Chapter 1–George's threat.
Once there was an inventor named Henry.
Henry was 52 years with a full head of greying hair that defied his vibrant manner.
He was taller than most people in his small town, in Florida USA, and had kind big brown eyes.
Like most inventors, he didn't pay much attention to his appearance. He was always dressed in an old green buttoned shirt and faded blue trousers.
He patched his own worn brown shoes instead of driving to the cobbler. He considered going there a waste of time that took him away from his passion for making his big idea come to life.
When Henry was a kid his family went on a trip of the Everglades National Park to see crocodiles.
The large reptilian beasts were indeed impressive and scary, but what amazed Henry the most was the huge flocks of birds that took off from the marsh.
That was the day he became fascinated with flight.
Not airplane flight, or hot-air balloon flight. Not even a wing glider flight.
But a flight where any person can take off to the sky whenever he wanted.
So as Henry grew that fascination became a passion.
And this passion became his big idea - to create a flying belt!
He envisioned and designed a kind of machine that would be light and small enough so it can be worn on the waist.
It would be full of tiny electronic and mechanical devices to enable one or a maximum of two people to fly unlimited distances at different velocities and heights.
It would be powered by a special device that converted the sun's solar energy into electricity.
The user would never need to worry about any fuel for the flying belt.
For balance, the belt generated air pockets around the user to allow him to sit, stand, or lie down while flying.
Another crucial device was a special container tied on each side of the belt that pulled out and accumulated the moisture from the air, even in arid conditions (this, of course, worked more slowly than in humid countries.)
On his back and chest, the user carries two backpacks with extra clothes and emergency food and even a tiny and very light refrigerator powered by the same energy of the belt.
For the comfort of the user, there was also a miniature air condition unit.
And more and more devices - complicated and not easy to understand.
The funny thing about Henry's invention was that several years ago when his car broke on a bridge, he discovered he suffered from a fear of heights.
So instead of flying himself, he tested the flying belt for the first time on his dog, Jet, using a remote control unit.
Jet felt very uncomfortable at the beginning with the strange flying pose, its belly pushed backward and its limbs dangling.
Henry threw several dog biscuits upward and after a few tries Jet grabbed them and chewed happily.
The belt was now ready for more testing.
This time with a human pilot. He decided to try it on himself for a short distance, perhaps his bad experience on the bridge was temporary.
He tried to fly very low and slow for some minutes and felt relief, that he didn't fear much, he tried a little higher and it was the same result. "Never mind," he told himself. "I will try higher and faster, but meanwhile I want that one of my sons will do a long-distance near the shore."
Henry had three sons: Tim, Din, and Paul. Paul, the eldest, was a bright, cheerful, and adventurous 18 years old teenager.
Tall like his father and with green eyes like his mother.
He copied his father's modest taste in clothing and usually wore a very casual t-shirt and trousers.
Tim was 17 years old with brown eyes and hair, a tall, quiet, and sensitive boy.
Din, was a smart, quick thinking, and an adventurous boy of 16, matured for his age.
His brown eyes took everything fast and without fear.
There was a meeting in Henry's hiding place.
Henry his sons Tim, Din, and Tom together with Margaret, a magnificent woman of about forty a wife of a criminal from South Africa named Martin, the chief assistant of Mr. Eduard the criminal governing the diamonds market in South Africa.
Her daughter Jane fleeing from Martin and helped by Din and Paul as was told in the previous book "The flying belt–Din and Paul adventures.
Henry began the meeting by greeting warmly Margaret and her daughter telling them they could stay with them as much as they wanted.
Then Din and Paul told their adventures in South Africa and Namibia. After that Henry began relating what happened to him and Tim, while Din and Paul were in the African continent:
"I was sitting in our house thinking of another invention I had in my mind when the phone rang.
It was George, my ex-friend, as always his brute character showed up. "I know that you are at home with your precious son Tim.
By the way where are your other brats? "
"Never mind, we have a deal to finish.
Bring the diamonds to my house and the deal is finished without harm to you or your son."
or I will destroy your house, burned it to the ground" he added savagely.
"No problem." I answered, "just pay me the sum of… for them and the deal will be finished."
"Idiot, stupid, you don't know with whom you talk, last chance, tonight at my house you give all your diamonds."
