“She Was a Swell Ship!” Said Scoot 10 “Going to the Sub Base, Sir?” 31 They Filed into the Pressure Chamber 45 Hand Over Hand He Ascended 59 They Watched From the Dock 73 They Inspected the Torpedo Room 89 The Sub Set Off and Submerged 101 “They’ve Made You a Lieutenant!” 113 The Skipper Was at the Door 127 The Big Freighter Came Head On 135 “I Want You to Take Over Ray’s Job!” 149 He Adjusted the Eyepiece and Looked 161 Some Fighters Stayed With the Carrier 177 A Two-Motored Flying Boat Came at Them 193 March Pounded Scoot on the Back 207 The Skipper Was Still Unconscious 225 He Tied Himself to the Strut 233 Scoot Appeared in the Doorway 245 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration: _“She Was a Swell Ship!” Said Scoot_] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ MARCH ANSON and SCOOT BAILEY of the U. S. Navy CHAPTER ONE FAREWELL TO THE _PLYMOUTH_ The launch purred smoothly across the calm waters of the harbor, making for the Navy Yard pier. Their feet braced against the slow roll of the boat, two young men stood looking at the huge gray ship they had just left. “I’m beginning to have my doubts,” Scoot Bailey said almost to himself. “Same here,” the other replied. March Anson was shorter than his friend, but more solidly and compactly built. His gray-blue eyes were steady and cool, matching the set of his jaw, but the crinkling lines at their corners showed that this apparently serious young man spent a good deal of time smiling or laughing. “She was a swell ship,” Scoot said sadly. “_Was!_” exclaimed March. “She still is! Just because Bailey and Anson have left her, don’t you think she can carry on any longer?” A slow smile spread over his face as he turned to look at his friend. But Scoot was serious. “Oh, sure, March,” he replied. “But she’s out of our lives now. She’s past tense for us. And—well, she’s been just about everything to us for a year now—home, mother, and sweetheart!” “I know what you mean,” March said. “And it’s natural for us to wonder if we’ve done the right thing in being transferred. Right now we’re looking at what we’re leaving. In another ten minutes we’ll be concentrating on what we’re going to!” Scoot Bailey turned around and sat down.