“Whatever you say is all right with the rest of us, Larry,” March said. “You know that.” “Perhaps,” Larry replied with a smile. “But this involves a little more work for everybody and I want you all to agree that it’s best. You see, I think we’ve got a good crew here—men and officers alike. We get along. We know our business. Getting along together is mighty important in this work, and I don’t know how another officer would fit in even if we could get one.” “I know,” March agreed. “You can never tell until you’ve lived in each other’s laps for a while, as we have.” “So I want to skip getting—or trying to get—another officer to replace Ray,” the Skipper went on. “Plenty of subs this size have operated with four officers and so can we. But we’ll have to split up Ray’s work.” “Okay with me,” March said at once. “What can I take on?” “That’s why I wanted to talk to you alone first,” Gray said. “I want _you_ to take over Ray’s job, really.” “You mean as diving officer,” March said, with a thrill. “Yes, and as executive officer, too,” Larry said. March started to say something, and then he realized exactly what Gray had said. On his first real patrol, he was asked to serve as second in command of a new submarine! It was unbelievable! “But—Larry,” he said. “Do you think I can handle it?” “If _you_ think so,” the Skipper said with a smile, “then I think you can, too. I think you can handle just about anything on a submarine that you want to handle.” “What about McFee?” March asked. “He’s been out before—been with you before. He’s had more experience.” “No—not McFee,” Larry said. “Mac’s a wonder at his job, and he could take over just about any other submarine job in an emergency. But—well, Mac knows this as well as I do—he’s just not quite enough of an executive to handle this. I know that he just wouldn’t want the job. He doesn’t like to tell people what to do. He wouldn’t like to be a general manager, and that’s what an executive officer is, really.” “Well, you know him well,” March said, “but won’t he feel a little funny about having a raw recruit, so to speak, put over him?” “Not Mac,” Larry answered. “He’s not like that. Anyway, how about it?” “Well—I’m mighty pleased that you’ve got enough confidence in me to ask me,” March said. “And I surely ought to have as much confidence in myself as someone else has. Okay, Skipper, you’re on.” “Swell, March,” Gray said with a broad smile. “I don’t feel so bad about not having Ray now. We’re going to do a job in _Kamongo_.” “I just hope I can navigate and dive and exec,” March said, “all at the same time.” [Illustration: “_I Want You to Take Over Ray’s Job!_”]