Commander Ford joined them.
“After that test there’s no question about the seaworthiness of the S-18. We’re putting back to the Laidlaw yard at once. We’ll start south sometime tomorrow.”
That was news and Tim went below and dictated a story to Ike Green, who sent it to the Journal station. It was the first story sent directly from the S-18.
That night when they were back in the yard, a truck lumbered through the main gate, a winch on the dock clattered noisily and a long, cigar-shaped object came slowly down. A forward hatch was opened and the torpedo locked securely in its rack. After that a case of shells for the four-inch gun and three machine guns and a half dozen automatic rifles and sixteen revolvers with plenty of ammunition were lowered from the dock.
“We’re going to be something of a floating arsenal,” chuckled Pat. “Believe me, if we get in a jam old Joe Gartner is a handy man with the four-inch gun.”
“What about Sladek and his expedition?” Tim asked.
“Commander Ford told me this afternoon they were ready to sail at a moment’s notice. We’ll be slipping away tomorrow night which may cause them a little trouble in following us.”
The next day Tim went to the Sea King factory on Long Island and made sure his plane was ready. Then he wrote the final stories of plans for the departure and sent them to both the New York Journal and the News at home, with release dates for the next day, when they would be well out to sea and off the Jersey coast.
A subdued air of excitement gripped the crew of the S-18. This was the big night. Before midnight they would be headed down the East river, bound for the open sea and the start of the big adventure.