Then the phone went silent.
I sat considering the situation, it was again as when you two were with me,
I couldn't call you for help. I had to act.
To defend the house was out of the question.
I could fly with Tim in the night and burn his house, but he would burn mine.
I decided to take the diamonds from the secret place and taking Tim with me to try to sell them somewhere.
I took the diamonds with me considering where to go.
I decided to save the boat so I and Tim sailed with it to our secret creek,
Then we flew to Kingston Jamaica, where I knew a man who had connections with diamonds trade,
His name was James a short man in his fifties brown eyes, receding grey hair.
He had a small office in New Kingston in Hope road, in the airy foothill the Blue Mountains.
James greeted me warmly. We talked a little and then got to business.
James said " I know a man named George in Florida dealing with diamonds why had you come that far away instead of dealing with him?"
I was shocked, "Was it a coincidence that he knew about George or perhaps, George informed all his friends about me."
I decided to play the innocent.
"I talked with George but he was busy so I came to you."
"Ah, in that case, I would recommend Raymond,
I can arrange a meeting with him here in my office tomorrow, let us say at 5 o'clock in the afternoon."
"Is he in the business?" I asked.
He shook his head to say yes.
So we departed.
I had to think quickly, something was fishy.
Deciding to send Tim to watch James' office after dark.
He came back after an hour excited. "Father, Mr. George was in James' office with some of his men."
"Good," I said "as I thought."
We flew from Kingston hurriedly
There was no way I could stay in Kingston with George and his gang there.
It took us four hours to reach a lonely shore in the western tip of Haiti.
We had to be careful.
I knew the inhabitants there were unfriendly,
So we sat alone without making a fire, to pass the night.
I was frustrated.
I thought I could do the sale quickly and smoothly, but I was mistaken.
George has agents and friends in Jamaica too,
"Where else had he agents? Perhaps in the Bahamas islands?"
I had a very bad experience there.
Perhaps in the Dominican Republic?
It was near Haiti, actually on the same island. but I knew no one there.
I decided to try it in Santo Domingo, capital city of the Dominican Republic.
The next day I landed with Tim in Santo Domingo, 3 million inhabitants.
Situated in the south of the island which was named in the past by Columbus Hispaniola.
I went to a jewellery shop in Avenida Mella and asked the owner where I can sell two diamonds.
He told me he was interested.
I showed him the diamonds and sold them in cash for a good sum of money.
"Do you have more diamonds?" he asked
"I have a friend who had some more diamonds" I said.
He smiled. And said "come to me in the evening and bring with you the rest of the diamonds."
When I got out I met with Tim, I told him what had happened and asked him to watch the shop.
He came back and warned me not to go there because some bad characters came to the shop and stayed there.
"Good boy," I said it's the second time you save us.
We will try another shop tomorrow."
"And if they are in the same gang?" asked Tim his pretty face darkened.
"We had to watch the shop before coming in," I said.
"It's a big city there are many jewellery shops."
The next day I called another shop by phone and went there late in the morning.
There I met a fat man about fifty, bald with little brown devious eyes, which gave me a bad feeling.
When I came in he was with another man thin and ugly, who he introduced as his partner.
That man looked at me cunningly.
The first man introduce himself as Gomez and the thin one as Pedro. "Well." said Gomez "What did you bring me senior Henry?
I showed him four beautiful diamonds.
His eyes lit, he took a magnifying glass and check them carefully. Pedro did the same checking them thoroughly.
At last, they looked at each other for a short time, then Gomez offered to pay a sum of money.
It was much lower than I expected so I said no.
He offered me a greater sum of money but I said no.
We haggled for a long then we agreed on very handsome cash money in dollars.
"you drive a hard bargain," said Gomez
"Now for the real thing, you didn't come all the way from Florida for only four diamonds,
bring me the rest and I will give you a fair price as I gave you for those four diamonds."
"In cash?" I asked.
"In cash," he said.
"How many diamonds do you have? He asked.
"I will bring you twelve diamonds," I answered carefully.
"A cautious man." He said without smiling,
"Come tomorrow at the same time, I will organize the money for them."
Then we parted.
When I met Tim, the boy blurted immediately "we are followed." "Of course," I answered, "how many?"
