oyage! The weather seems in league with the
enemy to baulk our passage. Every cursed thing! Head winds and heavy
seas all the way. Fog! These horse transports having to heave-to, and
forcing the rest of the convoy to head up and mark their damned time!
And now this, just when we were looking for a 'slant' to make the land!
Maddening!

The bridge is astir with the change of the watch. A fine job they make
of it! Like a burst of damned schoolboys! Oilskin-clad clumsy ruffians
barging up the ladders, trampling and stumbling in their heavy
sea-boots, across and about, peering to find their mates! Are they all
blind? Why can't they arrange set posts for eight bells? Why can't they
look where--"Th' light, damn you! Dowse that light! _Huh!_ Some blasted
idiot foul of that binnacle-screen again! Th' way things are done on
this ship! Egad! Would think we were safe in th' Ship Canal, instead of
dodging submar----" A slat of driving spray cuts over and we dip quickly
under edge of the weather-screen.

The second officer arrives to stand his watch, and the Third, who goes
below, is as damnably cheerful and annoying as the other is dour.
"North, --ty-four east, th' course. She's turning seven-six just now,
but you'll have to reduce shortly--drawing up on our next ahead.
Seven-three or four sh'd keep her in station. _Neleus_ ahead there, two
cables. Rotten weather all th' watch. Squalls, my hat! There's another
big 'un making up now! Th' Old Man over there--like a bear with a
sore--raisin' hell 'bout----"

"Oh, a--ll right! Needn't make a song and dance of it! North, --ty-four
east? Right!" Picking up binoculars, the Second scans the black of it
ahead, as though now definitely set for business.

The watch is taken over and all seems settled, but the Third is not yet
completely happy. He gloats a while over the Second's gloomy outlook,
and yawns in that irritating _arpeggio_, the foretaste of a good sound
sleep. "Oh, d'ya read in orders 'bout th' zigzag for th' morning
watch?--a new stunt, fours and sixes; start in at----"

"Oh, g'rr out! How can a man keep a watch, you chewin' th' rag? Yes,
I--read--the orders!" _S-snap!_

"_Huh!_ A pair of them!" It comes to us that something will have to be
said about the way the damned bridge is relieved in this ship!

Into the chart-room, to fumble awkwardly for light ('_T'tt!_ That switch
out of order again!') and search for a portent in the jeering glassy
face of the aneroid. _Tip, tip,