hing
very exciting in passing through the danger zone on a troopship."

"And I hope, sir," Greg put in, "that nothing will happen to change
your mind about the danger. For my part, I have been eating in
momentary expectation of feeling a big smash against the side
of the ship."

"What is happening now?" demanded Lieutenant Noll Terry, half-rising
from his chair.

All could feel that the big ship had suddenly changed her course
to a violent oblique movement to starboard. Yet, as no alarm had
been sounded no officer cared to rise and hurry to deck. It might
make him look timid or nervous.

"There we go again, in the opposite direction. We're zig-zagging.
What do you make of that, Captain?" Lieutenant Terry asked.

"The enemy craft must be around and sending torpedoes our way,"
Dick guessed, dropping a lump of sugar in his coffee and stirring
it slowly.

"In a merry throng like this the suspicion that you're being dogged
by a hostile submarine doesn't strike one as very terrifying,
does it?" Greg inquired as he took a piece of cake from the plate
held out to him.

At this moment the adjutant, Captain Craig, who had been eating
with Colonel Cleaves in the latter's quarters above, entered the
dining-room briskly, stepping to a nearby table and rapping for
attention.

"Gentlemen," he announced, "the sea appears to be infested, at
this point, with unseen enemy craft. Ours, among other transports,
has narrowly dodged two torpedoes. It is quite within the limits
of possibility that we may be struck at any moment. The commanding
officer therefore requests me to ask that company officers,
especially second lieutenants, finish their meal as quickly as
possible and station themselves near their men. This is not to be
done hurriedly, or with any sign of excitement, but merely in order
that, if we should be struck, discipline may be preserved
effectively."

There was no excitement. Second lieutenants finished the morsels
on which they were engaged, some of them washing down the food
with a final gulp of coffee. Then, without undue haste, they left
the dining-room by twos or threes.

Adjutant Craig watched them with nods of satisfaction.

"That was the right way for them to leave," he told Dick. "We
do not want to throw any extra excitement in among the enlisted
men, but we want them to feel that their officers are standing
by, and that, at need, there will be disciplined rescue work."

Soon after the last