THE FREEDOM OF THE SEAS
paper that lay on the desk beside him. "And after making repairs you and others continued to serve the gun until the end of the engagement?"
"Yes, sir."
"Who took command?"
"I did, sir. I seemed to be—I thought it was up to me, sir."
"How many were with you?"
"Three, sir, until they got word that we were short-handed. Then they sent us four more men."
"How long were you short-handed, Troy?"
"I don't know, sir. About twenty minutes, maybe."
"Make any hits during that time?"
"Yes, sir, we didn't miss many. We were firing pretty slow, though, because Scott, one of the powdermen, who took the plug, didn't understand it at first. And we had no shellman."
"What did you do?"
"I pointed, sir, and Jennings trained; and we all helped at loading."
"You were hurt, too?"
"Not much, sir. A bit of shell cut my head a little."
"The Gunnery Officer reports that 'Seaman Gunner Troy, Naval Reserve, then took command and with three other seamen, made repairs to elec-
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