"By Jove! it's Christmas Eve, and I'm Orderly Dog till eight o'clock," thought Derek. "What with this wretched demobilization business and officers clearing out almost every day my turn comes once every five days. Well, here goes!"
Jumping out of bed Daventry dressed for the occasion, his garb1 consisting of a pair of flannel2 trousers drawn3 on over his pyjamas4, a sweater, sea-boots, trench-coat, muffler, and cap—the last three items served to camouflage5 the rest for the work immediately in hand, that of being present on réveillé.
Making his way across the parade-ground the Orderly Officer entered the main building. Already the corridors were resounding6 to the shrill7 notes of the Orderly Sergeant8's whistle and his strident shouts of "Show a leg, everybody!"
Derek had to visit personally twenty-five rooms and satisfy himself that their occupants were really awake. The sentries9, too, had to be visited, and their early morning parade attended. These functions completed, Derek was at liberty to return to his quarters and attend to his toilet at his leisure, happy in the knowledge that his twenty-four-hour trick of "Orderly Dog" was nearing completion.
The spirit of Yule-tide was in the air. For days past officers and men had been going off on eleven days' leave, while those who remained were entering into the prospect10 of a happy Christmas with the utmost zeal11.
In the officers' quarters the mess-room was transformed with brightly-coloured bunting, the walls being hung with flags, while the ceiling was almost hidden by chains and festoons of coloured paper. In the men's building each room entered into healthy rivalry12 with the others, and some of the decorations showed that a great amount of patience and artistic13 prowess had been employed to transform the usually Spartan-like quarters into bowers14 of evergreens15.
Breakfast over and the eight-o'clock parade dismissed, Derek was relieved of his duties as Orderly Officer, but he quickly found that, even during armistice-time and Christmas week, there is always something cropping up for an officer to tackle.
At six o'clock the last liberty-boat had left, and the depot16, sadly depleted17, settled down to spend the eve of Christmas in strange surroundings. Derek was about to write some letters when a telephone message came through stating that a motor-boat had just arrived from Stourborough and asking what was to be done with her.
"Sticky sort of day for a half-decked boat to make a hundred-miles run," thought Derek, as he donned sea-boots and oilskins, for as senior officer on the station (there were only seven not on Christmas leave) he had to receive the new arrival and see that she was made secure for the night.
It was both blowing and raining. Pitch dark, too, except for the gleam of the Low Light. The tide was at half flood, and making strongly. Grinding against the pier18 was the motor-boat, manned by half a dozen hands in oilskins and sou'westers.
"They won't be able to find moorings on a night like this, sir," remarked the Corporal in charge of the pier.
"And they look about done up," added Derek. "I'll find a fresh crew from the Duty Watch, and let them take her up to Fisherton Quay19 for the night. The old crew will come ashore20 and get a hot meal."
"We've had nothing to eat since midday, sir," reported the coxswain of the boat. "She was making heavy weather of it coming down Channel, and we hadn't a chance to tackle any grub."
Having seen the well-nigh exhausted21 crew ashore Derek made his way to the mess-deck, where in response to the whistle and the order "Fall in the Duty Watch!" nine men paraded.
"I'm calling for volunteers to take a boat up to Fisherton," said Derek. "The boat has been running continuously since daybreak, and the men are done up. I want a coxswain, an engineer, and two deck-hands. Those willing to carry on take one pace forward."
Without hesitation22 every man of the nine took a pace to the front, although for the most part they were new or only partially-trained hands. Selecting the new crew, Derek sent them off to don oilskins and sea-boots.
"I'm not quite certain of the channel, sir," said the coxswain, as the crew mustered23 on the pier-head. "I've only been up once, and that was in daylight."
"All right," replied Derek "I'll come with you." For nearly twenty minutes Derek waited on the boat in the driving scud24 and rain, for the motor, that had hitherto been running without a hitch25, evinced no tendency to start.
"It's the rummiest Christmas Eve I've ever spent," declared the young officer to himself. "Ah! well, it's all in a day's work. Nothing like yachting in December to give a fellow an appetite. By Jove! it's nearly dinner-time already, and this stunt26 will take an hour, if not more."
At length the engineer conquered the refractory27 motor, and, after running the engine with the clutch out for a couple of minutes, Derek decided28 to start.
