"All set?" he asked.
"I think so." Josie did the honors.
Clarence nodded, checked a few more dials and switches, and just minutes later, the plane and its three occupants were airborne.
19 Tt*je> The South Pacific July 1945 Lieutenant Donovan Riggs stared down at the pieces of radio that lay on the desk in the small radio room of the PT boat, Every Storm. Click, his radio operator, said something under his breath, frustration evident, but Rigg, as he was known to most, remained silent. A patient man, he was used to things going wrong aboard his boat and took this latest setback in stride.
Before moving down to check with Click, Rigg had been on deck where he had stood and looked at miles of endless, calm sea. It was not a peaceful scene because the enemy loomed constantly, but Rigg had peace within-even though he knew they were sitting ducks wnen their boat acted up.
"Rigg?" Ensign Hugh Westland, his second-in-command, suddenly appeared.
"What is it?" Rigg asked, turning to him.
"Quinn says we"ve got to make land for repairs. He"s been down three times and can"t get the hole sealed"
20.
"All right. I"ll be up in a minute." Rigg turned back to Click. "I"ll be back."
A grunt was all he received in reply, and Rigg knew that his good-natured radio man was "at the end of his rope," a term that could have been applied to most of his men.
He didn"t know what had gone on the day they commissioned this vessel, but in the last few months anything that could go wrong, did. The radio was unreliable, and they had sprung a few leaks. They were due into port in Seaford, Australia, at the end of the week, but they would only make that if repairs were successful.
"We"ve got to make land," Quinn wasted no time telling his skipper.
"There"s the Knot Islands," Hugh suggested.
"Too far," Rigg said, shaking his head, his mind working as his eyes scanned the charts. "Let"s head toward Cooley. There are some small islands there, and hopefully we can get in unnoticed."
The decision made, they limped along. The men fell to daily tasks, and Rigg left them to it. Inside, however, his mind was busy. He was asking G.o.d for wisdom and to get this boat safely to sh.o.r.e.
A group of ten made the beach about noon the next day. The lifeboat went smoothly up onto the sand, and the men wasted no time getting it and themselves out of sight. There were no guarantees that this island was unoccupied. Three and four to a group, they spread out, armed and ready to scout the area.
21.
21.
Lionel Pauley and Quinn were with Rigg. Taking the center of the island, the three men moved silently through the trees and brush of a rather dense forest. Light flickered through the trees occasionally. The day was sunny and warm, but everything smelled like fresh rain.
The further they walked, the more Rigg began to relax. He had had a sense that this island was occupied, and not by anyone they wished to meet, but clearly he"d been wrong. He brought up the rear but stopped when Lionel and Quinn did, all three men hearing it at the same time. From somewhere ahead of them-not very far, he would guess-a woman was singing "Deep in the Heart of Texas."
As soon as that song ended, another began. They stood stock still as the sweet words from the first verse of "Amazing Grace" came gently with the breeze.
Hearing it, Lionel and Quinn moved for the first time. They turned to look at their commanding officer and found him looking as stunned as they felt.
The woman had just started "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin" " when Rigg moved past his men and took the lead. They moved toward the voice quietly, but not quietly enough. They were very close when the song cut off and they heard rapid movement and then complete silence., Riggf ready with his rifle, stepped into a small clearing to find the wreckage of an airplane. His eyes scanned the area swiftly, taking in the makeshift camp and debris. He stopped before intruding on what felt like private s.p.a.ce and spoke.
"You can come out," he called, his voice sounding deeper than usual amid the thick foliage.
22.
Quinn had moved under cover, but Lionel stood just a few feet away and watched with Rigg as a thin face appeared in the window of the wrecked c.o.c.kpit. A pair of huge, surprised eyes looked out at them.
"You"re not j.a.panese," Lorri Archer said with relief.
"No, we"re not. You can come out."
Moving slowly, Lorri stepped down from the plane and stood looking at them, completely unaware of the picture she presented. Rigg was still taking in the bone-thin woman in a skirt and blouse that had seen better days when she spoke again.
"Do you have a ship? Can you take me off this island?"
"Yes," Rigg answered, his mind snapping back to duty. "What"s your name?"
"Lorraine Archer."
"What happened?"
"Our plane crashed."
"Where are the others?"
Rigg watched her shake her head, her eyes like those of an injured animal. He knew better than to question her right then and started forward, only to stop when she stepped back in fear.
Quinn had suddenly come from the bushes, and one of the other scout teams had joined them. Rigg only glanced at them before speaking to Lorri again.
: "I"m Lieutenant Riggs. These are my men. No one will harmyou"..- .
Rigg had come close enough now to see the pulse beating at the base of her throat. She was so gaunt that the throb stood out in an unnatural way. He looked into her eyes and reads mixture of fear and hope.
23.
23.
For Lord"s part, she could barely think at all. She knew she couldn"t last out here forever, not with so little to eat. Her mind had become a little less clear every day, but today was a good day. Today she had remembered some songs and some verses from her Bible.
"How long have you been here?"
Rigg"s question brought her back to reality, and she looked up at him..
"How long have you been here?" he repeated.
"I don"t know. Our plane left on June 1."
"That"s more than six weeks ago," Rigg told her.
"Is it?" Lorri tried to take it in.
"Where are you from?"
"Can you take me off this island?" Lorri asked again, not having listened to his question.
"Yes, but not just now. We need to make some repairs to our boat. When we go we"ll take you with us."
The word "boat" seemed to get through.
"What have you got-a destroyer, a cruiser?"
"APT boat."
Lorri blinked up at him. "They"re not very big"
Watching her, Rigg wanted to laugh for the first time, but as he watched, she suddenly sat down. She glanced up at him, even that costing her, and spoke quietly.
"I doVt have much energy."
Rigg didn"t know when he"d felt such pity.
"We"ll get you something to eat."
Lorri nodded a little before she heard him turn and speak to his men, but she didn"t listen very welL She was talking to the Lord, hoping that she was making some sense.
24.
I know I might be dreaming again, but this feels more real I think " I could smell shaving soap, and I"ve never done that in a dream. Please, Lord, she begged in her heart. Please let me see Mother and Max again. Please let me go home this time and not wake up on the ground.
"This is Lionel Pauley." Rigg broke into her thoughts, and Lorri tried to pay attention. "He"s going to take care of you for the next few hours."
A sailor hunkered down in front of her and made eye contact.
"Did I hear you say your name was Archer?"
"Yes."
"Miss or Mrs.?"
"The children call me Miss Lorri."
"Are you a teacher?"
"Yes. On a cattle ranch. Is it true that President Roosevelt died?"
"Yes, I"m afraid it is."
Lorri nodded. "I couldn"t remember if I dreamt that or not."
"Tell me, Miss Lorri," he said, working gently to draw her back. "What have you been eating and drinking on the island?"
"Mostly leaves and water. Some berries." Lorri made a little face. "They don"t taste very good."
"One of the men will bring you some crackers. I think we"ll start there."
"I love crackers."
Lionel smiled at her, feeling the same pity that Rigg had known. He was a married man with two little daughters. If his Alma or one of his girls was ever alone and starving, he would want someone to treat them with all the care and respect he could muster.
"Do you suppose you"re in my dream?" Lorri suddenly asked.