"When we locked this file back in 1945, I hoped we'd never open it again." "Can't we mark it "Rest in Peace"?" "Not as long as scientists try to prove porpoises have brains rivaling man's." "Tests are proving these sea creatures possess such amaing faculties that they seem almost human." "Even superhuman." "And they think that he might be teaching them?" " That's right, lieutenant." " But admiral..." "Do you think we can find him after so long?" "That's our assignment, to find him." "And to try to get him to coordinate his work with our scientists." ""September, 1941." That's when it first started." "Yeah, that's when it started." "I never knew him, you know, until after..." " Is that a good likeness?" " Perfect." "Yes." "At least that's the way he looked before..." "Well, you know..." "How he was when..." "In September '41 before..." "And this taken by one of our divers." "Is there any doubt in your mind?" "No, that's him." "Just when I almost managed to forget it all comes back like a nightmare." " Skipper!" " We have no choice, lieutenant." "Orders from the very top." "They're recalling him to active duty." "And we must stay with it until we complete our mission:" "To find Henry Limpet." "I don't know." "Henry always lived in a world of his own." "I remember way back when he was working as a bookkeeper in Brooklyn." "There you are, Mr. Limpet." "Thank you, Miss Barnes." "I know what it is to be without your glasses." "Well, did you have your physical this morning?" "I suppose we'll be losing you to the Navy soon, then?" " I'm afraid not." " Really?" "No, my eyesight." "And a few other things." "I'm classified 4-F." "Everybody can't be a hero, Mr. Limpet." "We need men like you at home too." " Why?" " To give to the blood bank, of course." "They don't want my blood." " There's always your job at the office." " Miss Barnes, my job isn't important." "They could hire anybody to replace me." "I'm sure your wife will be happy to know you'll never be called." "Well, I hope so." "But Bessie's very patriotic." "And very healthy." "They may take her." " Henry Limpet." " Henry?" " Hello, Bessie." " Henry, George is here..." " George Stickle?" " Yes." "Now, Henry..." " He's back on liberty?" " Yes, he is." " That's nice." " Did you go to the draft board?" " Yes, I did, Bessie." "They rejected me." " Rejected?" "Again?" "Let's not say too much about this in front of George." "You come straight home from work." "Don't hang around that pet shop." "Don't be upset, Miss Barnes." "There's a fish in the water cooler." "I know." "It's mine." "Hi there." "Hi, Hen old boy!" " George, good to see you." " Good to see you, little buddy." "Don't you look important?" "That uniform and all those doodads on your sleeve." " Just a couple of hash marks." " Don't apologie." "For your information, Henry, I am now a machinist's mate second class." "Machinist's mate second class." "You look first-class to me, George." "What kind of a machine are you mated to?" "That's a little bit of humor." "Hey, Bess!" "Time to take over." "Lover-boy's here." " Hello, dear." " Hello, Henry." "Control yourself, Henry." "We have a guest." " I'm sorry, George." " I forgive you, Casanova." "Isn't it wonderful?" "George has liberty the whole weekend, and he wants to spend it with us." "The whole weekend?" "Oh, well, that's great." "Well, little buddy, I hear you missed the boat, huh?" "The boat?" "No, I missed the subway train, but I..." "No, no, Hanky pal, down at the draft board." "Washed out completely, I hear." "Oh, that." "You can't win them all, George." "Bessie?" "Yes, George." "What is it?" "What say we clear the decks for action, go dancing?" " Feel like shaking a leg, Henry?" " No thanks, George." "I can't." "I have faulty equilibrium due to poor vision." "How many times must I tell you, you do not rumba with your eyes!" "Now, don't worry." "We'll think of something exciting." "Say, listen, I have an idea." "Why don't we go to the university for Professor Hoffmeyer's lecture?" " Lecture?" " On decapods of the genera Pagurus." "You know, he's gonna talk about the mating habits of the shellfish." "It's a little risqué." "Sort of for adults only, you know." "I'll just pass on that action." "I've got a weak heart." "I've got it!" "Why don't we run out to Coney Island tomorrow morning?" " Well, I don't know..." " Henry!" "You do not have to eat clam chowder because it's Coney Island!" "We'll go!" "I hate to miss that lecture, but I do like the water." "Water and fish." "If you