Two of the men were hosing down the deck. The sea water from their hoses made a drumming sound as it shot across the decks. Evans was surprised. “The first time they’ve ever done this without being told.” Bervick laughed, “The crew knew we were going before you did.” “They usually do.” They climbed aboard. Bervick went aft with the paint. Evans opened the door to the dining salon and stepped inside. The Chief, sitting on one of the tables, was smoking a cigar. Down the companionway, Evans could see the two assistant engineers working on the auxiliary. “What’s new, Skipper?” asked Duval. “Hello, Chief. Your boys pretty busy?” “Yeah, getting ready for the big trip. Lucky we took fuel last week.” “It was.” “When we leaving?” The Chief asked one of his few direct questions. “Tomorrow morning.” “Straight to Arunga, I suppose.” “No, we’re going to the Big Harbor first. We go on from there.” “I guess I’ll be able to see Olga then.” The Chief grinned. Evans looked at him. “What about Bervick?” “What about him?” The Chief was not interested and they said nothing for a few moments. Then he said, “I hear the Chaplain’ll be with us.” “So I’ve heard. I guess the Captain will tell me about it later.” “Probably. I got to get to work.” The Chief slid off the table and walked toward the engine room. Evans could hear the sound of his voice as he talked with his assistants. Evans knew he was telling them that they were going west to Arunga as he had said they would. Evans walked into the galley. The cook, John Smith, was scrubbing pans. He was alone in the galley. “How’s it going, Smitty? Where’s your helper?” Smitty put down the kettle he was scrubbing. “Gone,” he said with suppressed drama. “I seen everything now. What does this guy do? Does this guy help in here? No. He go down and lay on his fat butt. I’m going to get off this boat. I seen everything. He won’t work, won’t do nothing....” “I’ll talk to him, Smitty.” That was always a good promise to make. Smitty would be mad at something else the next day anyway. “By the way,” he added, “have you got enough rations to get us to Arunga? We’re going to have three passengers.” Smitty gasped. His lean ugly brown face was contorted with grief. “I seen _everything_ now.” He spoke softly as if he were praying. “I got no bread. I got no meat. I got no nothing now. How,” his voice rose to a wail, “how am I going to feed the crew? I make no bread on the water. They eat out of cans, that’s all.” “Well, you work it out and get what you need. We’ll leave tomorrow at eight.” Smitty muttered to himself. Evans went up to the wheelhouse. Bervick was standing over the chart table: a chart of all the islands in the Aleutian Chain before him. He was squinting thoughtfully and carefully measuring out a course. “Think you can get us there?” asked Evans. “What? Oh sure, I was just checking the old course. Last time we ran too close to shore off Kulak.”