Page:War's dark frame (IA warsdarkframe00camp).pdf/19

 AN'T be a submarine—We're too far out!"

Keep quiet, it's all right!"

"Don't get excited!”

Exclamations came in men's voices, unnaturally suppressed. From the women arose one or two half choked cries. Feet hastened along the decks. Apprehensive but without panic we poured through the companionway. You admired the women in that moment, because they had an appearance of steeling themselves against dreadful inevitabilities. And the sea was sullen and unquiet.

Many of us, I think, foresay what we should find at the forward rail—a view of the crew with purposeful faces at emergency drill. Yet the necessity for that exercise, the wisdom of shocking us from our Sabbath somnolence by the raucous alarm of the ship's bell, reminded us how closely