Evening star., 1952-10-11
The Coine Mutiny
By Herman Wouk


captains bags. Keefer stared out
ever the harbor, drumming his
fingers on the life line, waiting for
the gig.
"Well. Tom, this is it" Willie
said. They shook hands, and
watched silently as the boat drew
near.
Keefer bent to pick up his hand
bag, then looked Willie straight
in the eyes. His face was distorted
as though by a spasm of pain.
Don't envy me my escaping too
much, Willie" he said. Don't for
get one thing. I jumped"
The bell changed. Keefer Saluted
and went down the ladder.
Nothing From May.
At Pearl Harbor Willie's desk
was piled with mail that had ac-
|cumulated, most Of it official. He
turned the envelopes over eagerly,
one by one, but there was nothing
from May. An odd-sized bulky
brown envelope from the Bureau
of Personnel caught his eye and
he opened it. In it was letter
and a little flat maroon box. The
box contained a ribbon and
|medal-the Bronze Star. The let
ter was a citation signed by the
Secretary of the Navy, praising
him for putting out the fire after
the suicide attack and concluding
with the formula, 1t. Keith's
heroism over and above the call
of duty was in the highest tradi-
tions of the naval service.
He sat and stared at the medal
numbly for many minutes. He
began to open the official mail.
It was the usual mimeographed
or printed matter for a while;
then he came on letter which
was typed. It was from the chief
of naval personnel advising him
that his conduct in the matter Of
the irregular relief of 1t. Comdr.
Philip F. Queeg. U. S. NJ, consti-
tuted improper performance of
duty.
WELL" thought Willie in a
whirl, "a medal and a reprimand.
Nice mornings haul"
Three weeks later, on the morn
ing of the 9th of October. Willie
left the captains cabin for the
last time. Outside were the shab-
by sheds of the supply depot and
beyond them the gray muddy flats
of Bayonne knobbed with oil
tanks. The Caine had been tied
up for three days alongside a
dock, stripped of its guns, empty
of ammunition and fuel. 1t was
the end of the trail. Willie's chores
were done. He went down the
abandoned gangplank, not salut-
ing. There were no colorS to
salute and no officer Of the deck.
The Caine was junk.
Willie reached New York on the
day of the Navy parade. AS soon
as he arrived he called Marty
Rubin. The agent asked Willie to
meet him in his Office.
Rubin's "office" was a desk in
a cluttered room that had four
other desks occupied by four other
agents. Rubin stood as soon as
Willie came in the door, and
picked UP loud plaid overcoat
draped on the back of his chair.
Hi, Lieutenant. Let's go where
we can talk"
He said nothing about May as
he led Willie along Forty-seventh
street and turned up Seventh ave-
nue.. He asked eager questions
about the kamikazes and mine
sweeping. Willie interrupted at
last. Look, Marty, I want to
know"
II know what you want to
know. Here we are" They went
through revolving door into the
crowded ornate lobby Of a popular
tourist hotel. Willie knew it well.
Marty led him to a large glass
covered signboard in mid-lobby,
and pointed. There's your girl.
She's stopping here"
There was a picture of saxo-
phonist named Walter Feather
and May together at a micro
phone. Nov you know" Rubin
said.
What do know? Why did she
change her name?"
"Said the other one didn't