Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

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6 tJiau ihe others can do." He turned to Bill. "Set a comse for Hooncr Strait. We'll invcstiffato iho shallows off Bloodswor-.h Ishiiid. One of thcni is f\iic to tVY to Rot throuKh close to tho thore." "Yes, sir," loplied Bill, and promptly set to work with dividers and parallel ruler's. Prcsonity he turned to Herbert. "North seventy-three desrecs east!" ho said in his hot iirofessional voice. "North seventy-three degrees east!'" repeated Herbert concisely, and besari to case off the chaser to its new direc- tion. Suddenly, as if he had been struck with an idea, he looked over at the chart. "Hi, isn't that wrong, Bill?" he ; skcd in ordinary tones. "I reckon we're not more than ten miles ijway from Cedar Point, and we've been RoinpT ■bouth forty-five east. The course should be very nearly due east, shouldn't it?". Bill consulted the chart apaiu and shook his head. "No. .According to the la?t D.R. petition, what I said was right." "Independent!" roaied the lieutenant, ■Hiottiug another periscope on the horizon. "You're wiongi" snapped Herbert, and left the wheel to sec for himself. The SC7 careered on, the eyes that were supposed to keep it safely on its c-ourse looking eiscwheie. Its engines ihrobbcd steadily, it-6 guns roared almost wilhout cessation, and faintly above it all came the buz/.ing from the wireless cabin next to the bridge. "Check!" the lieutenant shouted as the submar'ine dived. The guns became silent, and almost simultaneousl.y with the stopping of the noise came a horror-struck shout from beneath the bows of the vessel. "What was that?" whispered the lieutenant, suddenly turning pale. "Heavens, I believe we've " He leapt to the engine-room telegraph. " Stop port and starboard !" There was a gentle thud, and tho khouting ceased. Then came the crisp order from forrard: " Soa boat's crew!" The falls began to run out through the •favit-blocks as a small cutter slipped downwards and rested itself on tho surface of the water. "We've rammed a si7iall dinghy, sir," said the bo'sini, running up from tho deck. "It's a pleasure craft with a )iian and a girl in it." " Anyone hiu t ?" "No, sir. Both saved. Their craft is sunk, though." The lieutenant Herbert wrathfully angry gleam. " What were you doing at the time of (he collision. Cadet Luff?" he asked. " Looking at the charts, sir," replied Herbert. "That was deliberate disobedience of oiders!" the licniteiiant .snapped. "You know quite well that yon are not allowed to take your eyes off the sea ahead while at the whoel. You might have killed everyone on this chaser if it had been a rock we'd hit. Report yourself under arrest when vou get back, and lemain in your quarters until defaulters' parade to-morrow." "Very well, sii," Herbert said, and looked away as ilie lieutenant went to make his apologies to the victims of his carelessnos.s. The Commencetnent Ball. BILL, this is perfectly rotten!" Herbert hih] when they met in cabin number forty-six a day Teliruary l.'itl). l'J30 wheeled round on In his eye wafi an BOY'S CINEMA later. He looked from his friend to two others standing by—Skccter and Bulge, so called because the one was thin and the other fat. " Can't you fellows think up something?" Bill shook his head. "No," ho replied. "Absolutely nothing. You can't break open arrest. Herbert. It isn't done." " But, hang it all, man, to-night there's tho Commencement Ball, and Betty's coming down specially for it.' Herbert looked out of the window miser ably. " She's—we're as good as en gaged, and " Ho broke off awk wardly. "Well, you can see how it is," he finishod. Bill nodded, but it was quite beyond his powers to help. Herbert had been remanded for three days on a charge o? wilfully deserting his post during manaHivres, thereby causing damage to private property, and the skipper was waiting to hear how jnuch the damage would cost before dealing with tho case fuithcr. To make matters worse, the period of remand cut across the Commence- ment Ball, the greatest function of the season, when the cadets were allowed to invite their friends and relatives to an all-night dance. The dance seldom lasted all night, for it is not easy to keep awake when you are used to turn- ing in promptly at ten o'clock every night, but rules were relaxed sufficiently to make the occasion really enjoyable. "Well, there's only one thing for it," Herbert said after a pause. "I'll have to get you three fellows to look after her for me. You can explain what's happened, and tell