"Three," my son answered "a very ugly man and two more."
"Never mind," I said "they want to know where we reside, so we show them our hotel."
"But father," he said alarmingly "they would come after." He said.
I smiled "We would take care of it." I said confidently which I didn't feel.
"We have to hide most of the diamonds, but how?
To send Tim with most of the diamonds to Florida would be a very long flight and dangerous one, and for what purpose
"if I would need them would I sent him again that distance?"
I dismissed that idea.
All the diamonds were in our backpacks; they would come to search for it when we would not be in the hotel.
So I decided to buy two more backpacks, as resemble as possible to ours. We filled them with stones and put them in the room's cupboard.
"Now how can we hide our real backpacks?"
I thought "This was a foreign country,
I knew no one," so I decided to send Tim in the night to stay with the real bag packs on the hotel's roof, until I would call for him.
So we did.
I stayed in bed for a long time in the night, but nothing happened,
I was about to call Tim back, when I heard a low sound, somebody was opening the door silently.
I pretended to be fast asleep, making from time to time snoring sounds.
He or they worked quickly and soundless.
They opened the cupboard took the fake backpacks and went away.
I called Tim back, we put the real backpacks under our bed and locked the door leaving the key in the lock.
The next day I came alone to Gomez's shop.
He was with Pedro.
I looked at them searching for some anger or disappointment but saw nothing.
They were good actors.
"Well," said Gomez unsmiling "did you bring the diamonds?"
I showed him them.
Again the two of them checked the diamonds carefully through their magnifying glasses.
We haggled for a long time then agreed for a good sum of money, which they gave me in dollars.
"How many diamonds will you bring tomorrow?" he asked.
"Well," I said "this time we talk about twenty ones."
"Good," said Gomez unsmiling as always "until tomorrow then at the same hour."
I had a problem,
I had a big sum of cash money and many more diamonds.
I had to get rid of the cash money.
I went to the biggest central bank branch of the Dominic Republic, in the city centre and met with the bank's manager.
I told him of my wish to open a bank account, which he called a clerk to do it,
Then I told him of my wish to deposit the cash money I had,
At first he was reluctant to do it, asking me some questions about the source of the money,
He reconsidered it again, thinking perhaps of that extra big sum of money deposited in his bank,
and the considerable sum of money I offered him.
"If you have more money, don't hesitate to call me." He said smiling. His name was surprisingly Mr. Gomez.
I made another transaction with Gomez and got a handsome sum of money for the twenty diamonds,
which I deposit in the same bank paying the same commission to Mr. Gomez the bank manager.
Before departing from Gomez the diamonds dealer, I told him I would bring another twenty diamonds.
Good fortune doesn't last forever.
The next day when I prepared to go to Gomez's shop I had a bad feeling.
I sent my son to watch the shop.
He came back excited.
"The shop is full of policemen." He said.
"What happened," I asked alarmingly.
"Something happened to Gomez, I heard from the mob surround the shop that he was kidnapped."
"Time to be off," I said
"But first I want to transfer most of the money to my bank account in Florida, leaving only few thousands of dollars in the Dominican bank account.
I asked Tim to wait outside the bank and went to meet the bank's manager.
Mr. Gomez was disturbed and excited.
"Why did you ordered most of your money to be transferred to an American bank?"
Without a word I gave him a considerable sum of money.
He smiled and said, "your transferring order will be executed immediately."
He said calling a clerk to his office and ordering him to do it.
This was the end of our dealing with Gomez.
We had to leave the country immediately, and so we did after disposing of 36 diamonds getting a vast sum of money for them. "Now what?" I thought.
"Jamaica was closed to me because of James' connection with George."
Florida was dangerous for me except my hiding place which I hoped no one discovered it.
My house in Florida?
Perhaps George had really burned it as he had promised to do?
I considered it for sometimes then I decided to go back to my hiding place in Florida,
to consider how to sell the remaining diamonds.
I got another message from the unrelenting George threatening me to burn my house if I don't give him my diamonds.
I didn't answer him and thought "So my house is still untouched by him."
We took off from Santo Domingo
flying through the length of Hispaniola island landing at the western tip of Haiti in an uninhabited place,
spending the night there, safe but uncomfortable.
