Bertram's face was grim .sx " You think it was the Snort , don't you ?sx " John gave a short laugh .sx " I did , " he said ; " but I'd better stop thinking that now .sx Pericles is fitted with an identically similar one .sx " " So there you are , my dear .sx " Peggy's eyes filled with tears .sx " It's so unfair , " she said .sx " That little beast Robbie Munyard spent six months ashore while Pericles was refitting in the dockyard and now that she's ready for sea he goes sick .sx Just because he's an Honourable he can do what he likes .sx Anyway , why pick on you to succeed him ?sx " John didn't answer .sx There was no point in sharing his discomfort with Peggy .sx A submariner's wife needed to be spared as much as possible .sx Anyway the Parsifal affair was far too fresh in both their minds to be a comfortable subject for discussion .sx " It's a command , " he said .sx " We can do with the extra money .sx It'll just about pay Jacky's school fees .sx " " What shall we do about this house ?sx - and Jill's school ?sx - and oh !sx how I hate the Navy !sx If I'd known what it would be like I'd sooner have married a parson .sx " He kissed her .sx " Parsons work on Sundays , " he said .sx " They're worse off than submariners .sx You ought to have married that fat stockbroker chap and shared him with his three mistresses .sx Anyway it might be much worse .sx Pericles is a Portsmouth boat .sx She spends longer in harbour than any other submarine .sx Practically a shore job .sx Cheer up .sx " She wiped her eyes and reached for her address book .sx " I'll write to those agents and try to get a flat in Alverstoke , " she said .sx " But I don't know what Jill will say about leaving her school .sx It's a blessing that Jacky's off to boarding school .sx And all the trouble you've taken with the garden !sx That little beast , Robbie Munyard !sx " Having said her say Peggy manfully shouldered her burden and prepared to break up yet another home .sx In the ten years of married life this had already happened half a dozen times .sx Such is the life of a naval officer's wife .sx John's father had been a naval officer of the old school ; some of his rigid ideas had been passed on to the second generation .sx One of these was that an officer should join a ship , on taking up a new appointment , at nine a.m. precisely , dressed in the modern equivalent of frock-coat and sword .sx It would have been acceptable to all concerned if John had stepped into Fort Blockhouse clad in plain-clothes on the previous night , but ways instilled by martinet parents have a habit of sticking .sx So he put up for the night at The Admiral's Head , that famous Portsmouth hostelry , second only in historic interest to The George , unhappily destroyed by German bombs during the last war .sx Having deposited his baggage and unpacked his overnight-bag he went in search of a drink .sx The lower bar was empty , save for the lady known by all habitue@2s as 'Seaweed' , and a youngish , sharp-eyed man who was staring moodily into a gin and tonic .sx Seaweed's memory was prodigious ; her manner must have been worth a great deal to the proprietors of the hotel .sx She greeted John , however , with less than her usual cordiality and flashed a warning glance at him .sx Evidently the other occupant of the bar was not 6persona grata .sx If her memory was good , so was this stranger's .sx " You're Commander Winter , " he said .sx " Have a gin ?sx " He turned to Seaweed- " Make it a large one , darling .sx I know the naval habits .sx 'Drink gin and call each other wallahs , what !sx '- as the Guards officer said on his return from a visit to the Royal Navy .sx Submarines , what .sx Youngest D.S.C. in the war , what ?sx Crawled inside a submarine casing to defuse a Jerry bomb .sx Should have been a V.C. What are you waiting for , darling ?sx The officer is obviously thirsty .sx " John fought back his inherited desire to snub the man .sx If he did he would have to leave the bar and either sit in the lounge or return to his bedroom .sx Seaweed sensed his embarrassment and came to the rescue .sx " You haven't introduced yourself , " she said with mock severity .sx " It's a rule on these premises .sx No treating with strangers- that's right , John , isn't it ?sx " " My fault entirely , " said the stranger .sx " It's my conceited nature- I assumed that you both knew who I was .sx I'm Ian Bawley .sx Does that mean anything to you ?sx " It did .sx Ian Bawley's name was printed at the head of most naval articles in the Daily Courier .sx " Oh , the Press , " said Seaweed .sx " Down here on business , Mr. Bawley ?sx " " A pressman is always on the job .sx " He held out his hand and John could not do otherwise than take it .sx " Pleased to meet you , Commander , " he said .sx " Now what about that drink ?sx " John nodded- he could afford to buy one in return and he was lonely .sx " For the sake of accuracy , " he said , " and I know how you newspaper people value that commodity !sx - please don't address me as Commander .sx I'm a Lieutenant-Commander .sx Perhaps we could drop the rank- such a mouthful !sx " " You're absolutely right , " said Bawley , as he pushed over his glass .sx " Fill it up , darling .sx Accuracy above all else .sx We pride ourselves about accuracy on the Courier .sx Ever known us bowl a wide about your Service ?sx Check and counter-check- nothing but the truth .sx Somewhat embarrassing , what ?sx " " How can the truth be embarrassing ?sx " John sipped his double gin with relish .sx It was his favourite brand , he was on the verge of a new chapter in his career , and his companion's attitude was challenging .sx Life at home and in Bath had been a trifle too comfortable and humdrum .sx He'd never before met a pressman and found him curiously stimulating .sx " You're a bit of a humorist , aren't you ?sx " said Bawley .sx " The truth is usually very embarrassing .sx You're in submarines , aren't you ?sx " " You know a great deal about me , " said John .sx " It's my business .sx I'll tell you more .sx You're going to take over command of Pericles .sx Am I right ?sx " " Who told you ?sx " " Little bird .sx Other half ?sx " John nodded .sx " On me .sx " Bawley shook his head .sx " All paid for by His Lordship , " he said .sx " Expense account .sx You're a married man with a couple of kids .sx Can't go wasting your substance on a complete stranger .sx Set 'em up , darling !sx " John flushed .sx " I'm not in need of charity .sx " " Come off it , " said Bawley .sx " The proprietor of the Daily Courier knows what's going on .sx If he doesn't mind , why should you ?sx " " I see .sx " John took the refilled glass and looked over the rim at his companion .sx " You want me to talk , is that it ?sx " " You misjudge me , " said Bawley .sx " You have nothing to tell me , yet .sx But we'll be meeting again , no doubt , and then you will have .sx Regard this as a softening-up process , and have dinner with me ?sx On His Lordship , of course .sx " " On one condition , " said John .sx " Tell me who the little bird was .sx " " Can't you guess ?sx Whose portrait appears regularly in the shiny papers ?sx " " You mean Munyard ?sx " " Sure .sx Very useful contact , is our Robbie ; he gives us the gen and we give him the publicity .sx 'The Honourable " Robbie " and friend' , what ?sx You know the sort of thing .sx " " You'll get nothing out of me , " said John , " but you can pay for my drinks if you want to , as long as you keep off Service matters .sx " " Good-oh !sx One for the grill-room , darling , and tell George to bring in the 6carte du jour .sx " Bawley was a man of his word .sx He kept away from Service matters , was an excellent host and a splendid raconteur .sx The evening passed all too quickly .sx As they parted in the vestibule the two men were well disposed towards each other .sx " Ever been to Fleet Street ?sx " asked Bawley .sx " You should .sx Next time you're in Town give me a ring at this number and I'll take you round the pubs where most of the work is done .sx " He held out a card .sx John took it and put it in his pocket .sx " Thanks , " he said .sx " If ever my missus lets me off the chain I'll take you up on that .sx Ever been out in a submarine ?sx I'll give you a spin round one of these days , if you like .sx You could write it up .sx " Bawley made a face .sx " Not in Pericles , old man .sx " " Why not ?sx " " Better ask Robbie Munyard .sx " " What's he been saying ?sx " John was furious .sx The little squirt !sx To go gassing to a newspaper man !sx " Look !sx " he went on earnestly .sx " You're not going to write up Pericles in some way or other , are you ?sx " " What is there to write up ?sx " said Bawley .sx " There are forty-three submarines in the Navy- why should I pick on Pericles ?sx " John eyed him steadily .sx " It's the Parcifal business , isn't it ?sx " he said quietly .sx " I don't want it to happen again , " said Bawley- " more so than ever since I met you .sx " " What did Munyard say ?sx " " The Snort- hull fitting fractured .sx " " Supposing I was to tell you that we've had Pericles' entire Snort equipment removed and X-rayed and that it was as sound as a bell ?sx " said John .sx " Munyard didn't tell me that .sx But I must confess I'm relieved .sx But it still doesn't do away with the possibility of faulty design .sx " He held out his hand .sx " Maybe I will take a trip with you one of these days , " he said .sx " In the meantime I'll tell my editor that the story's a dead bird .sx Glad I met you .sx Don't forget to give me a ring- any time- knock twice and ask for Bawley , what ?sx " " I don't know when that will be , " said John .sx " I shall be busy for a while , cleaning up after Master bloody Munyard .sx " =2 .sx CAPTAIN HENRY TURTON , D.S.O. , R.N. .sx THERE were six submarines , lying in pairs alongside the jetty at Fort Blockhouse .sx Black and grimly businesslike they both looked and sounded , for all of them were rumbling as they charged their electric batteries .sx A light wind wafted the smoke of diesel exhaust in through the open windows of the Captain's house .sx It pervaded every room but neither Harry nor Madeleine Turton noticed its existence as they sat in silence over a substantial breakfast .sx Although usually a very talkative lady Madeleine respected her husband's silences , for she knew they betokened a worry of some sort .sx There had been many such breakfasts lately since the affair of Parsifal .sx Harry had lost a good deal of weight .sx His normal placid and steady-going manner remained , but she could see that it no longer came naturally .sx It is the common lot of all Squadron Senior Officers to experience such catastrophes as the loss of a submarine , though in peace time these happenings are few and far between .sx This is the testing time for all .sx The affair blows up into a national disaster and then when it is all over life must continue as before .sx During this period the Captain must present an unruffled appearance and carry on as if nothing unusual has happened .sx Harry Turton had written letters to the bereaved , had visited many in the locality , had been interviewed by the Press , had driven his surviving submarines a good deal harder than usual and in fact had applied all the usual specifics suitable for such occasions .sx The worst was over now , except for the Pericles affair .sx It had never occurred to Harry Turton that Robbie Munyard , popular as he was , especially with the ladies , son of a famous man and an ( apparently ) well weathered submariner , should go to pieces as he had done with disastrous effects on the morale of his crew ; but he had .sx Quite suddenly he'd walked into the office and declared that his command was not fit to go under water and then he had burst into tears .sx Now he was at the naval hospital .sx Acute neurasthenia , said the Surgeon-Rear-Admiral .sx The affair had been handled quietly and efficiently but rumours of this extraordinary scene in the office had reached to the far corners of the establishment .sx Munyard had left his jitters behind .sx Long conferences had been held between Harry Turton and his Admiral in which various alterations had been debated .sx