The Wings of Eagles Page #6

The Saratoga.

- The first real carrier.

- Yep. Pretty, ain't she?

She's a beautiful lady.

Who's upstairs?

Mr. Price. That's his squadron.

They've been out on maneuvers.

- Take me back.

- What?

I said, take me back.

As you say, Mr. Wead.

Let me have that tape.

Right. Thank you.

Okay, Arizona, let's go.

Right there. Hold it. Right there.

- Okay, sir.

- Here you go.

Hold that one.

All right, sir, up you go now. One.

All right, Pincus, heave at it.

There we go.

That's it. That's it.

Take it easy up there, sir.

- All right?

- Right.

All right, sir, here's yesterday's mark.

Now, let's try and pass that one today.

Okay.

Come on, pick them up,

lay them down. That's it. One.

Let's try with the other one.

- Oh, Mr. Wead.

- That's it. Try with the other one.

Stand on it.

I don't see you with crutches.

- Come on, try.

- Stand up on them, sir.

Come on, pick them up. Lay...

Shut up, Pincus.

Pick them up and lay them down.

Listen to me, Mr. Wead.

- That's it.

- That's it. One more.

- I can't make...

- Come on, sure you can.

No distance to go at all.

We did this yesterday, come on.

- You're doing beautifully.

- Pick them up, lay them down.

Come on. That's it.

Stand on that one, Mr. Wead.

That's it. Don't cheat with

those crutches, I'm telling you.

- That was wonderful.

- That's it.

Pick them up, lay them down.

That's it. Pick them up, lay them down.

Just say it to yourself.

Pick it up and lay it down.

Pick it up... That's it. And one more.

Hold on right there.

Give me another piece of tape.

That's yesterday's mark.

Now, today, here's where we go today.

- No, I think that...

- You're gonna make it. Come on.

- Come on, Mr. Wead.

- Come on.

Come on, pick them up,

lay them down. Come on.

- A couple more.

- Pick them up.

Let's try one more. One more, sir.

One more, just one more.

Just one more.

He did it. He did it. He did it.

He did it.

Come.

- Hiya, Spig.

- Hey, John Dale.

- How are you, boy?

- Home is the sailor.

You're looking good. You're looking

as stout as a mama mule.

Thank you. I'm walking... Or toddling.

Yeah? Say, I brought you

some flowers.

- Red roses?

- Well, I...

- Sure. Red roses.

- You brought them for me?

Yeah.

- Thanks.

- You're welcome.

Hey, what's this?

You finally made it. Congratulations.

We're gonna have to celebrate that

and wet them down.

Maybe we'd better wait

till I get them paid for.

Say, Spig, did you see her out there?

Yeah, I saw her.

She's a beaut, ain't she?

She sure is.

Travis wanted me to tell you, Spig,

you helped us get that ship.

You can help us again.

We need a dozen more just like her.

What, do you want me

to go back to stunting?

No. But yesterday a man

came down from Hollywood...

...asking about a carrier movie.

He asked the old man,

the old man dumped him in my lap.

I was looking around for the next lap

to put him in...

...when I remembered what you once said

about getting the public on our side.

Getting them to help us out

with the moneymen in Congress.

Well, I figure a lot of the public would

go to see a good movie about carriers...

...so I tossed him a couple of bones,

and he wants to talk to you.

- He wants me to write about carriers?

- Why not?

- Well, how does he know I can write?

- Well, he knows he can't.

Well, I'm a writer without a reader.

That's not exactly what I told him.

Hey, that's good.

Hold onto your hat.

Cross your fingers.

- We're still... Well, hi, Mr. Price.

- Hi, Jughead.

Oh, congratulations.

Your uncle get re-elected?

- The mail.

- Here goes.

"Mr. Frank Wead Jr." That's a bill.

"Mr..." A bill.

- Milford Austin Carson.

- No, not that.

"Mr. Frank Wead Jr."

What is it? Another rejection?

- It's got a different envelope, sir.

- They didn't send the story back.

- Open it up.

- Open it up.

You open it.

- "Pay to the order of Frank Wead..."

- "Frank Wead Jr., 100 bucks."

Told you if you got the husband out

with the gun you'd get lucky.

- One hundred bucks. We're rich.

- May I congratulate you, sir.

- Me too. Congratulations.

- It calls for a celebration.

- How about a drink?

- I couldn't be any party to that.

- I think that under the circumstances...

- Well, under the circumstances.

Would you like these in a vase, sir?

No. Just leave them right here.

To the first story.

To Mr. Price's stripe.

And the red roses.

Pretty good liar, aren't you, Johnny?

And three swell guys.

I'm Commander Wead. I think Mr...

I'm sorry, but Mr. Dodge...

I believe he's expecting you,

Commander Wead.

Thank you.

- Commander Wead is here.

- Dagblast it, Stonewall.

I told you I was at conference.

I'm not supposed to be disturbed

under any circum...

Come on in.

Well... Come in.

Come in, it's good to see you.

Thanks.

Come here and sit down.

Make yourself comfortable.

You gotta watch that couch.

It's got a hidden spring in it someplace

that surprises us sometimes.

Watch that door.

Familiar.

Well, commander, I find that

about this time of the afternoon...

...a little drink's good for you.

Good for the pump, you know?

- Here you are.

- I used to make excuses...

...when I drank in the afternoon too.

Funny thing, a man always makes

the loudest excuses to himself.

Yeah, that's a fact.

It sure is a fact.

How are you, commander?

There you are.

Commander of a portable typewriter.

That can be harder

than handling a battleship.

I found that out.

Well, I know you haven't had

much experience writing.

And none at all in pictures.

But I've heard about you.

It all sounded like you were just the man

I wanted for a story about the Navy.

I don't want a story

just about ships and planes...

...I want a story about the officers and...

- And the men that run them.

That's exactly it.

Did you happen to know

any chief petty officers?

- Do I? Hand me that cane.

- Sure. Here.

No, I'm kidding.

Well, I... I want this story...

...from a pen dipped in

saltwater, not dry martinis.

- You know what I mean?

- Yeah, damn the martinis...

...full speed ahead.

- Like to take a crack at it?

- That's why I'm here.

Good. Come on, let's go.

Can I give you a hand?

- No, I'm all right.

- Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry.

I didn't know he'd been injured.

Why didn't you tell me?

Give him that office across the way.

See he gets everything he wants.

Commander, what do

they call you? Spig, isn't it?

- That's right.

- Do you mind if I call you Spig?

- Not at all.

- This is Miss Jackson.

Stonewall Jackson,

Commander Wead.

- Hello, commander.

- Hello. Do you mind if I call you Stonewall?

- Not at all.

- Stonewall's been with me for 22 years.

She's my barometer.

If she likes your script, I throw it away.

Wouldn't know what to do without her.

Now, go to work.

You didn't ask about your salary.

Well, I figure you'll

pay me what I'm worth.

What you have to worry about

is that I'm worth what you pay me.

- It's a deal.

- Well, wait a minute. Is...? Is that all?

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