I decided to fly back with Tim to my secret place in Florida,
put back the rest of the diamonds in their secret place.
To finish my new invention: The Maritime light-weighted sun-powered boat's engine!
It would operate in the same principles as that of the flying belt
which means enabling the boat to sail without fuelling.
It would be able to sail long distances even unlimited distances without fuelling.
That would be a very great advantage.
I would equip her with some flying belt's devices such as getting an unending supply of water from the air
and the advance system of navigating and communication devices.
I was excited and anxious to reach a secret place and do it.
Chapter 2 – The new invention.
We took off from Haiti in the morning, flying above a smooth sea towards Great Inagua island in the Bahamas island.
This island was famous because some treasure laden ships were wrecked there, such as the Spanish galleons the Santa Rosa in 1599 and the Infanta in 1788.
"Perhaps a treasure could be found by one of my sons." I thought. We landed on the island for an hour to rest and then continued northwest
when the weather changed abruptly for the worse, we were just leaving the island Great Inagua,
We turned back immediately and landed not far from the north shore of lake Windsor.
The ground was low, so we had to hide behind a big rock against the coming squall.
Luckily, it was a short one and past after an hour, leaving us drenched with water.
We took off again and landed at Long Island in the Bahamas after three hours' nonstop flight.
This island is the most scenic island in the Bahamas.
It was afternoon, and we rested in a place near a rocky headland. While we were resting another squall struck the place.
This time we had no problem hiding behind a big rock.
This squall lasted longer and became a full storm during the night.
We passed a restless night, but Tim was a good lad, he didn't complain.
The next morning was quiet, and we took advantage of the weather to reach Nassau the capital of the Bahamas island.
There I got another threat from George, which I again didn't answer. From Nassau, we flew the last leg, coming safely to our secret place.
I put the rest of the diamonds in their hiding place.
Now that I have money I could continue with my new invention.
The engine was finished but needed testing after putting it into my boat.
I took Tim with me.
We flew to the hiding place of my boat, bringing with us the new engine which weighed about 4 kilos, packed in a box with its accessories.
We sailed the boat to a boat's dock in Miami harbour and stayed there to survey the work.
I worked with a very good marine engineer name Mr. Parkins. Together we assembled it and then took the boat which I named Eagle for a trial.
It was 80' in length and a draft of 4.5 feet.
accommodation for 8 people.
The hull material: fiberglass.
I got out of Miami harbour sailing south. The weather was calm and I listened to the new engine's sounds. It worked perfectly.
I would try it again in rougher weather.
After the trial, we had to make some minor changes, especially for safety.
We made a place for a second engine to be operated only in an emergency,
When the first engine would be in trouble.
That reserve engine I brought separately.
The assembly took about a week,
We made a long series of test in good and bad weather and in a storm conditions.
This last proved that the boat was not strong enough to overcome real storms,
The engines functioned perfectly with all the other devices.
I decided to build a new boat with much stronger materials and with accommodation of up to ten people in four cabins equipped with beds and mahogany made tables.
It was actually a kind of medium size yacht equipped with the new engine and devices which could make literally endless length of voyages without fuelling.
It was strong enough to overcome the usual storms and squalls.
I equipped her with the necessary things such as food blankets, mattresses, etc.
The yacht's building took three months.
All that time we lived in the dock's area.
One of us flying from time to time to check our hiding place
the diamonds there and above all my schemes equipment for building flying belts and maritime engine according to my inventions. This place was more precious to me than my home, because there I could invent or build and improve my life's work.
During this period George tried a few times to send new threats, but I didn't answer him, and he didn't know about the yacht's building with its new invented engines and devices.
Chapter 3–Henry and Tim take a voyage in the new yacht.
After all the trials were successful,
I decided to take Tim with me together with the rest of the diamonds for a long voyage in the Caribbean islands.
It would be a chance to test the yacht in real conditions and at the same time to try to sell the rest of the diamonds.
I insisted on taking our wonderful and tested flying belts with us for safety in emergency conditions.
We begin our voyage early in the morning in good weather and spirit. Our first goal was to reach Nassau the capital city of the Bahamas
Islands.
It would take 17 hours voyage from Miami Florida at a velocity of 12 miles per hour.
