“Bullard, old boy, we know this looks goofy and all wrong to you, but we’re stuck. You’ve been chosen as the sacrificial goat this year, so be a good sport and take it. None of your tricks, old fellow. We know you can dope out a way to annul any fool order, but don’t let us down on this one.”
The line of Dullard’s mouth tightened. He sat down quietly in his chair and said to the expectant Moore as matter-of-factly as if he had been arranging a routine matter:
“Have the course changed for Juno, and inform the admiral that he can count on his orders being carried out to the letter.”
Commander Moore may have been surprised at Bullard’s tame surrender, but, after all, one was more helpless sometimes in dealing with one’s own admiral than with the most ruthless and resourceful enemy. He mere