paid half as much attention to me as those fish, I'd be happy!" "It's just that fish are so bright and cheerful." "And so beautiful." "Look at him." "Always drawing into his shell, going off into his fish world!" "Say, old boy, if you just stand there staring down at that cup of sardines, you're liable to go off your nut." "George, come here." "Have you given much thought to the Devonian Period?" " The what?" " Devonian Period of the Paleooic Era." "You know, it followed the Silurian and preceded the Carboniferous Eras." " I try not to think of things like that." " I've given it a lot of thought." "A lot of thought." "Do you realie our ancestors were fish?" "Maybe your ancestors, Henry, not mine." "Maybe you ought to try to find a new hobby." "Maybe go in for parakeets." " I'm not joking." "I can explain." " He sure can." "He's read many books on the subject." "He claims years ago there was nothing but fish in the world." "That's right." "Then some of those creatures became amphibians they crawled out on land." "Millions of years later they became men." " I know some who ought to crawl back." " Doesn't it give you a thrill of hope?" "Hope for what, Henry?" "With the war in Europe and new weapons being invented what if men were foolish enough to destroy themselves?" "Then the fish would develop into a new race of men and this time they might turn out better." "How would you like a cocktail, George?" "Fine, fine." "Excuse me." "I wish I were a fish." "Fish have a better life than people." "Henry!" "The water!" "What a mess!" " Just look at my rug!" " I've got it stopped now, Bessie." "You are floating yourself out of your home with this hobby!" "I'm gonna run down to the store and get a regulator for the intake hose." "Take all of this junk with you!" "The fish, tank, bowl, the whole works!" " You mean get rid of them?" "!" " You bet I do!" "Everything out!" " But Bessie!" " Either those fish go or I do!" "Which is it to be?" "I keep remembering how hurt they looked when I left them." " Who looked hurt?" " My fish." "When I left them at the shop." "For heaven's sake, forget that." "We're out to enjoy ourselves." "For once." "Say, did I tell you about my patrol duty near Bermuda?" " You wrote us all about that." " I left out the most exciting details." "See, I don't like to brag but, I tell you, that one morning..." " It was at night, wasn't it?" " Right." "Good memory." "We went out with me in the engine room..." "I thought you were on the bridge with the admiral?" "Was it you or George who made that voyage?" "I'm sorry, George." "There are things you don't mention in the open." "We're not in the war." "Why can't you tell us about your destroyer?" "The USS Elias J. Starbright, isn't it?" "Keep it down about my ship, will you?" "There's things you don't understand, not being in the service." " I tried." " I can tell you this, though." "There are so many Nai subs below the surface you could walk to Europe." "The ocean's jumping with U-boats ready to go if Uncle Sam gets in the fight." "I don't want to start a panic, so you keep all this under your hat, right?" "Right, Bessie?" "Old boy, did I ever tell you about the Caribbean?" "What a liberty we had in a port near Trinidad!" "And Miami." "Wow." " Did you ever do the rumba, Henry?" " Huh?" "No, I have faulty equilibrium." "Yes, sir." "Join the Navy and have a whirl!" "Barbados, Kingston, the Virgin Islands!" "Lunch is almost ready." "It must be wonderful down there in your world." "Not a 4-F in the bunch." "Come along, Henry!" "I don't wanna wait a million years to go back again." "More than anything, I wish I could be one of you right now." "I wish..." "I wish I were a fish." "Henry!" "George, Henry can't swim." "Save him!" "What will we do?" "Save him!" "Get some help!" "Call the lifeguards!" "Get the police!" "Police!" "Lifeguard!" "Help!" "You all right, son?" "Come on." "All right, move out." "It's all over." "Sorry, Bessie." "I'll try again." "He doesn't even know how to swim." "And Bessie thought I couldn't swim." "He doesn't know how to swim!" "Keep it clear here!" "Let me help you, son." "Bessie!" "What's gonna happen to poor Bessie?" " Did you see any sign of him at all?" " Afraid he's gone." "Guess he must have lost his glasses during the fall." " I saw a fish wearing them." " Fish?" " Oh, no." "Oh, George!" " Now, now." "There Bessie, we'd better get going home now." "There we go." "All right, folks, back up, please." "Let us through." "And I thought it all would be so