If the weather would permit it would be an easy run.
The second leg would be another 200 miles to Port Nelson in Rum Cay east of Long Island in the Bahamas islands.
I gave Tim the wheel after setting the direction for Nassau,
The yacht sailed easily at 12 miles per hour, the engine ran smoothly;
I relax on the upper deck with a wide hat on my head and a bottle of beer in my hand.
Tim was enthusiastic to take the wheel and stood by it proudly looking from time to time around but most of the time at the electric gyro showing the direction.
We had other means to do it, for example by satellites, but I preferred to do it the old way,
to train Tim and myself if the sophisticated device would stop functioning.
We had, our flying belts to do it independently.
The first leg to Nassau was completed without incident, and we entered the harbour at eleven p.m. anchoring in a safe place.
While the good weather continued.
The next morning, the weather changed abruptly, with strong winds and a lot of rain.
I was tempted to get out of the harbour to test the yacht in that weather, but I didn't do it because of the limited space between the Bahamas islands.
Tim wanted to test his ability in bad weather, but I forbade him because of the above reason.
Staying in Nassau was bad for me, as I was known here.
George's agents were there for sure and could inform him of my where about.
We stayed at the yacht till evening looking for people approaching us. But no one came because of the storm, that was good for me.
When evening came the wind strengthened and was whistling the rain came in force, with a lot of lightning and thunder.
The next morning the storm weakened but not passed away.
I decided to try and reach Rum cay despite the weather.
I took the wheel while the two of us had lifebelts on us together with our flying belts.
The yacht encountered big waves from the southeast, which meant opposite us.
I took the only measure in my hand to sail against the big waves climbing up then falling into a trough which shook the yacht.
Tim signal me to have the wheel for him, but I refused.
It was too early to give him such a responsibility in a complicated and dangerous situation.
He was disappointed, but I signal him to keep himself near me and learn.
He obeyed reluctantly.
That weather continued until midday.
The rain stopped, and the wind became weak;
The sky cleared and we had a warm day.
I gave the wheel to Tim who was happy to do it.
It was after midnight that we reached Port Nelson in Rum Cay, Dropped the anchor into the harbour's ground and went to sleep.
The diamonds' number left in our hands was 64 in various sizes.
I decided to sell them to many dealers in order to diminish our risk.
I left Tim in the yacht.
Telling him to be alert and come to my help if needs be.
Then I went ashore and strolled slowly in the city's centre.
After a while I saw a jewels shop, entering it,
seeing a middle aged Indian from India dressed in an Indian fashion.
I had in my pocket 6 diamonds of various sizes.
The shop was without clients for the moment,
I asked him if he has a private office inside the shop.
Understanding immediately what was the meaning of it.
He called a young Indian, perhaps his son, ordering him to stay in the shop,
Telling me in a low voice "Follow me, please Sahib"
I went after him looking around to see if we were not followed.
We entered a small room in the shop's back.
There were table two chairs a computer and a safe.
We sat opposite each other, then he said "What do you have?"
I showed him one of the diamonds a medium-size one.
He examined it with his magnifying glass for some times,
then said "Do you have more?"
"First of all I want to know how much would you give me for this diamond?"
"A fair price." He answered shortly.
He didn't to discuss it,
I showed him the other ones, among them two big ones.
He didn't show any surprise and gave me a price for all the diamonds.
I didn't agree, and we haggled a long time then we agreed on a price. "I don't have such a sum of cash money, but if you come tomorrow, bring with you more of that merchandise we could conclude a big transaction."
"Could you transfer the money to an American bank instead of giving me cash money?"
He was surprised
"People do it in cash."
"Not I."
"But it would take one working day to confirm it."
"Prepare a bank clerk to do it for you immediately and we will make a bigger transaction," I said.
He looked at me for a long time then called somebody on the phone and talked to him in a strange language,
"it's Ok a friend of mine in the bank will do it an hour for now, could you bring them within that period?"
I answered "yes."
And we parted.
Outside the shop, I called Tim in a low voice gave him the shop's address and asked him to watch the shop.
I stayed a little distance from it hidden until Tim came to relieve me. I flew to the yacht, added 26 more diamond to one of my back packs and put the other 32 diamonds in Tim's back pack,
asking him what was happening in the shop.
