Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

■TraT"""""'''"^^ Every Tuesday BOY'S CINEMA He accepted the blame ror another's offence and nearly ruined his career. An appealing romance of two naval cadets and a charming girl. Starring Johnny Mack Brown. Annapolis. • WHEN Bill anived at the small junction at Odentoii to wait for the local train into Annapolis, lie was beginning to get uncomfortable. Three long years liocmed to stretch before hirn like a century. During those years, almost completely cut off from liis family for the best part of the time, he would have to work like fury. He took comfort from the fact that his father was in the Navy. Because of this he would probably have a better time than most. Old man Dunn w%as only a junior officer himself—even though he was nearly fifty—for he had worked his way up from the lower deck of the service, and only in exceptional cases did rankers soar to the dizzy heights of commander. Bill reckoned he had a better chance than his old man. He was starting in the senior service as a cadet, which meant that after only three years he would get what his father struggled twenty-eight years to achieve—a com- mission. After that the sky was the limit. The important rank of Admiral of the Fleet, the highest immediately under First Sea Lord, was within the reach of every cadet who started at the naval academy at Annapolis. In spite of the" fact that Bill felt a little lost, as though all his old asso- ciations had suddenly fallen away fiom him, his ambitions compared with the next fellow's very favourably. Already he could imagine himself wearing the uniform of supreme command, watching his battleships sweep past in salute on his annual inspection of the fleet, and listening to . the forrard six-pounders booming across the waves in acknow- ledgment of his authority. Already he could visualise the eight o'clock salvos from naval dockyards, which would announce to the stations that ho had arrived for his periodical visits. mg masthead of every vessel in harbour as the eehoe? of the gunfire rumbled away into the distance. lie smiled thoughtfully as he stood on the small wayside station, and life felt better. After all. ho argued to him- self, all these things were possible in time. It was just a matter of working hard and waiting patiently enough. The Admiralty could not help recognising his worth sooner or later, and then the coveted position would be won. The fact that he had not yet even Ixigun his training at the naval aca- demy did not disturb him in the least. Hang it all, everyone had to start some- time, and he was starting now. But he was starting with a difference. To him, nothing was impossible. He would leave the otiier cadets far behind. His abilities would dazzle his superiors. Bill's imagination had just brought him to the point where he was con- ducting a battle and wiping a fleet twice the size of his own completely off the surface of the seas, when ho felt a touch on his arm. "Got a match?" inquired a voice. Ho turned to see a fellow about his own age standing before him, cigarette in hand. "Sure," he replied, and brought out a lighter. He watched in silence while the other lit up, and then spoke again. "Is this the right platform for An- napolis?" "It is," was the reply. "Are you bound for the naval academy?" " Yes." "Ho am I. We might as well go along together." Bill liked the idea, and said so. So they exchanged names, and found that the stranger was Herbert Luff. "It's a great life we're going to," Bill went on when they had introduced themselves. "I reckon you and I ought to be pals. What do you saj'?" Herbert inspected him much as he^ would inspect a new suit that he was buying. He was not exactly a gracious individual, and made no attempt to be. "Well. I suppose it's all right," he said casually. "I've certainly got to pal up with somebody, and you'll do as well as anybody else At least, until I have time to look round." Bill looked at him -vrathfully. There was something about this chap he did not like. He seemed so superior—so cocksure that ho was the only person in the world that mattered. Bill was about to make some caustic remark, when he thought better of it. No use making enemies right at the start, he reflected. After all, this offen- sive way of speaking might only be an unfortunate habit, and he might not really mean to be like that "You and I will get on mighty well together," Bill replied, making a strenu- ous effort.to bo friendly. "I reckon I can be useful to you, too. You see, my father's in the Navy, and he knows the ropes. It's going to help a terrific lot." "Is that so?" Herbert surveyed him once more with that sweeping stare, but this time his glance was more in- terested. "Well, what with your in- fluence and my brains, we ought to be in a position to run this place very shortly. People at the top get a bit irksome unless you get some hold on them, you know." "Er—yes." Bill was not quite sure what to say. It was obvious that Her- bert was entirely unaware of the con- ditions of life in the Navy. He thought it best to change the subject. "I shall do well here," he wont on. "I'm going to put my back into it. 1 want to be Admiral of the Fleet one of these February 15th, 1930.