Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

u up in," moaned Bilge dismally. "I wanna go back on our little oil-barge. There's going to be too much work here, and anyway, I want something to cat light now." "Huh, you got too lazy on that oil- baige!" grunted Jonesy, "You did nothing but cat. Work on, kid, and take some of that fat ofT your bones!" "Why, if it ain't the canary!" cried a jubilant voice. "My prayers arc answered !" Jonesy, kneeling on the deck, looked up and saw the huge form of Chief I'etly-ofEcer Scott towering over him. Scotty had an expression of fiendish joy on his face, and Jones remembered with inward trepidation that little inci- dent of the oily sponge. "I'll teach you to throw sponges at me!" howled Scotty, seizing Jonesy by the neck in a powerful grip. The victim wriggled helplessly, and the petty-officer pusJied his Jiead down into a pail of water that stood conveniently near. The water was not exactly clean, and Jone.sy spluttered and gurgled furiously, but all in vain. Down went his head again, and yet again, while the other ratings standing round rolled about in paroxysms of laughter. Scotty had certainly had his revenge. "There, sailor, that'll show you I ain't the man to be monkeyed about with," cried Scotty, at last letting his victim go. "Now you and the other wen from the oil-ship come with me." Scotty led the five men to the officer on duty, and they were detailed for \arious jobs in the afternoon. "Joi>eis—about all we've got left, sir," said Scotty, indicating the new man with a contemptuous wave of the fiand when duties for the others had been arranged. "Well, he'll do, I suppose," said the officer. "Jones—admiral's barge. That's all, bos'n. Take 'em off now." So in the afternoon Jonesy went off as one of the crew of the admiral's barge, a smart motor launch, to fetch Admiral Corbin out to the flagship. "Fine old man, the admiral," re- marked one of the crew to Jonesy. " You seen him ?" "No," replied tJie young sailor. "I know Captain iJeatty by sight and two cf the other officers, that's all." "Boathook there, Jones!" yelled a petty-officer as they approached the shore. Jonesy seized a boathook and steadied the barge alongside the jetty. A moment later Admiral Corbin, accom- panied by a lady, came down the slop- ing way towards the barge, and Able- seaman Jones found himself staring in- credulously at Kit and her fatlier. The recognition was mutual. The admiral glanced at the sailor standing on his launch, and knew him at once. Without moving a muscle of his face, he handed his daughter on board and gave the order to return to the flag- ship. Kit had not so much self-control, for she flushed violently, and then be- came very pale, but she pulled herself together by a great efl'ort and passed Jones without even looking at him. I^ater that day Admiral Corbin faced his daugliter in the seclusion of his cabin on the Colorado. "So your millionaire from Brazil turns out to be a seaman on my flag- Khip, transferred to us this morning from that oil-tanker alongside," he said. "After all, father, the joke's on ine," lejjliod Kit, smiling a wry sort of July 11th, 1931. BOY'S CINEMA smile. "He had something to do with oil." "He sailed under false colours— ashamed of his uniform," growled the admiral. "You must not speak to him again. Kit." " I don't tliink he was ashamed of his uniform," said the girl. "It was just a joke, that's all." "Making love to you, and staying vei-y late in my house—jokes, too, eh? I tell you, girl, this business must finish. You don't seem to realise tlie seriousness of it. If that fellow talks about you " "He won't say a word. I know he won't!" cried Kit. "He'd better not," said the admiral grimly. "I can't understand you. Kit. You saw this man for the first time last night at the Watkins party, you say ? I wonder how he got there, by the way. And now—it's ridiculous. I want you to marry into the Navy and keep up the family tradition; but there's Michael, a very good fellow." "I know he is," replied Kit in a low tone, "and I like him very much; but I love John. And you can't turn love on and off like a fountain." "Love at first sight, eh? Now listen, girl. You are all I've got. Don't break my heart. I'll suffer enough when I leave the Service in six months' time. Don't speak to this man Jones until after I retire. Will you promise. Kit?" There was a silence for some minutes, while the girl looked earnestly at her father. She saw that ho was deeply affected, and at last she