He answered "two people came into the shop, one a big and strong brown man and another thin and old brown man."
"Be alert." I said "if I am caught, I will send and an emergency signal.
Try to save me if you can but don't endanger your life."
With that I left him and entered the shop.
The owner waited for me.
We entered his back room, he introduced two people,
an old one which the owner said was his partner the other an assistant of him.
"A bodyguard would be better." I thought but said nothing.
We sat near the table, the big moved towards me,
I stood up and said "Get rid of him or no transaction."
The owner nodded to the big man, who moved immediately towards me, but I was prepared for him.
I flew up and kicked him strongly with my two legs on his head.
He fell without a sound and lay on the floor, blooding pouring from his face.
I flew quickly through the room's door and the shop calling Tim to fly to the yacht.
The stunned partners didn't react until I was out of the shop.
I met Tim before the harbour.
A boat with 4 armed men was departing from the shore towards the yacht.
We flew quickly boarded our yacht, raising the anchor,
I looked at the boat it was about 200 yards away moving fast.
The anchor raised we began to move quickly using our superior engine,
We reached the harbour's entrance when they got to our anchoring place. shooting wildly at us, without hitting us.
We crossed the harbour's entrance directly into a stormy sea.
The pursuing boat stopped at the harbour's entrance when they saw the stormy sea.
We headed towards Matthew town in Great Inagua island in the Bahamas islands which was located in the south-west corner of the island.
It was a rough going, fighting against headwinds, big waves, and rain.
I was holding the yacht's wheel sailing against the waves.
The yacht behaved perfectly climbing up the waves and dropping down the troughs, like a young stallion,
braving the waves again and again.
From time to time a wave would pass over the rails flooding the decks,
without entering inside the yacht's cabin which their doors were closed tight.
It took us more than five hours difficult sailing before we approached Matthew Town.
With difficult and anxious we succeeded in entering the harbour, anchoring as usual away from the shore as we did in Port Nelson in Rum Cay.
I was remorse.
"Against my better judgement I tried to sell all the diamonds in one transaction."
I had to be very carefully and not to be tempted to sell all at once.
I hoped here in this city my luck would be better.
I left Tim to guard the ship then landed on the shore flying the short distance between the yacht and the shore.
I looked for a jewellery shop and found one which was owned by an old Indian named Karan.
A crafty man with little active and penetrating brown eyes.
When I showed him 6 of my best diamonds, he checked them carefully, then suggested a ridiculous price for them.
I gathered the diamonds and headed out when he called me back.
We had a long and difficult haggling, but in the end we agreed on a very good price for me, but surely leaving a good margin of profit to him.
I insisted on transferring the money to my American bank account,
which he did reluctantly, saying that cash money was a much better way.
He called into the bank a clerk who did the transfer immediately.
When I saw the sum of money safely in my bank account I gave him the diamonds.
Before parting, he asked me if I have more diamonds.
I was in a great dilemma to say yes would have caused perhaps the same situation as in Rum Cay.
A target for wicked and dangerous men.
To say no I would perhaps lose an opportunity.
So I decided on a compromise.
I told him I have another six diamonds.
He thought for a moment then said: "Are they the same quality as the last ones?"
"That can be," I answered.
We decided to meet the next day at noon.
I was satisfied, that way I could sell my diamonds part after part without a great danger.
When I came back to the yacht, my son whispered to me "we are threatened,"
pointing at a boat at the quay, just leaving it.
I knew that we must sail immediately,
The same happened again this Indian dealer suspected that we have more the 6 diamonds to offer, and sent men to get them.
Quickly we raised the anchor having the advantage of being away from the quay.
We began to sail towards the harbour entrance when people appeared there,
threatening us with guns, calling us to stop.
"Tim," I said "get down on the deck I will sail at top speed zigzagging. "
The manoeuvre surprised them and they began shooting quickly with a poor aiming.
Managing to get the yacht out of the harbour, getting few bullets in the yacht's side, and one even grazed my head.
Then we were out of the harbour meeting a calm sea.
The boat from the harbour gave us a chase firing from time to time,
Accelerating the yacht's speed and so the distance between us lengthening.
The pursuing boat shot at us from time to time, without hitting us.
