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Show Navy Takes Over By GERTRUDE TEWALT McClure Newspaper Syndicate. ' WNU Features. fLINGING grimly to a transport rail that dipped and bucked like a loco broncho, Corporal Ted Boone was ready to dispute with Magellan who called this heaving body of water wa-ter the Pacific. Since Magellan wasn't around, an innocent sailor who happened along caught the brunt of his bitterness. The bluejacket eyed him with the age-old contempt of the salt-water sailor for the landlubber. "Maybe you'd like to get off and walk," he suggested nastily. "Show me some solid ground and watch my dust," replied Ted with longing. "Comes H-hour and you get your chance," promised the gob. "The Jappos had better bust out their white flags when you get ashore. That Is, after your knees stop buckling .and the ground settles down." "I am not seasick," Corporal Boone denied hotly. "No?" grinned the sailor. "Then howd you like to dig into a dish of cabbage and fat bacon with a side order of hot cakes and syrup?" After a stricken period, Corporal Boone raised his head. "Go away," he moaned feebly. "Don't give in to it," advised the sailor. "Walk around, get in an argument anything. What's your name, soldier?" "Boone, Ted. What's yours?" "Tyler. They call me Tarzan from my muscles, see?" He flexed his biceps. Tarzan was not disposed to take offense. "I'd like to know what you got against the Navy. Where'd you be without the Navy, I ask you?" "Back In Frisco, well and happy," groaned Ted. "Yeah? Well, you can't win the war staying in Frisco. Us Navy sees to it that you G.I.s get where you can do some good. Dames like navy-blue navy-blue better'n khaki, too. Want to "Why? Would you sooner be fighting fight-ing than taking a nice cruise?" see something?" He fished inside his jacket and brought forth a handful of snapshots, crumpled and dogeared dog-eared from much handling. Corporal Boone looked with lackluster lack-luster eyes. "So what? Must be a clothes shortage where those babes come from." Tarzan thumped his barrel chest. "Now, those gals used to go around with civilians, soldiers even, until I hove into their lives. Now they're all Navy Jills. They gimme these pictures 'cause any girl is proud to be a Navy man's pin-up, see?" "Here's one who isn't," said Ted sharply. He fumbled in bis blouse and produced a picture tenderly wrapped in tissue. Carefully, he unfolded un-folded it and showed it to the sailor. "Whew!" Tarzan's whistle was an honest tribute to the girl whose likeness like-ness smiled up at him. "She's got class." The face was oval and sweetly serious with large, loving eyes, framed by thick fair braids that encircled the proud little head like a coronet. "That's my wife, Betsy," said Ted with pride. "I see what you mean," Tarzan said slowly. "You're a mighty lucky guy, Boone." "We got married just before I was shipped overseas," continued Ted. "We never had a real honeymoon, so when I get back we're going to blow my allotment on the swellest honeymoon two people ever naa. "Where will you go?" asked Tarzan. Tar-zan. "Who cares? Just so it's cool and quiet. Just Betsy and me and a gang of bellboys on call with tall, iced drinks. Imagine having your shoes shined and your clothes pressed, tickets for the best shows, no sergeants, ser-geants, no reveille, nothing to do but relax and enjoy yourself." 'Sounds like heaven," agreed Tarzan fervently. "Just remember It's the Navy that takes you home." The transport pitched sickeningly. "Not if I'm conscious,". Ted gasped. "Maybe I'll fly or swim, but they'll have to hogtie and drag me on board another ship. And when I once land, I never want to se the ocean again." Behind them a sergeant approached ap-proached on deck. "Is that you, Boone? Got a letter for you." Ted eagerly tore it open. As his eyes devoured the words, his face grew even greener and his knees sagged. "It's Betsy," said Ted hollowly "She has her heart set on a honeymoon honey-moon cruise through the West Indies after the war." ) |