Morning Departure Page #10

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in the church.

I kept thinking,

"She belongs to me. She's mine."

And I've gone on believing that.

Always.

Steady, boy, she ain't worth it.

That's what they all say,

but they're wrong, all of them.

(RUMBLING)

I know what you mean, Snipe.

I've never talked to anyone else like this.

Don't know why I am now.

I suppose it's...

Well, I suppose it's

because I've never had any

real friends before who'd understand.

Blimey! Friends. That's it.

That's it, Snipey. That's what

me horoscope said, remember?

"You will make new friends."

I see what he meant now.

(LOUD RUMBLING)

That's it, Higgins.

That's what he meant.

(WIND HOWLING)

Another gale warning, sir.

Force 10. All right, Sparks.

- Gates.

- Yes?

Just had another gale warning.

Force eight, gusting to 10.

- How long do they say it will last?

- Several days, I'm afraid.

Several days?

If the air line holds,

they might be able to hang on.

- I'm afraid it won't make any difference.

- What do you mean?

If we try to hold on in this weather,

the wires will almost certainly

capsize the lifting craft.

But we've got to take that chance.

In the face of this, I daren't do it.

I've got my own men to think of now.

It's too much of a risk.

I've decided to return to harbor.

Do you mean,

you're going to leave them there?

I'm sorry, Gates, believe me.

Looks bad, don't it, sir?

If it's a gale, it'll blow itself out.

You've always told us the truth before, sir.

We can take it, can't we, Snipey?

All right.

It does look pretty bad.

Looks like I won't get

me thousand smackers after all.

I'd like to have died a rich man.

What about a game now?

All right, sir.

Come on, Higgins,

you've got plenty to lose.

Oh, I don't know, sir.

Let's cut for deal.

Blimey! Two kings and an ace.

We seem to be lucky

at the wrong blinking time!

(LOUD RUMBLING)

MAN:
Looks like it's going.

Go forrard and see what's happening

there. We ain't gonna lift these men up.

- We can't hold her, sir.

- Call all hands.

Stand by to cut the wires.

(DRILL SOUNDING)

One of our moorings got away.

Get on number six!

Pick up your torch!

Over here with that torch!

Get your torches working at the cords.

More oxygen!

- SAILOR:
Both wires, now, lads.

- Heave away at them wires, lads!

(FOGHORN BLOWING)

SAILOR:
Half a crown a day extra,

they get for doing their job.

I can't understand why they volunteer.

You're wrong, you know, both of you.

Those men in the Trojan won't die

because they happened

to be in a submarine.

They'll die because

of a combination of two things

which might happen to anyone at sea.

Bad luck and bad weather.

Bad luck alone

wouldn't have been enough.

- Skipper of Trojan was his friend.

- Poor devil.

Have you still got

that calendar of yours, Higgins?

Yes, sir.

What day is it?

Sunday, sir.

6:
00, Sunday morning.

They'll just about be getting up

for early service in the depot ship.

What'll it be like, sir?

It's not that I'm frightened, sir.

It's just, I'd like to know.

A sort of end, end of everything, I suppose.

It may be a beginning.

Don't you chaps

think it might be rather a good idea if we

tried to join those fellows

in the depot ship?

That don't seem right, sir.

Why not, Higgins?

Well, I've never paid much heed

to that sort of thing before, sir.

It doesn't seem right, somehow, to go ask

someone for help

just 'cause you're up against it.

I'm quite sure that

he wouldn't look at it like that.

Would you read it, please, sir?

"Oh eternal Lord God,

"who alone spreadest out the heavens,

and rulest the raging of the sea.

"Who hast compassed

the waters with bounds,

"until day and night come to an end.

"Be pleased to receive into thy Almighty

and most gracious protection,

"the persons of us thy servants,

and the Fleet in which we serve.

"Preserve us from the dangers of the sea,

"and from the violence of the enemy.

"That we may be a safeguard unto

our most gracious Sovereign Lord,

"King George, and his dominions.

"And a security for such as pass on

the seas upon their lawful occasions,

"that the inhabitants of our island,

"may in peace and quietness

serve thee our God. "

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