It took us another hour of racing to shake off our stubborn pursuers to give up.
I was frustrated, so many jewels dealers cheating, full of avarice and untrusted.
Everyone I came through was dangerous and uncurbed.
Perhaps Izak in far off South Africa was made from another species.
I decided to take a break from selling diamonds.
Becoming too much known in the Bahamas,
I had to give it time before renewing my efforts.
Having more money in the bank after selling those 6 diamonds.
I had paid all the yacht building's price.
The maintenance of the yacht was low because I didn't have to buy fuel at all.
Telling Tim that we continued our trial voyage in the Caribbean islands without dealing for the time being in selling diamonds.
But we were not free from danger,
we had George to consider, not to mention other potential enemies from those I had encountered and other avarice people.
In short I have to be always alert.
I told Tim to do the same.
I decided to touch Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic.
It is located in the north of the Dominican Republic about 30 miles north of Santiago.
Even though I had a problem in Santo Domingo, this port city is more than 130 miles north.
A day or two there surely wouldn't come to the attention of the Santo Domingo's merchant and his gang.
We headed southeast towards the port city.
A sailing of about 200 miles (13 hours sailing).
It was early afternoon, the sea still calm.
So I could sail in average velocity of 13 miles per hour.
I gave Tim the wheel, and he was happy to have the yacht for himself.
I went to sleep.
We were supposed to reach Puerto Plata about four in the morning. The day was hot, without a puff of wind.
I cooled the cabin with an air condition,
which helped Tim too, being in the same wheelhouse,
which functioned as the yacht's bridge.
Suddenly I got a phone call.
It was from George again.
He didn't threaten this time.
"Come, Henry, for the sake of our friendship, we could meet again and solve our problem like civilized people."
"Perhaps he tries to establish my location." I thought
"by talking a long time."
This man was the worst of my enemies, worse than those who tried to rob me recently.
This man was once my friend and now because of the diamonds he became the worst enemy.
He continued to talk.
"Come Henry I know you are listening to me.
Why should I burn your house, when we can solve it quickly,
by submitting the rest of the diamonds which you hadn't already sold, and the money you got by selling some I agree to leave in your hands. Don't try to sell more,
I know to whom you had already sold some."
I didn't answer to him, but he continued.
"I am a patient man I will wait for you but not for a long, better comply with my demands,"
He waited for a while when he got no answer, he chuckled before closing the phone.
I had much to think about,
he knew about my transactions in the islands, perhaps his organization reached this far.
"Did he know about my yacht, if yes he could send people to destroy it,"
I have to put the diamonds for a period of time until I solve the problem with George. I have to be double careful.
I told Tim about the conversation with George,
He answered by suggesting to put the yacht somewhere safely and then act against George in his house.
Tim's suggestion has its merit, but it was dangerous.
That rogue had many men,
To succeed against him would need crafty actions,
which Din was the best to do it with Paul, but they both were in South Africa, acting on my behalf.
I told Tim that we had to postpone a violent action against George for now.
We continued our voyage in a south-eastern direction, while Tim still had the wheel.
I was happy that I took him with me,
He would become more matured and acquire a lot of experience in managing the yacht and dealing with bad people.
"The yacht behaved perfectly," I thought
"beyond my expectation."
When we escaped into a stormy sea and when we encountered a storm,
I felt confidence.
The yacht's engine functioned perfectly,
I could depend on it in a bad weather.
Her speed was larger than any fuel operated engine, as I had in the last experience.
We sailed for some hours in a calm sea, but not for a long, as always in those latitudes surprises were common.
Towards night, the weather changed the sea became rough with short waves.
The wind arose blowing from the west pushing us eastward.
I took the wheel from Tim who stood near me, the two of us wearing lifebelts.
"Can I not hold the wheel in a stormy sea?" he asked.
Reluctantly I agreed while remaining near him.
He behaved bravely fighting the waves as he had seen me do. I was proud of him.
It took us more time to reach Puerto Plata than I planned.
Because of the bad weather.
I had a bad feeling when we approached the harbour at half-past six in the morning.
I didn't know why, but I decided to hide the 58 remaining diamonds deep in the bottom of the yacht covered it with rags.
Tim was surprised "Why did you do it father do you expect trouble?" He asked.