spoke. "Okay, dad! Okay, skipper!" she said, drawing herself up and saluting the admiral solemnly. So when, a little later, Jonesy saw the admina-l's daughter step on to the barge to return to the shore, and looked eagerly at her, she passed him as though he did not exist. When the launch acached the jetty, she ran very ixipidly up the slope to her car and jumped in. To the astonishment of the crew, .Jones raced after her, in c^piie of an indignant bellow from the petty officer in charge. " You might give me a chance to explain. You might—well, you didn't tell me who you were, anyway !" "Okay, skipper!" murmured Kit, letting in the clutch without looking at the young sailor, and starting off, while Jones gazed after her with grow- ing indignation. " Okay, if that's the way you feel about it;" he cried. "Ok<iy, okay, okay !"' Battle Practice. ABLE-SEAMAN JONES, feeling not just in the b.^st of spirits, was cleaning the smoke-stack next morning when a, shout from the deck startled him. "Jones, come down," cried Scotty. "I've got a much better job for you." Jonesy got down, and observed the traces of a grin lingering on the petty officer's face. Ho followed Scotty to the officer's quarters, wondering what now misfortune wias to befall him. Scotty knocked at a ca.bin door and entered. "Here's vhc man. sir," he said, haul- ing Jonesy in, and forthwith retiring. Jones found himself face to face with Lieutenant Michael, and he had per- foaxc to stand to attention, and to com- poso his face to a suitable expression of respect. "I won't ask you what game you' Every Tuesday were up to the other night, Joues," said the lieutenant with ominous calm, " but I'll tell you this. If ever I see you approaehing Mis* Corbin again, I'll kuoek you through the side of this ship." An inarticulate sound came from Jones. "What did you" say?" demanded Mike. "I said 'Very good, sir,'" replied Jonesy, haeking slowly away towards the door. "Shut the door," cried the lieutenant angrily. "Very good, sir," replied the young sailor. He saluted end went out, .*hut- ting the cabin door with exaggerated care. In the passage stood Scotty, waiting for him. "C'mon, Jones," cried Scotty. "You're detailed foa' gun number three —my gun—and the practice is on Monday. We've got to get busy. C'mon !" Down in the casemate of gun number three, the old hands scented fun when they saw Scotty bring along a new man. ^'Three men were killed on this gun the last time we had battle practice," remarked a gunner lugubriously. "YcMh! And the first one to go was the one who had the job you've got — lifting up the shells," said another. "Aw, shut youT mouth," growled Scotty. "Don't you believe 'em, Jones. They're trying to make you quit. But I ain't having quitters on my gun. see ? And now get to it, sailors, and we'll try for the record again." Monday came, and the Colowule steamed out to sea with the fleet. Rac- ing along at twenty-five knots the great battleship came level with her target, an obsolete cruiser anohcured some miles away. Up above, the giin- nery officers were busy getting tlie range, and xsrescntly orders came down, and the great guns roared out, sending their shells oveir miles of water to crash into the target. On the bridge, the admiral, the cap- tain and a group of other officers watched keenly, noting the rapidity of tJie fire of each gun, and the hits made, so far as could be observed through the smother of smoke that smrrounded the sliip. "Number three gun is too slow," remarked the admiml presently. "It's a couple of rounds at least behind all the others." Tlio remark was true, for in the midst of the hurii-y and bustle of load- ing the unlucky .Jones had dropped a shell. In spite of the heated words of Scotty, the consequent delay could not be made up, and the gun finished with the worst record of any on the ship. A lieutenant come hurrying down at the end of the practice. "Admiral says your gun's too slow," he cried. " Bos'n, you're in charge he:re. You'll answer for this." "I'll answer for this!" howled Scotty, turning furiously on Jones when the officer had gone. "You spoil our record, you yellow pup, and I answer for it! "You'll answer some, too!" With a leap he came at .Jonesy, and a terrific straight ]&il took that un- fortunate sailor in the right eye. He went backwards with a crash, and when he got lip, ruefully enough, Scotty hed gone. "You SAW that. Bilge!" howled Jonesy. "I'm lodging a complaint, and you'ro a witness, and don't you forget it." Joues duly brought his complaint