"Cast off, there!" he shouted to the signalman. "Easy ahead!"
The boat gave a final grind against the pier, then forged ahead with a strong tide under her. Barely had she got beyond heaving distance of the pier-head, when, with a fierce roar, the whole of the confined space of the engine-room seemed to burst into flames. Simultaneously29 the motor ceased firing.
It was not an enviable situation. Adrift in a roughish sea with the engine-room well alight, it looked as if the crew had the choice either of being burnt or else compelled to take an involuntary bath in the icy-cold water. In the latter case there would be slight chance of reaching the shore, since the strong tide would carry the swimmers into the wide and exposed harbour, and in the pitch darkness of the night the possibility of rescue by another boat would be very remote.
In spite of the danger the crew kept their heads. There was not the slightest sign of panic. One of the men raised a laugh by exclaiming:
"We can only drown once, lads; but we may burn twice, so let's get the fire under."
Without hesitation the engineer acted, directing a heavy discharge of "pyrene" into the heart of the flames. In a few seconds the anti-fire apparatus30 did its work. As if by magic the fierce tongue of flame died down, but for some minutes the crew were almost overcome by the fumes31.
During that interval32 the broken-down boat had drifted across the bows of two other craft moored33 in the vicinity. Standing34 on the plunging35 fore-deck the intrepid36 bowman, maintaining his precarious37 position, succeeded in fending38 off by means of a boat-hook. Then, with three miles of water to leeward39, the crew had time to consider their position and act accordingly.
At length the motor was restarted, and the long, tedious run up to Fisherton began. Steering40 by means of a series of leading lights Derek held on, drenched41 with spray and numbed42 with the cold, until, with a sigh of relief, he ported helm past the revolving43 green light at the entrance to Fisherton Quay.
A motor-car was waiting to take Derek and the men back to Sableridge, where Daventry found that the signalman had reported the fire, and that the depot had been in a state of ferment44 over the news.
"You practically spoiled our dinner, you rotter!" exclaimed Kaye.
"I've certainly lost mine," rejoined Derek.
"That's base ingratitude," protested his chum, "considering I told the messman to keep it hot. I say, you guys!" he added, addressing the other five or six occupants of the ante-room. "Daventry's raising a moan about his grub. What's the penalty?"
The next instant a rolled-up flag came hurtling at Derek's head. It was the signal for battle. There was ammunition45 in plenty, for nearly fifty rolled signal-flags that were left over after decorating the mess were lying on the table in the hall.
Grabbing half a dozen missiles, Derek ran upstairs; Kaye, out of loyalty46, joined him, and Dennis threw in his lot with the weaker side. Ensued a battle royal. From the first-floor landing bundles of tightly-rolled bunting came flying down with tremendous force, while the attackers of the ground-floor retaliated47 with similar missiles, until the air was stiff with a hurtling galaxy48 of signal-flags.
For a time it seemed as if weight of "metal" and superior numbers would prevail. Already the attackers were half-way up the stairs, dauntlessly facing an overhead fusillade, when the youthful Adjutant was seized with a "toppin' brainy idea".
Grasping one of the filled fire-buckets, he balanced it on the balustrade, then, awaiting his opportunity, poured the cold contents upon the heads of his opponents. Kaye and Derek, fired by Dennis's example, followed suit, and the attack melted away.
"Gosh!" exclaimed Dennis, "won't little Wells be in a horrible tear when he finds his precious signal-flags used like this?"
It was indeed a scene of chaos49. Partly unfolded the flags lay everywhere. Pools of water lay in the hall, while a considerable quantity had made its way down into the basement to the discomfiture50 of the batmen.
"It's merely a change in the day's occupation," declared Kaye. "Blame Daventry; he must have a safety-valve to let off superfluous51 energy after having tried his level best to provide the fishes with roast meat for Christmas."
"Who's turning in?" asked Derek, stifling52 a yawn. "It's ten o'clock, and I've been at it since six this morning."
Before anyone could reply there came from outside the officers' quarters a voice singing the words of a well-known carol.
"What's this stunt?" asked Dennis.
"The sergeants53," replied the Orderly Officer. "They've come to serenade us, I believe. It'll mean a bottle of whisky against the mess."