I told him I have a bad feeling, perhaps it's nothing,
but because we came only to see the place and not to sell diamonds,
it would be best to stroll in the city unburdened by unnecessary diamonds.
The city of Puerto Plata was situated on the north coast of the Dominican Republic,
The Pico Isabel de Torres a 793-meter-high mountain within the city was visible from the yacht.
The city itself rises towards that mountain which had a Tramway taking people high to that mountain with a beautiful scenery,
although it is sometimes foggy.
There are many opportunities to see the beautiful scenery.
Puerto Plata had a tropic climate and when we reached it we felt the humid and hot weather.
Anchoring inside the harbour's breakwater near the harbour's entrance.
We flew to the city without our backpacks to feel free and unburden. Climbing up the steep city.
Tim wanted the climb the mountain by the Tramway.
I agreed.
We bought tickets and entered the Tramway's carriage.
There were three people in the carriage.
Two were tourists and one a local dark features man at about 30 years old.
While we were climbing up looking at the green scenery, I felt him gazing at us from time to time.
I wanted to ask him what he wanted, but I decided to ignore him.
The other tourists were looking only at the scenery.
We reached the top and got down from the carriage and began strolling on the prearranged paths.
Tim said suddenly "Did you see the native gazing at us often and now following us."
"We will set a trap for him." I said. "There is a curve the path ahead of us, we will wait for him there."
As we passed the curve we were out of the native's sight, so we waited for him there.
When he came, we surrounded him.
He stood silently looking at us.
"Why are you following us?" I asked in Spanish.
He denied the accusation,
"What about gazing at us many times in the carriage?" I asked again.
"You are imagining it senior," he answered.
I let him go but followed him, he turned his head looked at me strangely and then quickened his steps and disappeared.
I was worried. "Can it be that he was George's man? I asked myself. "How can it be?
We came here only a little more than an hour."
"We have to be on our guard," I told Tim.
Then a thought struck me.
I pulled out my spyglass and scanned the harbour, waiting to see if there was any unusual activity, like a boat leaving the quay.
I looked at my yacht to see if someone tried to climb it.
I saw no one doing it.
We continued our visit stopping at a restaurant to eat a late breakfast. Taking a downwards carriage,
To our surprise we saw the local brown man there,
He was with another native approximately about his age built well and strongly.
We exchanged looks but said nothing, suddenly I said loud enough for them to hear," We will go now to Fortaleza San Felipe, the city fort." We saw a taxi and before entering ordered the driver to take us to that fort.
While the taxi began to move, I saw in the taxi's rear window, the two local people took another taxi.
I looked at our driver and I thought I saw a trace of a smile on his face, when he looked at his mirror and saw the other taxi following us.
I whispered to Tim to be ready to open the taxi's door and fly away when I utter the words "go now."
He understood immediately.
The taxi climbed the steep road to the fort approaching it I looked behind the other taxi was right behind.
I order the driver to stop immediately but he ignored me.
I took advantage of the slowing down of the taxi not far from the fort I cried "Go now."
We both opened the taxi's doors and flew out before it stopped.
The two taxis stopped abruptly.
The two drivers and our local followers jumped quickly, with knives in their hands.
But we flew over the fort's walls.
Landing behind the fort about 300 hundred yards away.
"Did the drivers had guns?
Our native followers were with knives only.
I decided to find out who they were,
George's men or some local criminals.
We landed a hundred yards away from the fort crouching behind a tree and waiting.
The pursuers went first to the fort but not finding us there went behind the fort.
The man we had encountered first that day gave them the order to spread.
I waited I wanted to know more.
I got my answer more quickly than I thought.
The leader told in Spanish that we were rich men owning the new arrival yacht in the harbour.
They became more alert their eyes shining with greediness.
"Come," I told Tim "they are local tourists' thieves.
They saw us shouting they ran towards us.
"To the Yacht." I whispered to Tim.
We flew slowly away from them.
When they saw us outdistancing them, their leader cried to them "To the yacht."
They ran back to their taxis.
Driving quickly towards the harbour.
We reached the yacht sometimes before they raised the anchor and got out of harbour.
We saw them reaching the quay.
tumbling into a motorboat gesticulating with their hands in frustration.
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