Evening star., 1952-09-17
The Coine Mutiny
By Herman Wouk

t getting started, you know
thought he ought to be brough
up short"
Queeg pursed his lips, thel
smiled agreeably. II suppose n
: despatch is unimportant, really.
? well, you're right there"
!; did your communications Office
: catch the mistake-this Keefer?"
"Keefer does very well. O
course no system is foolproof
He's a strange duck, by the way
Brilliant mind. A writer. Reac
about all the books in the world
Son OF guns been working or
a novel in off hours"
J "How does the ship handle?
Queeg asked pleasantly.
/ Like. any destroyer. All tn.
power you need. She won't turr
on a dime like these new de.
stroyer-escorts. But you car
; maneuver her. Have you handled
destroyers?"
h WELL" said Queeg, IT CUES.
I've had a few million hours a.
GOD under way"
How about coming alongside
and so forth?"
well, I've seen it done often
enough. Given the orders and SC
forth"
/ De Vriess regarded his success.
sor narrowly. Were you the exet
on this Bristol-class destroyer"
We'll, just a month or so. Had
almost every other department.
1t was the Falk-guns, hull. black
gang. communications was Just
breaking in as an exec when they
yanked me over to a carrier"
Skipper give you the conn
much?"
We'll. there wasn't much
chance. A few times"
Practice Runs Declined.
De Vriess offered Queeg a Gig
arctic and lit one himself. IF
you like" he said carelessly, wav-
ing out the match, I'VE can take
her out for a couple of runs be-
fore you take over. I can stand
oy while you shoot a few ap-
proaches, and getting away from
alongside, and maybe some power
turns and so forth"
Thanks. that won't be nee
essary."
De Vriess pulled twice on his
cigarette in silence. WELL" he
said. I'm at your service. How
do you want to go about this?"
Il thought maybe I'd relieve to-
morrow" said Queeg, IF I could
see the registered pubs and the
reports today"
DE Vriess was pleased and
startled. He had relieved his own
commanding officer on the Caine
In AZ hours; but. as executive Of
f1cer, he had been fully as famil-
lar with the ship as the captain.
Queeg was stepping into a vessel
OF a new type. about which he
knew almost nothing. De Vriess
rose. Good enough" he said.
Pretty nice to think Of seeing
my wife in three days. How about
a quick Cooks tour of the ship?"
"Okay." Queeg dropped the
steel balls into his pocket.
IF I'd known you were COM
ing" said De Vriess, "I'd have
run OH a captains inspection and
shined her up for you a bit. The
boys can do a good job, though
you may not think so to look at
her now"
Pretty cool for Hawaii, this
time of year." said Quegg.
When Willie Keith was sum-
moned to the wardroom, he found
the two commanding officers
drinking coffee at the green
covered table. Ensign Keith, /"
said De Vriess with sardonic
formality, Lieutenant Commander
Queeg."
The new captain rose and
greeted Willie with a firm hand
shake and a friendly smile. In
one anxious glance Willie took in
these details: a small man, slightly
shorter than himself; natty blues
with two campaign ribbons and
one battle star; an oval, somewhat
plump fair face with small mar
rowed eyes; and some strands of
sandy hair across an almost bald
head, with thicker fringes at the
sides. Hello, Mr.. Keith" said
Queeg with cordial good humor,
and gay lift in the tones.
Willie liked him at once. "How
do you do, sir?"
Willie" said De Vriess, "are
you all set to run of a registered
pubs inventory. and a transfer
report? Comdr. Queeg wants 'em
this afternoon"
Certainly, sir"
mot missing anything, are we?"
mo. sir" Willie allowed himself
a slight contemptuous emphasis.
With the new captain present,
power seemed to be draining out
of De Vriess..
Still look Like Tramps.
Next morning at eleven the crew
lined up at quarters on the fore
castle. and the ceremony Of trans
ferring command was enacted in
a perfunctory way. The officers
had tried very hard to make the
crew look respectable for the oc-
casion; but despite the shoeshines
and new dungarees and shaved
faces the general effect was that
OF a group Of tramps freshly
deloused by the Salvation Army.
After the ceremony the two
commanding officers went below
to the captains cabin, where
De Vriess turned over a number
of tagged keys and safe combina-