“Then what are you doing forward?”
“I left my station, by permission, to go below, sir.”
“Have you been below?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Then why are you loitering here?”
Seaman Jordan hesitated, shifted on his feet, glanced down, then hurriedly replied:
“I—I don’t know, sir. I just stopped here a moment. There’s a relief man in my place, sir.”
“Return to your station, Jordan!”
“Aye, aye, sir,” replied the sailor, saluting, wheeling and walking away.
“And I’ll keep my eye on you,” mused Darrin, as he watched the departing sailor. “I may be wrong, but when I first sighted him there was a look on that lad’s face that I didn’t like.”