“You forget that they come to me for initials every week. They are elaborate drawings.”
“A few hours, sir....”
“Let that pass.... They attend Divisions and Quarters. They are in charge of the stokers at Upper Deck Evolutions. And they attend their guns. All this in their watch off.”
“I am not responsible for their Upper Deck duties, sir.”
The Captain’s eyes flashed. “That was unnecessary, Engineer-Commander. It is your duty to make your orders conform to circumstances. Have you realized that these young officers get less than eight hours sleep in forty-eight?”
“Surely, sir——”
“I worked it out while I waited. There are the figures.”
“I didn’t think, sir——”
“It is extraordinarily necessary to think when you have young lives in your hands.”
“I will instruct Mr. Aggett at once to make some modification, sir.”