“Phil, you can dismiss it from your mind,” Sydney told him after he had given him the good news. “Lazar has played his trump card, but he has not moved the captain. He likes you, and of those we like it is hard to believe evil.”
Phil’s face beamed with pleasure.
“Syd, I count myself, indeed, fortunate to have two such friends, you and Captain Taylor,” he answered, lowering his voice to hide his feelings.
In two days more target practice was ended and the fleet once again anchored at its base under the protecting wing of Cape Cod.
Phil’s new duties kept his mind from brooding over his troubles with Lazar and opened up to him a new side of ship life.
All official papers now passed through his hands and the lad found himself in very intimate relations with his revered captain.
It seemed to him, sometimes, that there were some of his shipmates who were less friendly.
“It may be my imagination,” he thought. “I have not been entirely honest and my conscience feels guilty for concealing my secret.”
In the midst of these thoughts, the wireless operator brought him a message, just received from the flag-ship.
He glanced casually at the bit of pink paper, then his eyes opened wide with excitement as he read the words of the message.