Voyage to Somewhere Read Online Free PDF

telegrams?”
    â€œI’m afraid not. Only if there is an emergency.”
    â€œOh, there’s no emergency, sir.”
    Another pause.
    â€œI don’t really have to send a telegram, sir.”
    All the men seemed to be waiting expectantly.
    I took out my pipe and lit it. “It’s pretty hard to have to stay aboard like this,” I said. “But you see there is a reason. If everybody got ashore it would be easy to find out just when the ship was sailing. It would make it lots easier for the enemy.”
    There was a respectful silence.
    â€œAnd you know,” I went on, “this isn’t going to be a bad trip. We’re going to see lots of places. You’ll have lots to remember. And if we all learn our jobs there won’t be anything particularly dangerous about it.”
    There was another rustle of movement that somehow signified assent.
    â€œWell,” I said, “good night. If you’re worried about anything, let me know.”
    There was a muffled chorus this time. “Yes, sir. Good night, sir.”
    I turned and walked out. When I had reached the deck I heard someone behind me. I turned and saw the huge, gray-haired first class boatswain’s mate I had noticed before.
    â€œGood evening, Boats,” I said.
    â€œGood evening, sir. I just though I’d tell you—they’re all right. They’re green as grass, but they’re all right.”
    â€œYes, Boats, I think they are all right.”
    He hitched up his shirt and took out a package of cigarettes. Carefully he lit one.
    â€œWell,” he said, “good night, sir.”
    â€œGood night, Boats.”
    He went back into the forecastle and shut the heavy iron door behind him. I stood by the rail looking down into the narrow strip of water that divided the ship from the land.

CHAPTER SIX
    T HE MORNING of the day we sailed we spent snugging everything down. I prepared a last list of gear we did not have and telephoned it to the Commander.
    â€œThat’s all right,” he said. “You can get everything you need in Hawaii.”
    At two in the afternoon, an hour before we were to cast off our lines, a truck came down on the dock with a huge drum of steel cable. This we were to carry to New Guinea as deck cargo. I was busy making a last minute check of the charts and told the chief boatswain’s mate to get it aboard. He was a thin little man with a very loud voice, and he seemed pleased at the prospect of using the booms for the first time. All the time I was working on the charts I heard him shouting. The booms squeaked, and when they picked up their load I felt the ship heel over perceptibly as she bowed under her burden. The drum of cable weighed over two tons and was over eight feet in diameter. As the booms brought it amidships the ship straightened up again. Looking down on deck, I could see the men struggling to set the drum down just forward of number one hatch where it would be most out of the way. There was a jolt as the deck felt the impact of the weight, and the tackle swung free. The seamen stood in a circle around the drum looking pleased with themselves.
    At three o’clock sharp the harbor pilot came aboard. He was a big man by the name of Mr. King.
    â€œLet’s get going,” he said. “I’ve got five more ships to take out this afternoon. I haven’t been home on time for supper for a week, and tonight’s my wedding anniversary.”
    Over the ship’s public address system we called mooring stations. Mr. Rudd hurried down into the engine room. Boats took the wheel, and the quartermaster stood by the engine-room telegraph. On deck the chief boatswain’s mate rallied the men around the mooring lines. On the wharf yard workmen waited to cast off the lines.
    â€œI’ll take her away from the dock,” I said to the pilot. “Then you take over.”
    The engine-room telegraph jingled as we rang up “Stand by.”