beautiful." "Wish I were home with Bessie." "What am I gonna do now?" "Bessie won't like it at all." "I've never stayed out all night before." "Maybe I should have listened to Bessie." "I got this back from the pet shop." "It didn't seem right leaving it, with Henry..." "Well, he was so cray about it." "Don't you think it would make a nice planter?" "Sure." "And you could fix it up with dried seaweed and stuff." " Make sort of a memorial for old Hen." " That's sweet." " And I think he would appreciate that." " Here's the notice:" ""Henry Limpet, a bookkeeper, residing at 1313 Pleasant Avenue, Flatbush fell or jumped from a pier at Coney Island." "The body was not recovered." "Limpet is survived by his widow, Bessie Limpet."" "Poor Henry." "Hi!" "Gee, I must be nearing Florida." "Parrotfish live in southern waters." "Hi!" "I'm Henry Limpet." "I'm..." "Jumping St. Elmo's fire!" "Who in blue blaes invited you in here?" " What is it?" " Slamming into my private quarters." "Come about and stand by for action, you four-eyed flounder!" "Say, you're talking to me." "You bet your binnacle I'm talking to you!" "Now, hoist your tail and get!" "Why, you're a splendid specimen of a Pagurus pollicaris." "In common terminology, you're a crustacean, a hermit crab." " I'm glad to meet you, Crusty." " Crusty!" "That does it!" "Put up your fins!" "I'm gonna swab the ocean floor with you." "Hey!" "Take it easy." "I don't wanna fight!" "Let that be a lesson to you, you confounded, four-eyed..." "Say, what are you, anyway?" "You related to the porpoise family?" "No, I'm a Limpet." "Henry Limpet from Brooklyn." "You know, Flatbush." "I've seen flat fish, but I've never seen no four-eyed flat bush." "Well, you see, I..." "Well, I'm not really a fish, I'm a man." "Or I was a man until quite recently." "Listen, Flatbush, anything I hate, it's a smart-aleck fish." "I didn't mean to barge in on you, but a shark was chasing me." "Shark!" "Jumping jellyfish!" "Just swing about and let that shark chase you full speed away from here!" "Golly!" "Did that come out of me?" "Hurricane!" "Typhoon!" "Stand by for a blow!" "There's no hurricane." "It was just me." "Just you?" "You mean to say that blast came out of you?" "Why, you loudmouth son of a bellerin' barracuda!" "That belch of yours could capsie me in the backwash." "If you sound off like that again, I swear I'll batten your gills and lower the boom on you." "And furthermore..." "Crusty?" "Crusty?" "You all right, Crusty?" "Gotta hand it to you." "That whale-busting noise of yours is really something." "That blob of shrimp bait'll think twice before he fools with us again." "Well, guess I'll be off." "Off?" "Where are you going?" "I'd like to see if I can locate others of my kind." "I figure I'd better go along to keep you out of trouble." "Hey, great!" "Climb aboard, Crusty." "I'll bet I'm gonna be busier than a one-armed octopus with hives." "We're off!" "All right, Flatbush, let her rip." "Look!" "A freighter!" "Hey, let's not get too close to the critter." "Don't worry, it's not alive." "Not alive?" "Suffering swordfish!" "What kind of sea monster killed a whopper like that?" "A torpedo did it." "A torpedo?" "Full speed away before that blasted torpedo comes back." "Oh, they won't attack us, they're just after ships." "Hey, don't go moseying around in this thing's innards." "No wonder this thing died!" "Look at the kind of stuff it ate." "Here's the captain's logbook." "Hey, listen to what it says." "This ship was carrying important cargo for the Allies." "Listen to what it says?" "I didn't hear it say anything." "There must be a way to stop the Nai submarines." "If only I could help." "Quit mumbling to yourself, Flatbush." "Come on, let's shove off." "This must be the captain's cabin." "Crusty, there's another fish in here!" "A vicious-Iooking brute!" "Ugliest critter I've ever seen." "Gangway, get me out of here!" "It's only a mirror." "It's me." "That's what I look like." "Well, swab my scuppers." "Another Flatbush." "I'm not a bad-Iooking fish at that." "Really, a pretty unique specimen." "You've got some good points, but beauty ain't one of them." "Look at that strong gill structure." "Did you ever see such a fine dorsal formation?" "But maybe I'm a freak!" "Am I gonna be like this for just a little while or always?" "I'm probably the only one of my kind." "If only there was another fish like me." "Even just one." "Someone who would understand me." " Listen." "Don't you hear that sound?" " What sound?" "I better