well?"

Zacynthus thoughtfully toyed with his pipe before answering. "Impossible." The voice was firm. "I cannot allow it. You're a talented man, Major. Up to now your judgment rang with practical logic. And nobody appreciates more than me the great help you have been to us. However, I cannot take any chances of alarming von Till. I repeat, the ship and the heroin must reach Chicago without interference."

"Von Till is already alarmed." Pitt was very definite. "He can't help but be wise to you. The British destroyer and the Turkish aircraft that shadowed the Queen Artemisia from Ceylon to the Aegean were a dead giveaway that INTERPOL was on to the heroin. I say stop him now, before any more of his ships load or unload illegal cargo!"

"Until that ship deviates from its set course, and not before, I insist on a hands-off policy regarding von Till." Zacynthus broke off for a few seconds, then he went on quietly. "You must understand: Colonel Zeno, Captain Darius and myself are narcotics men. If we are to do our job efficiently we cannot concern ourselves with white slavery, stolen gold or illegal transportation of known criminals. It sounds cruel and heartless, I admit, but INTERPOL has other good men and departments who specialize in these crimes. And they would say the same thing if this particular ship carried a cargo that was under their jurisdiction. No, I'm sorry, we may lose von Till in the end, but we'll lock up the biggest illegal drug distributors in North America, not to mention drastically cut the outside flow of heroin."