Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-09-16
The Game Mutiny
VIII.
BY Herman Wouk

VIII.
After four days Of repairs. the
Game was ordered to sea for mine
sweeping exercises in waters neal
Oahu.
Roland Keefer came aboard that
evening for dinner. well" said
Roland as they sat down, "looks
like I'll be saying good-by to you
all for a while. Stairs piling
aboard the yorktown tomorrow
Guess the admiral wants some sea
pay"
Tom Keefer's face darkened. He
threw down his knife and fork
wouldn't you know. A new fat
top"
That hurts, doesn't it, Tom?"
said DeVriess, grinning.
Whats the matter, Tom?" said
Maryk. Don't you like mine
sweeping?" All the officers laughed
at the standard joke about the
communication.
The first lieutenant. who re-
sembled a prize fighter or drill
sergeant with his bullet head, short
wide nose, and close-clipped hair
had a surprisingly innocent. affec-
tionate smile which changed his
whole appearance.
why don't you send in another
transfer request, Tom?" said the
captain. "I'll approve it again"
I've given up. This ship is an
outcast, manned by outcasts, and
named for the great outcast OF
mankind. My destiny is the Game
It's the purgatory for my sins"
The Game left Pearl Harbor at
dawn in a rain sqllall. but the
squall passed and the sun came out
brilliantly as the Caine cleared
the channel entrance. When
Willie came off watch he went to
the forecastle to enjoy the view
of Diamond Head and Oahu's
green hills. He was agreeably sur
prised at the old minesweeper's
brisk speed. There were traces OF
destroyer grandeur yet in the rusty
ruin. For the first time since his
arrival on the Game Willie felt
moderately happy.
Sea Empty, MOnOtOnOus.
A few hours later Willie was
on the bridge again with Maryk
for the noon-t o-four watch. Capt
de Vriess dozed on his narrow
chair on the Starboard side of
the pilothouse. The first lieuten-
ant peered constantly seward.
some times making a slow sweep
of the horizon with his binocu-
lars. Willie initiated him. but the
sea was empt, and he soon be-
came bored.
After a while Maryk said,
"There they are"
Where. sir?"
Zone point to starboard."
Maryk woke the captain. Three
cans hull down. sir. about three
miles west of rendezvous.
The captain mumbled, "Okay,
60 to 20 knots and close EN-"
At 4 o'clock the minesweepers
formed a slanting line, 1000 yards
apart, and began to launch their
sweep gear. Willie went to the
fantail to watch.
He could make no sense Of the
activity. The equipment was a
foul tangle of greasy cables,
shackles, floats. lines and chains.
After 20 minutes of bawling and
brawling, the boatswain's mate in
charge of the deck hands war
dance. q chunky, frog voiced,
frantic chief named Bellinson,
shouted. "All set to starboard, Mr..
Maryk!"
The sailors cranked an egg
shaped paravane up on a crane.
At a word from Maryk, they
dumped all the gear over the side.
Came clanks, rattles, splashes,
yells, putting of steam, creaking
turns of a windlaSs, and a frenzy
of running around. and a great
cadenza of obscenity. Then sud-
den quiet ensued. The paravane
was streaming neatly outward to
starboard in a tanning arc. sink
ing slowly beneath the surface
with a red float above it to mark
the place.
The wild scramble began again
with the gear of the port para
vane. Splash, grind. yowls, curses
Silence-and the second paravane
was streaming as neatly as the
first. "I'll be damned" Willie said
aloud.
The other minesweepers got
their gear launched and an after
noon of practice maneuvers
began. Willie was dizzied by the
turns and twists and changing
formations, but he gathered at
last by using his eyes that the
ships were pretending to be in a
mine field and Stimulating various
emergencies and disasters.
Racing Against Time.
When word came over the p. a.
to recover the sweep gear. the
minesweep detail worked in a
fever, racing against time. They
kept a constant watch on the
two black balls hanging on the
yardarms of the other ships; the
drop of ball would mean that
q paravane had been recovered.
In IS minutes the Caine dropped
its ball on the port yardarm; but
when the starboard paravane was
in sight there was a calamity. A
sailor who was pulling the little
red float out of the water, juggled
it and dropped it. The float
bobbed away in the ships wake
free.
Maryk sent word to the bridge
The Game stopped and Their
backed slowly. Then Maryk tore
off all his clothes, wrapped a line
around his waist and dived ovel
the side.