1<br > The naval staff car pulled away from the officers <br >block and came smoothly along the sea road toward the main<br >exit gate. A bunch of sea gulls rose complaining from the<br >shingle beach， soaring upward<br >freshening Channel gale. At<br >in a vertical glide against the<br >the head of the flagstaff by<br >Nthe gate the white ensign cracked like a whip， slatting the<br > halyards against the mast.<br > A chief petty officer stepped out from the guardhouse，<br > called the sentry to attention and signaled the car to a stand-<br > still.<br > "It s O.K.， Chief，" said the seaman driver， jerking his head<br > baekward. "Captain Howard."<br > The C.P.O. looked into the back seat and saw that it was<br > indeed the ginger-bearded Captain Howard. He was not in<br > uniform but in his usual shoregoing rig: gray-green dogtooth<br > tweeds and green trilby hat. Two brown travel-worn leather<br ><br >