“I’ve often dreamed of being on the sea in one of these rubber rafts,” he mused. “Men have lived in them for weeks.”
“It wouldn’t be bad if the weather were always like this.” She leaned back in lazy comfort.
“It’s rather rough on me, this experience,” he said at last.
“It’s too bad you lost your plane.”
“Oh! It’s not that. I could buy another. Thing is, I’ve really proved to myself that I’m no good for flying. I went out cold right up in the air. I came out of it in time to save myself, but not my ship. Even so, if it hadn’t been for you I’d have drowned.”
“You’re too important to be taking such needless chances.” There was a note of kindness in her voice.
“Yes. I suppose you’re right, but I have so wanted to be back there in the islands with my friends, fighting it out with those unspeakable Japs. I kept sort of kidding myself along, but now—”
“Now you know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”
“Ah! So you’re a preacher?” He laughed good-naturedly. “Well, I don’t mind. What’s the rest of the sermon?”
“You’ll have to make new friends where you are. You’ve made some already. I am one of them, ‘one of the least of these.’”