“Wonderful!” March cried. “Why, I feel completely at home already!”
“So do I, sir!” Scott said.
Gray, who had listened to the exchange of conversations, spoke up.
“The Navy is wonderful!” he said. “They really do things right. You’d think nobody higher up would have time to think of these things. But here we’ve got two-thirds of a crew with officers that’ve been in action. And the other third, just trained, all know each other. Officers and men were trained together. Why, we’re really going to get along.”
As they went through the ship, March and Stan said hello to the other men of the diving section from New London, and there were mutual congratulations all around. A spirit of happiness and friendship spread through the boat. The older crew members, most of whom had served under Gray before, caught this spirit and felt that all this was a good sign, a good omen for a new ship just starting out on her shakedown cruise. March saw Gray close his eyes for a moment, and smile very slightly. He suddenly realized the Skipper’s great responsibilities. He knew that a crew that got along was essential to successful submarine work. And it had happened. This crew was going to click, and Gray knew it. He was duly thankful!
CHAPTER NINE
DESTINATION—
All during the morning supplies were being loaded into Kamongo—food and oil and water and torpedoes. Larry Gray spent the time from eleven to eleven forty-five at Navy headquarters, going over final details and receiving his sealed orders. When he returned, his officers reported to him one by one, informing him that their departments were ready.
He looked at his watch. “Fine,” he said. “We might as well shove off. Come on, Ray.” He stepped from his quarters into the control room with Corvin, his executive officer, behind him. There he saw March at the little navigation desk.