the lot of them! And they’re in charge of saying what’s seaworthy and what’s not!”
The Small Vessels Pool turned him down, Mike thought. That’s why he and the Lady Jane are still here.
“Said they need our boats for a special mission,” the Commander bellowed. “Special mission! The French have botched it, and they need us to go get our boys off before Hitler shows up. Say they need every boat they can get, and then tell me the Lady Jane’s not seaworthy!”
Well, seaworthy or not, it was the only boat left in town. He was going to have to get the Commander to take him to Dover in it. “Commander—” Mike began, but the old man went right on.
“Not seaworthy, and then they take the Sea Sprite and the Emily B! The Emily B!” he thundered. “With a bad rudder and a captain who couldn’t steer his way to the counter for a pint. And then, when I volunteered to pilot one of their convoys for ’em, told me I was too old! Too old? What do you mean, there’s no one at the Admiralty?” he bellowed into the telephone. “Don’t they know there’s a war on?”
“Commander—”
He waved Mike away. “Well, then let me speak to the undersecretary! What about? About the war you’re losing!” He slammed the earpiece into the cradle. “Incompetent fool! I’ll have to go the Admiralty myself!”
“Go?” Mike said, but the Commander had already stormed out the door past him.
“Commander, wait!” Mike called, starting after him. “I need you to—”
“You’re back,” Daphne said, blocking his way. “Was Mr. Powney at home?”
“No… I need to—” he said, trying to get around her.
“You missed all the excitement,” Daphne said. “An officer from the Small Vessels Pool was here—”
“I know—hang on, I’ve got to catch the Comnmander.” Mike pushed past her and outside, but the Commander, on the bicycle, was halfway down the street.
“Commander!” Mike shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth, and took off after him, but he was pedaling right past the quay. What the hell was he doing? You can’t ride that bicycle all the way to London. It would take him a week, and besides, he was heading the wrong way. No wonder the Small Vessels Pool wouldn’t let him lead a convoy. And now what? he thought, watching the Commander pedal out of sight, and then turning back toward the pub.
“Wasn’t Mr. Powney home?” Daphne asked, coming to meet him.
“No.”
“I can’t imagine what’s keeping him.” She linked her arm in his. “You must be worn out, walking all that way.” She led him back into the inn. “Come into the pub room, and I’ll make you a nice cup of tea. The officer was a Navy lieutenant, and a very handsome one, though not nearly so handsome as you,” she said, glancing flirtatiously over her shoulder at Mike as she put the kettle on. “He said, ‘I need every craft that can float to go to Dover straightaway.’”
She prattled on about how the men had grabbed their gear, loaded their boats, reassembled the Sea Sprite’s engine, and set sail in less than two hours. And I missed it, Mike thought. Like I missed the bus—
Was that the sound of a car? Mike jumped up and ran for the door, Daphne right behind him, in time to see a battered roadster go roaring by with the Commander at the wheel, both hands clenching it and his eyes fixed firmly on the road, looking neither to right nor left. “Wait!” Mike shouted and ran out into the street, waving both arms to signal him to stop, but he roared off, heading north, in a cloud of white dust, and out of sight.
Mike turned furiously to Daphne. “You told me there was no one else in town with a car!”
“I forgot about the Commander’s old roadster.”
Obviously.
“He hasn’t driven it since the war started. Where do you suppose he’s going?”
To London, Mike thought. And then, when he can’t find anyone at the Admiralty, to Dover. Where I have been trying to get since five this morning.
“I am sorry,” Daphne said. “He said he was going to put it up on blocks. But it’s just as well. He’s a dreadful driver. You’re much better off going with Mr. Powney. Are you very angry with me?” she said, pouting prettily.
“Angry” isn’t the word, he thought. “Is there anyone else here with a car you’ve forgotten about? Or a motorcycle. Anything. I have to get to Dover today.”