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screw in a high…pressure hose； open the door； shove someone in the narrow space between the two collision bulkheads； and turn up the hose until the pressure between the collision bulltheads equals that in the torpedo room。 You have the clips eased off the for'ard collision door。 When the pressures are equalized； it opens at a touch； you walk inside； close number 4 rear door； and walk away again。 That's what you had in mind； wasn't it？〃
〃More or less；〃 he admitted。 〃Except that 〃you〃 are no part of it。 Every man on this？ ship has made simulated escapes。 They all know the effects of pressure。 And most of them are a great deal younger than you。〃
〃Suit yourself；〃 I said。 〃But age has little to do with the ability to stand stresses。 You didn't pick a teen…ager as the first American to orbit the earth； did you？ As for simulated escapes； making a free ascent up a hundred…foot tank is a different matter altogether from going inside an iron box； waiting for the slow build…up of pressure； working under that pressure； then waiting for the slow process of depression。 I've seen young men； big； tough； very； very fit young men break up pletely under those circumstances and almost go crazy trying to get out。 The bination of physiological and psychological factors involved is pretty fierce。〃
〃I think；〃 Swanson said slowly； 〃that I'd sooner have youwhat do the English say； 'batting on a sticky wicket'？than almost any man I know。 But there's a point you've overlooked。 What would the mander of Atlantic Submarines say to me if he knew I'd let a civilian go instead of one of my own men？〃
〃If you 〃don't〃 let me go； I know what he'll say。 He'll say； 'We must reduce mander Swanson to lieutenant； j。g。； because he had on board the 〃Dolphin〃 an acknowledged expert in this specialty and refused； out of stiff…necked pride； to use him； thereby endangering the lives of his crew and the safety of his ship。'
Swanson smiled； a pretty bleak smile； but with the desperately narrow escape we had just had； the predicament we were still in； and the fact that his torpedo officer was lying dead not so many feet away； I hardly expected him to break into gales of laughter。 He looked at Hansen。 〃What do you say； John？〃
〃I've seen more inpetent characters than Dr。 Carpenter；〃 Hansen said。 〃Also； he gets about as nervous and panicstricken as a bag of Portland cement。〃
〃He has qualifications you don't expect to find in the average medical man；〃 Swanson agreed。 〃I shall be glad to accept your offer。 One of my men will go with you。 That way the dictates of mon sense and honor are both satisfied。〃
It wasn't all that pleasant； not by a long shot； but it wasn't all that terribly bad； either。 It went off exactly as it could have been predicted it would go off。 Swanson cautiously eased the 〃Dolphin〃 up until her stern was just a few feet beneath the ice； this reduced the pressure in the torpedo room to a minimum； but even at that the bows were still about a hundred feet down。
A hole was drilled in the after collision bulkhead door and an armored high…pressure hose screwed into position。 Dressed in porous rubber suits and equipped with an aqualung apiece； a young torpedoman by the name of Murphy and I went inside and stood in the gap between the two collision bulkheads。 High…powered air hissed into the confined space。 Slowly the pressure rose： twenty； thirty； forty； fifty pounds to the square inch。 I could feel the pressure on lungs and ears； the pain behind the ears； the slight wooziness that es from the poisonous effect of breathing pure oxygen under such pressure。 But I was used to it； I knew it wasn't going to kill me。 I wondered if young Murphy knew that。 This was the stage where the bined physical and mental effects became too much for most people； but if Murphy was scared or panicky or suffering from bodily distress； he hid it well。 Swanson would have picked his best man； and to be the best man in a pany like that； Murphy had to be something very special。
We eased off the clips on the for'ard collision bulkhead door； knocked them off cautiously as the pressures equalized。 The water in the torpedo room was about two feet above the level of the sill； and as the door came ajar； the water boiled whitely through into the collision space while pressed air hissed out from behind us to equalize the lowering pressure of the air in the torpedo room。 For about ten seconds we had to hang on grimly to hold the door and maintain our balance while water and air fought and jostled in a seething maelstrom to find their own natural levels。 The door opened wide。 The Water level now extended from about thirty inches up on the collision bulkhead to the for'ard deckhead of the torpedo room。 We crossed the sill； switched on our waterproof flashlights； and ducked under。
The temperature of that water was about 28°F。4° below freezing。 Those porous rubber suits were specially designed to cope with icy waters； but； even so； I gasped with the shock of itas well as one can gasp when breathing pure oxygen under heavy pressure。 But we didn't linger； for the longer we remained there； the longer we would have to spend depressing afterward。 We half walked； half swam toward the fore end of the partment； located the… rear door on number 4 tube； and closed it； but not before I had a quick look at the inside of the pressure cock。 The door itself seemed undamaged： the body of the unfortunate Lieutenant Mills had absorbed its swinging impact and prevented it from being wrenched off its hinges。 It didn't seem distorted in any way； and fitted snugly into place。 We forced its retaining lever back into place and left。
Back in the collision partment we gave the prearranged taps on the door。 Almost at once we heard the subdued hum of a motor as the high…speed extraction pumps in the torpedo room got to work； forcing the water out through the hull。 Slowly the water level dropped； and as it dropped； the air pressure as slowly decreased。 Degree by degree the 〃Dolphin〃 began to e back on even keel。 When the water was finally below the level of the for'ard sill； we gave another signal and the remaining over…pressure air was slowly bled out through the hose。
A few minutes later； as I was stripping off the rubber suit； Swanson asked； 〃Any trouble？〃
〃None。 You picked a good man in Murphy。〃
〃The best。 Many thanks； Doctor。〃 He lowered his voice。 〃You wouldn't by any chance〃
〃You know damned well I would；〃 I said。 〃I did。 Not sealing wax； not chewing gum； not paint。 Glue； mander Swanson。 That's how they blocked the test…cock inlet。 The oldfashioned animal…hide stuff that es out of a tube。 Ideal for the job。〃
〃I see；〃 he said； and walked away。
The 〃Dolphin〃 shuddered along its entire length as the torpedo hissed out of its tubenumber 3 tube； the only one in the submarine Swanson could safely rely upon。
〃Count it down；〃 Swanson said to Hansen。 〃Tell me when we should hit； when we should hear it hit。〃
Hansen looked at the stop watch in his bandaged hand and nodded。 The seconds passed slowly。 I could see Hansen's lips move silently。 Then he said； 〃We should be hitting now；〃 and two or three seconds later； 〃We should be hearingnow。〃
Whoever had been