"But this life-boat you were in? What happened?"
"Jap bombers happened. They caught the ship I was on. Luckily we managed to get a few boats away—"
"I see. Where are the other boats?"
"Machine-gunned," Craig said. "A rain squall came along and hid us so they didn't get around to working on the boat I was in." He shrugged. "We were ten days in that boat. I was counting the jewels in the Pearly Gates when your task force came along. But enough about me. What about you?"
Higgins shrugged. "What you can see," he said.
Craig nodded. He could see plenty. The boy who had been known as "Stinky" in their days at Annapolis was boss of a battle wagon.
"I heard you resigned your commission within a year after we had finished at the Academy," Higgins said.
"Yes," Craig answered.
"Mind if I ask why?"
"Not at all. I just wanted some action and it didn't look as if I could get it in the Navy. So—"