go up topside and have a look." "How awful!" "Did you see that?" "They're trained to save each other!" "Are you all right?" "Oh, yes." "Thank you." "Well, gosh..." "That was nothing at all." "I mean, nothing." "Oh, yes, it was." "It was very nice of you." "And very clever." "It was just a simple thing, really." "I mean, anyone could have done it." "Well, I think you're wonderful." "Say, does that mean that you like me?" " Oh, yes, I like you very very much." " Is that right?" "Well, golly, I mean..." " What's your name?" " Name?" " I don't know what you mean." " What people..." " I mean, what fish call you by." " I've never heard of such a thing." "Well, let's see." "I'll call you Ladyfish." "Do you like that?" "Yeah, Ladyfish!" "By the way, my name is Limpet." "Henry..." "Limpet." " All right, Limpet, shall we go?" " Go?" "Go where?" "Why, to the spawning grounds." "After what you did for me, I..." "Now, wait!" "You don't know what you're saying." "Oh, but I do." "All I can say is:" "Mush and bilge water!" "Well?" "Do you like it?" "Wow!" "Bessie, you're a knockout!" "Know what that dress reminds me of?" "The first time I saw you." "Remember?" "Your pop brought me for dinner." "Oh, George, imagine your remembering after all these years." "Thank you." "That was even before Henry..." "Limpet, what is that on your nose?" "On my nose?" "Those are my eyeglasses." " You see, I have a little astigmatism." " Tigma-tism." "Astigmatisms must be very nice." "They make you look so distinguished." "Well, they help me to see a long way off." "Do you see that barracuda coming at us?" "Oh, Limpet, Limpet, we'll be killed!" "Just watch this!" "You're very wonderful." "Shall we go?" "Ladyfish...?" "You see, you don't understand." "See, I have to tell you that..." "Well, I'm married." "Married?" "What is that?" "Well, I have a wife." "Is that like astigmatism?" "Oh, no, I mean, I already have another lady fish." "Oh, that!" "Shall we go?" " It doesn't make a difference to you?" " I don't see why it should." "Well, it's just not done." "Do you spawn with every Tom, Dick and fish that comes along?" "Oh, no." "You see, up until now I've been too young." "Yes, of course." "I understand." "Now shall we go?" "Now, look, Ladyfish, I..." "I'd sure like..." "Well, that is to say..." "Do you suppose that we could just be well, more or less friends?" "Friends?" "Wouldn't that be more or less nothing, Limpet?" "Goodbye." "Goodbye." "But..." "I mean, it wouldn't be proper." "Gosh, I can't." "But, Ladyfish!" "I didn't mean it!" "Ladyfish!" "Ladyfish!" "Oh, Ladyfish!" "Oh, Ladyfish!" "It's no use." "I've searched everywhere." "Sunday, December 7, 1941." "The nation was stunned to hear the news this morning of the unprovoked attack that has led to a state of war." "The rest is a mere formality." "Sources say the president will ask Congress..." "Our country at war?" "Technically I'm not 4-F anymore." "I know, I'll go back to Brooklyn, I'll find George Stickle and I'II I'll do something!" "What's all this blabberdash about war and 4-F, and Stickle and like that?" "Look, Flatbush, if you're in trouble, you can count on me." "If you'd stay here and look out for Ladyfish, I'd be grateful." "Not me, I'm going with you!" "Oh, please, it's important, Crusty." "Tell her I love her and I'll be back soon." "Well, all right." "If you don't need me." "Oh, I need you more than ever, old fellow." "To look after her while I'm gone." "Flatbush, take it easy, huh?" "I will, Crusty." "Thanks." "So long, Flatbush!" "They're missing the U-boat!" "Ahoy there!" "Ship ahoy!" "Ahoy!" "Ship ahoy!" " Who's out there?" " A friend." "Ahoy there!" "Ship ahoy!" "Don't be alarmed." "Please don't!" "Are you on a raft?" "No, I'm swimming." "I'm a fish!" "Good lord, a comedian!" "Ahoy there!" " What are you doing?" " We've got an unidentified contact." "Why didn't you identify it?" "There's a war going on!" "Give the recognition signal!" " I can't!" " Give the recognition signal!" "I'm Henry Limpet." "I fell in the ocean and was drowned." "Only I wasn't drowned, exactly." " Hit him with the light." " Hit him with the light!" "Give the recognition signal!" " Commence firing!" " Commence firing!" "Activate sonar dome." "Must be the ship's underwater listening device." "Now hear this!" "This is Henry Limpet speaking." "This is Henry Limpet." "You missed the sub." "All engines ahead full." "Left standard rudder." "The old man should hear this." "Pipe it to the bridge!" "All engines ahead full." "Left