It was not so much what Craig said as what he left unsaid that was important. He was a graduate of the Naval Academy at Annapolis. He and Stinky Higgins had finished in the same class. Higgins had stayed with the Navy. Craig had not been able to endure the inactivity of belonging to a fighting organization when there was no fighting to be done. He was born with the wanderlust, with itching feet, with the urge to see what lay beyond the farthermost horizon.
"So you were prospecting for gold?" Captain Higgins asked.
"Yes."
"What are you going to do now, if I may ask?"
"Well," Craig said, "I was on my way back to the States, to join up again, if they would take me."
Higgins grinned. "If they would take you? They will grab you with open arms. They could use a million like you."
"Thanks," Craig said.
A knock sounded on the door.
"What is it?" Higgins said to the aide who entered.