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He’s surprised by her quickness and nods in acknowledg do? Did you dine?”

“I did, sir, and very well The pineapple for dessert onderful”

“I’m afraid the Azorean wine is not the very best, and the shops were pluer?”

Rainy looks at Cisco, who is either intilish accent and remains momentarily passive He takes the captain’s outstretched hand, but scowls as he does it

“He’s less than thrilled, sir,” Rainy says

“Oh? Not yet enamored of the submariner’s life?”

“Are we underwater? Right now are we underwater?” Cisco de his voice to a near squeak

“May I take it that you suffer from a touch of claustrophobia?”

“I just want to know, are we underwater?” The urgency is unhtened htened men before this

“Not a bit,” Alger says airily “We are ht cloud cover, intered, you would not be feeling that rising and falling of the deck”

“I want to get out I need so in every direction, a cornered ani for an escape

“Youtower or con, I believe it’s called in the American service, for a moment or two, once you have been briefed on our procedures”

“I don’t give a damn about your procedures!”

The commander’s pleasant informality evaporates in a heartbeat The man with the mild expression, the diffident air, and the relaxed stance disappears, replaced by a taller, sterner, uns officer with distinctly chilly blue eyes

“Let me explain it this way, Mr S under “Should we spot a German plane or ship I will order the boat to dive The men under my command know their places and how to reach theler, a civilian, blundering about on deck once we have begun our dive is quite likely to find the hatches battened and his shoes getting very wet indeed”