Part 12 (1/2)
”And you have not looked upon Jordan as an enemy?”
”No, sir.”
”What has been your opinion of Jordan as a seaman?”
”He always seemed to know his business, sir.”
”Did he perform his duties cheerfully?”
”I thought so,” Ferguson replied.
”Now, Ferguson,” Darrin went on, ”you two have chatted quite a bit, haven't you, when on station side by side?”
”Yes, sir, whenever we found the time hanging heavy on our hands.”
”What did you talk about?”
”Sometimes, sir, we talked about the fun that can be had on sh.o.r.e leave, but more often about submarines and the war, sir.”
”And what was Jordan's att.i.tude toward the war?”
”I don't know that I understand you, sir.”
”Did Jordan speak as if he believed the United States did right to enter the war?”
”Oh, yes, sir.”
”He talked, did he, like what you would call a good American?”
”Yes, sir; always, when the subject was mentioned.”
”And you believed him loyal to the United States?”
”Yes, sir; up to last night.”
”What happened then?”
”Why, sir, Jordan got me to look off to starboard, and my back was turned to him for a moment. I felt, rather than saw, that he had dropped something overboard. I looked quickly astern at our wake. I now feel pretty sure, sir, that I saw something glowing floating on the water astern. You may remember, sir, that at this time last night there was a heavy phosph.o.r.escent wake. And we were making faster speed last night, too, and our propeller turned up more of the phosph.o.r.escent stuff in the water, if that is the right way to express it, sir.”
Darrin nodded his comprehension of the description, and went on:
”Last night was the first time you had any suspicion of Jordan?”
”Yes, sir.”
”Did he do anything further last night to arouse your suspicion?”
”No, sir.”
”Did you watch him?”