"Invite them in," suggested another.
The suggestion was acted upon, but little did the mess know what it was in for when it invited the roystering serenaders into its fold.
Very solemnly the sergeants filed in—eleven N.C.Os., of whom every man save one had been in the Royal Navy before transferring into the Royal Air Force. Headed by a sergeant with a side-drum, and followed by two with fifes, the motley-arrayed crush took up semi-circular formation at one end of the ante-room, the Sergeant-Major acting54 as master of the ceremonies. In half an hour their repertoire55 of carols was exhausted, so they "switched on" to the old-time sea-chanties. Followed an interval for refreshments56 and speechmaking, to which Derek, in his capacity of Deputy Mess-President, had to reply.
"It's about time they piped down," thought Derek, glancing at his wristlet-watch.
But no!
"Would the officers like to hear Sergeant Butler sing 'The Long-Lost Cabin-Boy'?" asked the Sergeant-Major.
In a weak moment Derek assented57 on behalf of the officers, and the act of torture began. There were twenty-five verses of "The Long-Lost Cabin-Boy", each with a double chorus. Then, with hardly a break, the now almost exhausted mess had to listen to another song, "You stand by the Ship, lads, I must be ashore by five", and a pointedly58 topical recitation, "Christmas Day in the Marine59 Depot", in which the sergeants got in several witty60 hits against their officers.
It was not until just on midnight that, after rendering61 "God Save the King", the lusty vocalists marched back to their quarters, leaving the mess to its rightful occupants.
"But," remarked Kaye, "Christmas Eve only comes once a year, and goodness only knows where we'll be in a twelvemonth's time. There's Eight Bells! A Merry Christmas, you fellows!"
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1
garb
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| n.服装，装束 | |
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flannel
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| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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pyjamas
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| n.（宽大的）睡衣裤 | |
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camouflage
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| n./v.掩饰，伪装 | |
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resounding
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| adj. 响亮的 | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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sentries
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| 哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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rivalry
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| n.竞争，竞赛，对抗 | |
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artistic
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| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
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bowers
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| n.（女子的）卧室( bower的名词复数 )；船首锚；阴凉处；鞠躬的人 | |
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15
evergreens
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| n.常青树，常绿植物，万年青( evergreen的名词复数 ) | |
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depot
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| n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站 | |
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17
depleted
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| adj. 枯竭的, 废弃的 动词deplete的过去式和过去分词 | |
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pier
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| n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱 | |
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quay
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| n.码头，靠岸处 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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mustered
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| v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的过去式和过去分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发 | |
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24
scud
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| n.疾行；v.疾行 | |
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hitch
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| v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉 | |
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stunt
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| n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长 | |
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refractory
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| adj.倔强的，难驾驭的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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fumes
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| n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体 | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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intrepid
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| adj.无畏的，刚毅的 | |
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precarious
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| adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的 | |
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fending
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| v.独立生活，照料自己( fend的现在分词 )；挡开，避开 | |
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leeward
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| adj.背风的；下风的 | |
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40
steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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41
drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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numbed
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| v.使麻木，使麻痹( numb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
revolving
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| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
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44
ferment
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| vt.使发酵；n./vt.（使）激动，（使）动乱 | |
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45
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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46
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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retaliated
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| v.报复，反击( retaliate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
galaxy
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| n.星系；银河系；一群(杰出或著名的人物) | |
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49
chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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50
discomfiture
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| n.崩溃；大败；挫败；困惑 | |
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51
superfluous
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| adj.过多的，过剩的，多余的 | |
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52
stifling
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| a.令人窒息的 | |
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53
sergeants
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| 警官( sergeant的名词复数 )； （美国警察）警佐； （英国警察）巡佐； 陆军（或空军）中士 | |
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54
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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55
repertoire
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| n.(准备好演出的)节目，保留剧目；(计算机的)指令表，指令系统， <美>(某个人的)全部技能；清单，指令表 | |
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56
refreshments
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| n.点心,便餐;(会议后的)简单茶点招 待 | |
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57
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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pointedly
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| adv.尖地，明显地 | |
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59
marine
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| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
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witty
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| adj.机智的，风趣的 | |
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rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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