Action in the North Atlantic Page #8

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We can't rejoin. We're on our own.

Mr. Wright, it looks as if you and your men

will have that chance

you've been waiting for.

The sub's keeping out of range, sir,

because she doesn't want to match guns.

I think she'll dog us till night, submerge

and then attack.

Maybe.

Mr. McGonigle,

if you've a couple of extra knots

up your sleeve, I want them right now.

I'll try, sir.

We can't expect any help.

Our first job is

to shake that sub off our tail.

Our next is to beat our way to Murmansk

and deliver the goods.

With God's help,

that's what we intend to do.

Mr. Rossi, double your watch

and be ready for any emergency.

- Aye, aye, sir.

- Thank you, gentlemen.

Aye, sir.

I wonder what them guys in the sub

are thinking about.

They're Nazis. They don't think.

What do you mean,

"They're Nazis. They don't think"?

Don't kid yourself. They think all right.

Wanna know what they're thinking about?

About us. About this ship.

They're thinking about knocking us off.

I can't understand it.

There's a sub following us,

and my feet don't hurt.

- Mr. Wright?

- Yes, sir.

What can we expect?

After dark, he'll probably pick up speed

to get ahead of us,

and stay with us to pick up the convoy.

Any case,

he'll let us have one before dawn.

Anything we can do

to put your guns in range?

No. If we slow down, he will, too.

- It'll be dark in another hour.

- Yeah.

It's gonna be a black night and a long one.

- She seems to be coming up a little.

- Yeah.

- Why not throw a shot at her?

- No, she's too far out of range.

- One round will keep them away.

- I'll try one, sir.

After gun,

be ready to fire on target off port quarter.

Range, 8,000. Scale, 95.

Fire!

I figure in about two hours

they'll be abeam of us.

Yes, sir.

We've got a lot of waiting to do.

- How's your pulse, kid?

- I'm okay, sir.

There's not much of a chance

of getting away from them, is there?

No way that I know of.

If we run, they'll follow us.

If we stop, they'll spot us

with their listening devices,

if there's anything to listen...

Parker, have the Chief Engineer report

to me in the Chart Room on the double.

Aye, aye, sir.

Hey, Cap, you know

it's only going to be a short time

- before that sub comes up abeam of us.

- I know that, mister.

I've asked the Chief Engineer

to come up here

to find out if it's possible to turn off

every piece of machinery.

- Cut out every sound.

- To beat the sub's sound detector?

Well, we've got to.

They can pick up anything.

- You mean secure the boilers?

- Yeah.

It's the only way

I could think of to lose that pig boat.

- Oh, in here, Mac.

- Did you send for me, sir?

Chief, can you black out

every sound onboard?

Pumps, circulators,

generators, everything.

- The whole plan.

- I can,

but I won't be responsible

for the safety of the ship.

Will you be responsible

for the safety of the ship

if we get struck with a torpedo amidships?

How long will it take you

to secure everything?

- Ten minutes.

- Can you get steam up again

- in half an hour?

- Yes, sir.

- It's worth the risk. Go ahead.

- Aye, sir.

Mr. Rossi, check the wind

and estimate the drift.

Pass the word along to the bos'n.

I want complete silence

throughout the ship.

Aye, sir.

Everything's secure, sir.

All we gotta do now is wait.

- I wish I was in Times Square.

- Why?

I'd take a subway home.

There you are, baby.

Stay put, and for crying out loud,

don't make no noise.

I tell you, there's no sub around.

My corns don't hurt.

Do you know what I'm doing

when this is over?

I'm putting into port,

I'm getting off the ship

and putting an oar on my shoulder,

and I'm starting inland.

And the first time a guy says to me,

"What's that on your shoulder?",

that's where I'm settling

for the rest of my life.

- Shut up!

- Hey, pipe down.

I think we've got something out there.

Do you hear it?

Sounds like she's about

a half mile off our stern.

Yeah.

My heart is pounding so fast

it's gonna bust right out of my chest.

Take it easy, kid.

I'm gonna tie a knot in that cat's neck

and toss it overboard.

Wait a minute, guy.

I can't hear it right now. She's gone.

There's no telling.

They may have blacked out, too.

We'll drift till dawn.

All clear, mister?

All clear here, sir.

- Portside, what do you see?

- All clear, sir.

- Can't pick up a thing.

- Very well.

Mr. Wright, check with the crow's nest.

Crow's nest, everything clear out there?

- All clear, sir.

- Good.

Chief, I'll expect full boilers

in a half an hour.

I'll give you all the steam you need

in half an hour, sir,

and maybe before that.

Light off both boilers.

Get the fires

under both boilers right away.

It sure feels swell to be moving again.

It sure was like sailing

a ghost ship last night.

Listen.

- Listen to what?

- Them engines.

Don't they sound good?

Don't do that, Pulaski.

My ears are still sticking out

from all the listening I did last night.

How do you like that?

Don't you know you just scared me

out of two years' growth?

And at my age, that ain't so good.

I felt like cheering when the sun came up,

and that stinking sub wasn't around.

It feels nice and warm in here.

What's the matter, kid? You're not eating?

Oh, I ain't hungry.

No wonder he ain't hungry,

with this belly wash.

- This what?

- Belly wash. That's what I said,

and that's because I'm polite.

If it ain't the mines, it's the subs.

If it ain't the subs, it's the bombs.

If it ain't the bombs,

it's this arsenic this guy gives us for grub.

- You ought to be charged with murder.

- Why don't you dry up?

Don't pay any attention to him, Cookie.

We're all at a point where

we're gonna bite off each other's heads.

I nearly bit my own off last night.

What's the matter... Don't tell me

your feet're hurting you again.

- No, it's my head.

- Well, that's okay with me.

Just so it ain't his feet.

Now, wait a minute. This may be serious.

- Just how bad does your head hurt?

- Oh, very bad. Very bad.

It's a funny thing, I can't understand it.

I hardly ever have a headache.

You shouldn't eat so much

with a headache.

Why not? It don't go to my head.

Anything else hurt?

- Yes, my...

- Never mind.

You hear that?

May be Russian planes

coming out to meet us.

May be,

but that's Norway off to starboard.

Unidentified planes off the starboard bow.

Aircraft sighted.

- Where away?

- Starboard bow.

Altitude approximately 10 to 15.

Unidentified planes,

two points off starboard bow.

Sound general alarm.

Sound general alarm.

Anti- aircraft batteries track target.

Nazi planes.

They're enemy planes, sir.

Get that guy down out of the crow's nest.

Crow's nest. Come on down out of there.

Engine room. Stand by for maneuvers.

Aye, aye, sir.

- Tight right.

- Left.

We'll con the ship from the wheelhouse.

Get the Quartermaster below. Steer 40.

Get below.

Steer 40 and signal when you're ready.

Aye, aye, sir.

- We got one.

- We got him.

- We got it.

- We got it.

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