Page:Barbour--For the freedom from the seas.djvu/40

 thing may happen even here. You know the Smith's men stick to it that they dodged a torpedo off the Maine coast the other day."

The boy smiled again, and the Ensign, watching, chuckled. "Just my idea," he agreed, although the other hadn't spoken. "Still, it would be something to even think you saw a 'fish,' eh? There'd be a dime's worth of excitement in that! How did you happen to go into the Reserves, Troy?"

"I wanted to get into action, sir, and the folks I talked with thought I'd get there quicker if I enlisted in the Reserves than in the Navy. I'm not so sure now, though. Maybe I made a mistake." The Wanderer called gruffly twice to a tug ahead and the tug unhurriedly replied. Ensign Stowell spoke to the man at the wheel, through the open door of the house, and turned back again.

"Blessed if I can tell you," he answered. "Looks to me, though, as if they were going to need every man they can get before this shindy is over. Well I hope they'll shove me over before long! I didn't count on serving in a two-by-twice motor boat. Have you been to sea much?"

"I made two trips on a sailing vessel, sir, with 18