"All starts well," commented Dave to Lieutenant Fernald. "May all end as well! By the way, Mrs. Darrin is said to be on board the 'Gloucester'." "Congratulations," said Fernald, heartily. "And you may look, sir, for every officer and man aboard this craft to redouble his efforts to make the day's task a complete success." "I don't want it for that reason, although I expect from all on board the fullest efficiency. Fernald, I'm not running an American naval vessel primarily for the safety of my family." For this trip the lookouts were trebled. They stood at every point of vantage from which anything on the sea might be sighted. Mile after mile the "Grigsby" logged, plunging and dipping in the sea, her decks running water and spray dashing continuously over the bridge. It was wet work, and over all was the roaring racket of the ship's powerful machinery. To Darrin it was music; the dash and the sense of responsibility thrilled him. At last came the anxiously awaited hail from the lookout aloft: "Topmasts of a ship almost dead ahead, sir." "Keep her constantly in sight, and as soon as you can make out the hull report whether she displays the hospital Red Cross," the watch officer called back. "Aye, aye, sir." To those on the bridge the mastheads were soon visible. After that came the lookout's hail: "She's a hospital ship, sir. I can make out the Red Cross plainly through the glass." "It must be the 'Gloucester,' then," remarked Lieutenant Fernald. "Pass the word that the first man really to sight a periscope or a conning tower shall have a fortnight's shore leave extra," Dave ordered. He smiled as he heard the scattering cheer that greeted that announcement. "The real way to the sailorman's heart lies through extra shore leave," he told Fernald. "I wouldn't mind winning that prize myself," muttered the executive officer. "That is, if I were sure that I could honestly accept the leave without prejudice to duty." "Find the periscope, then," smiled Darrin. "I am sure I can win the promised reward, even for the executive officer." Not long afterward they were in plain sight of the "Gloucester." On she came, the smoke pouring from her pair of funnels. A fast craft, the hospital ship was making about her best time in her hurry to get safely across with her precious human cargo. Then the "Grigsby" swung far out to port, cut a part of a circle, and came back on the hospital ship's port bow, darting ahead again, cutting across the hospital ship's bow far ahead and to port, then turning and crossing once more. After the two craft had proceeded some distance farther the two mine-sweepers were sighted well ahead. These craft would soon turn and sweep the waters for mines ahead of the hospital ship.