“Your sailing orders, Darrin!” hailed a staff officer, walking briskly up and holding out a bulky envelope.
“Do I have a few days in port?” Dave inquired, hopefully.
“Sorry to say that you do not. You are required to drop out with the tide at four this afternoon.”
“Very good,” nodded Dave, pleasantly, though he did deeply regret that he could not have a few days in port. He must miss meeting Belle, who was bound for this same port.
“Your orders, too, Dalzell,” continued the staff officer, handing Dan an envelope of appearance similar to that which Darrin had received.
“Sailing orders for to-day for me, too?” he grinned.
“Same time as Darrin’s,” and the staff officer had hurried away.
While the friends had been out on their last cruise two big, new destroyers, lately commissioned, had arrived from the United States.
To Darrin and Dalzell, in recognition of their fine work against submarines, had fallen the commands of these new sea terrors.
The “Asa Grigsby” was Dave’s new craft; to Dan had fallen the “Joseph Reed.”