standard rudder." "All engines ahead full, left standard rudder?" "All engines ahead full, sir." "The enemy's hiding on the bottom." "400 yards straight ahead." "Set your charges for 200 feet." "Oil slick on the starboard beam, sir." "A direct hit." "Keep scanning." "Could be a Nai trick." "Cut that light!" "I'm the friend who guided you to the U-boat." "If you're friendly, give the recognition signal!" "How can I convince you I'm a plain American trying to serve my country?" "Give the recognition signal at once or we'll commence firing depth charges." "Now, look!" "You were trying to locate a submarine, weren't you?" "You couldn't find it, could you?" "And I told you where it was, didn't I?" "And then you got it, didn't you?" "We cannot see you!" "How are you staying afloat?" "I'd rather not say at the moment, you wouldn't believe me." "What the blasted blaes is this?" "If you wanna know who I am and what I can do, bring George Stickle machinist mate second class, and you'll learn the answer." "What do you make of it?" "Probably a Nai trick, just as you said, sir." "You want to meet with somebody called Pickle?" "Not Pickle!" "Stickle!" "Machinist Mate Second Class George Stickle!" "On the USS Elias J. Starbright!" "I'll do what I can." "I'll send a full report of this meeting in but I can't guarantee Pickle." "Stickle!" "Good." "I'll be at this same spot three days from now." "Left full rudder, all engines ahead full." "Wait till this hits the Navy department." "Harlock, you've either been drinking or you've got combat fatigue!" "Believe me, admiral, this voice seemed to come right out of the water!" "We haven't time for nonsense." "We've got a war here." " That's just it, admiral." " What is?" "The voice..." "Whatever it is." "It seems to be most efficient." "It led us to a Nai sub and directed our charges accurately." "All right, Harlock." "Let's say you heard this voice." "And it did what you say." "What's your explanation for this phenomenon?" "I don't know, sir." "I only know that it's friendly and cooperative." "It wants to work with us." "Blast it, Harlock!" "We can't enlist a voice!" "Why?" "It directed our depth charges correctly." "I'm not going on record as the admiral who was sent away because he believed in voices from the ocean." "Why not delegate the responsibility to someone else?" "There's nobody else cray enough to take it." "Except yourself." "Oh, not me, admiral, I..." "Maybe Machinist Mate Second Class Pickle..." "Stickle." "Who is he?" "The voice asked us to bring Stickle out to meet with him." "Or it." "I think we can arrange a leave for you immediately." "Take a good long rest." "Think what this means." "It could spot submarines all over." "Within a year we could break the Nai U-boat threat." "All right, Harlock." "We'll arrange for Stickle to meet with this voice." "Until we learn the nature of this device, it will remain top-secret." " No discussion of it beyond this room." " Certainly, admiral." "Except between Stickle and yourself." "You're to shoulder complete responsibility for this secret weapon." "Commander, you've got to believe me!" "I know nothing of this." "I'm just a machinist mate second class..." "I know all about you, Pickle." "Uh, Stickle." "I hunted through half the Navy to find you." " Yes, sir, but may I ask...?" " You may not!" "I'll ask." "You have been summoned here by a voice from the sea." " I have, sir?" " Yes." "It claims to be your friend." "Who do you know that might be down there?" "I don't know anyone down there, sir." "Maybe a buddy on a submarine." "It did not come from a submarine." "So help me, sir, I don't know anything about this!" "When the voice hails us, you'll talk to it until we get a fix on it." "And destroy it if necessary." "Do you understand?" "Yes, sir." "Yes." "Ahoy there!" "Ahoy out there!" "Did you hail us three days ago?" "I did!" " Did you bring George Stickle?" " He's here." "Say something, quick!" "Talk, sailor!" "Ahoy..." "Ahoy there!" "This is George." "George Stickle." "Hi, George." "This is Henry Limpet." "George!" "Did you hear me?" "This is Henry!" "How are you, George?" "Come on, sailor!" "For heaven's sake, get a grip on yourself!" "Keep him occupied." "Hello, Henry." "It's good to hear you." " It's impossible!" "Limpet is dead!" " Just keep him talking." "We've got four other ships closing in on him." "This is a real surprise, Henry." "Real!" "Everybody thinks you're dead." "I'm not, George." "I'm just..." "Well, a little different." " Sure sounds