her that if she likes to wait until the day after to-morrow I'll be atle to see her. Will yoii do that for me?" "Is .she good-looking?" Skeet«r asked quickly. . "Here's her photograph," Herbert replied, pulling one out of his jacket pocket. Skeeter inspected it in silence, and then handed it back. His , expression was sheepish. "Leave it all to me, old man," he said. "I'll stick to her like glue all evening." "Fine!" said Herbert. He turned to Bill. "Perhaps you'll take over her mother for me. She's not a bad old gii-1, even if she does talk a lot." "But " Bill began. "Thanks so much. I knew you would." Bill mumbled sometiiing and went away. He could not exactly call him- self a success where ladies were con- cerned, and he was not too cheerful about having to act as escort to one that was probably close on fifty. Anyway, he would do what he couhl. After all, it was darned hard luck that Herbert should be confined to his quarters, and the least a pal could do was to j)ut things right with his future mother-in-law. Bill changed into his dress uniform immediately after morning watch and took the early train to a neighbourinir town to have some films developed. He just managed to catch tho four o'clock train hack again, which would bring him into Annapolis an hour before the festivities were due to commence. Ho walked down the aisle of the pull man and saw one vacant seat some paces away. Next to it was a girl. Bill drew in his breath sharply. Her head was almost in profile as she looked out of the window at the passing scenery, and her .sheer beauty almost knocked him dizzy. He stood staring at her in astonishment, hardly believ- Every Tuesday ing that such a glorious creature could be human. Then he pulled himself up sharply und recollected that he was standing in the middle of a crowded car looking a perfect ass. Summoning his courage, he ivent to the vacant seat and sat down by her side. The next ten minutes he spent in thinking out all kinds of devices for ittracting her attention and opening up i;onversation. Each scheme seemed a good one until he came to try to put it into effect. Then his courage failed him completely. He was just evolving the details of his eleventh idea when she suddenly turned. "This is the right train for Anna- polis, isn't it?" she asked. "I heard somebody behind me say that it stopped at a place called Eastport." "Yes—er—yes !" Ho cursed his tongue for having suddenly developed a tendency to cleave to the roof of his mouth. She turned her deep blue eyes on him as if he were a new kind of lunatic. "You don't seem very sure," she said gently "I am. Believe me, I am." He spoke quickly now, anxious to set her mind at rest. "You see, Eastport is the nexk station beyond Annapolis, and it is the terminus. I am at Annapolis myself, so I know." "Thank you." She turned away, interested in the scenery again. Bill tugged at his collar as if it were choking him, and ventured another remark. "It's a nice place. Annapolis, I mean. Ever been there before?" "Yes," the girl replied, not turning her head. "I arrived there this morn- ing." Bill suddenly had an idea. " I say, you're not going to tho Commencement Ball at the Navai Academy, are you ?" he asked hesitat- ingly. "I mean, I'm at the academy myself, and if you will be there I'd like to book you for a dance." He pau.sed, expecting a reply. When none came he blundered on: "It's frightful cheek, I know, but I—well, I thought perhaps " She turned round so quickly that ho almost fell off his seat. "What?" she asked. " Eh ?" He blinked at her surprisedly. "What did you think?" Bill summoned the last of his will- power and prepared for immediate extermination. "I thought perhaps you wouldn't mind my asking you, seeing that I shall be introduced to you at the ball, anyway," he explained. "You see, when all the other fellows spot you, I'm likely to get crowded out. That's why I want to fix something now." She smiled, and her eyes danced pro- vokingly. "I haven't said I'm going yet," she said. -"But I am, of course." She looked at him and hastily averted her head. "Why did you say you would he crowded out?" she continued softly. " Becau.se—because " Bill gulped convulsively. "Well, because you're so woiwlerful. That's why." He became defiant now that the bridge wa.s crossed. ' The brutes will simply swarm all over you. Anybody would. If 1 thought vou'd agree, I'd ask you for every dance on the programme." , She turned away to the window once I again, and for some time neither of ithem said' anything more. It was not until the brakes were gr-iKMng on tho