If I had to stand watch with Cantor, and he tried any queer treatment
of me, I'd find a way to make his life miserable. I believe I've
shown some skill in that line in the past."

"You surely have," Darrin nodded. "But I don't like to spring
traps for my superior officers to fall into."

"Not even in self-defence?" challenged Dalzell.

"Not even to save myself," Darrin declared. At eight bells, in
Lieutenant Cantor's absence, Darrin took the watch trick alone
as officer of the deck until six bells, or eleven o'clock that
night.

There was not much to do. Now and then a shore leave man, sailor
or marine, reported coming on board. Darrin made a note of the
man's return and entered the time. Twice, a messenger brought
some small order from the executive officer. Yet it was a dull
watch, with the ship docked and nothing of importance happening.

"Cantor will soon be back," thought Dave, at last, slipping out
his watch and glancing at it under the light that came from the
cabin. His timepiece showed the time to be five minutes to eleven.

But a quarter of an hour passed, and no Lieutenant Cantor appeared.
More time slipped by without the lieutenant's return.

"That doesn't sound much like the punctuality that is required
of a naval officer," Dave told himself, in some disquiet.