“Breath-taking, isn’t it?” said Shorty.
“I can hardly believe we’re really on our way at last,” said Nancy happily.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
AT SEA
That journey across the Pacific was a never-to-be-forgotten experience. Though the intensive training of the last busy weeks was over there was still plenty of routine in their lives. “Abandon ship” drills were part of every day’s program. They never knew when they were coming, nor whether, this time, it was the real thing. Every nurse, swathed in her Mae West, must be standing at attention by the lifeboat assigned her when the Colonel passed for inspection. Nor did his inspection stop there, but their quarters must always be tidied so as to bear the scrutiny of those piercing gray eyes.
The soldiers laughed at the women when they appeared with the most unexpected items to be taken along just in case this life drill was the real thing. Ida Hall invariably came out wearing dark glasses while Mabel always brought a rubber bathing cap.
“I’ve got to protect my permanent from the salt water,” she explained, when a young sergeant asked if she was going swimming. “I figure I won’t get another wave any time soon.”
Nancy had a horror of being adrift without lights and water, so always had her flashlight and a well-filled canteen.
“If I forget everything else I hope I won’t leave my knife behind,” said Janice. “I may need it to slay sharks or cut up fish to eat.”
Though they got what fun they could from this serious business, it gave Nancy a feeling of safety to know that everything had been so carefully planned for their welfare. She couldn’t help wondering at times, however, if Tini’s wilfulness had really supplied the enemy with information they sought about the convoy. She had caught only occasional glimpses of Major Reed, but at no time was there opportunity to speak with him privately, so her curiosity about the whole matter had to be stilled.