There was a long, long war ahead of him, he knew. He would fight, he would know agony and danger, but even if he lived he would be unlikely ever to set eyes on those ships again. He had a last duty to fulfill, a final step to take for the sake of international accord. “Messenger! Signal pad and pencil.” He hesitated over the first word. But he would use it once more during these last seconds. COMESCORT TO COMCONVOY. GOODBY. MOST GRATEFUL THANKS FOR YOUR SPLENDID CO-OPERATION. GODSPEED AND GOOD LUCK.