like Henry's voice." " Sir?" "Radar can't detect anything." "There's no engine vibrations." "We do have a hydrophone fix on the voice." " Hit him with light." " I've got to talk to you, George." "It's awful urgent!" "George!" "George, why don't you answer me?" "Turn that light off or I'll go away right now!" "Secure that light!" "That's better." "Now, listen to me, George." "Have them put you in a little boat all alone, and come out here to meet me." "Break out a rubber life raft." "Rubber...?" "Oh, no!" "You can't make me..." "You're the key to this mystery, Stickle." "You have to go." "Don't worry, we'll give you a strong flashlight." "Put him in the boat." "Henry, it's me." "George Stickle." "I'm right here, George!" "Where?" "Where, I don't see you." " Don't turn that flashlight on." " No, no, no, certainly not, Henry." "You don't know how glad I am to see you, George." "Look, if you're really Henry, what are you doing out here in the ocean?" "Remember when you jumped in the water after me at Coney Island?" "I sure do." "Didn't you see a fish?" "A rather strange fish?" "Well, no." "No, I don't think..." "Hey, wait." "I did!" "And I thought it was wearing glasses like yours only I was so upset, it was just my imagination." "No, George, that was me." "You?" "!" "You, a fish!" "If you were a fish, you certainly would need to wear your glasses, Henry." "If you'll pardon me now, I gotta get going." "All right, I suppose you have to see to believe." "You can turn the light on me." "Now do you believe me, George?" "Excuse me a minute." "Gotta go down for air." "You know, a fish out of water." "No!" "Oh, it's impossible!" "Remember how you'd come over on Friday nights?" "You and Bessie would play poker while I read myself to sleep?" "That's right." "Regular as clockwork, every Friday night." "How about the time the three of us went to the oo?" "I got separated from you two." "I had to walk home." "Bessie had my cash." "Oh, yes, I'll never forget that." "Hey, wait a minute!" "Only Henry Limpet would know all that!" " You are Henry!" " Yes, George." "Is there...?" "Is there anything I can do for you, Henry?" "Well, I wanted to talk to you about my helping the Navy." " You, in the Navy?" "!" " Yeah, I want to help." "I can help spot Nai subs or guide destroyers to them." "Maybe scouting around as an underseas patrol, or doens of things." "Sure, Henry." "I see where you'd be quite a help to the Navy." "Speak to the Navy right away." "Go right to the top." "I don't want to waste time on red tape." "Well, I want to know about Bessie." "Is she all right?" "She's still in a state of shock about your being drowned." "You can tell her now I wasn't drowned." "Gosh, Henry, you certainly do sound different." " You really have changed!" " You don't know the half of it." "Nothing like realiing your value to make a man out of you." "Even if that man is a fish." "Tell me when there's word from the Navy." "Yes, I'll certainly do the best I can, Henry." "If we ever need you, we'll just use the oscillator gear." " You think you can hear it?" " I'll hear it." "I've stayed above too long." "Wonderful talking to you." "See you!" "Goodbye, Henry." "A fish!" "Harlock, you're cracking up." "We have to admit there's something out there." "Call it a fish, or a secret weapon, or whatever you wish but it's there!" "Pickle, Stickle saw it." "Talked to it." "And it's offered to help." "All right, Harlock." "We'll assign this secret weapon to your ship." " Let it help you if you think it can." " Thank you." "But please stop bringing these fantastic reports to me." "I'm gonna have a hard enough time explaining this to the Pentagon." " I understand." " And this is still top-secret." "Your secret, Harlock!" "Yes, admiral." "I was at the point of calling you about that secret weapon." "Oh, wonderful progress, sir, wonderful." "Research phase accomplished, operational testing underway." "Oh, one little thing, sir." "This mission merits our pushing through a rating for Stickle and a promotion for Harlock." "No, no, sir." "I wasn't expecting anything for myself." "No, just doing my duty." "Of course, if you insist." "Vice admiral." "Hello, George." "I heard the oscillator and got here as fast as I could." " Good news?" " Very good news, Henry." "The Navy has agreed to accept your services." "We've been assigned to Commander Harlock's destroyer." " That's wonderful." " That's quite an honor, Henry." " Very unusual for a civilian." " Very unusual for a fish too." "Here's the hydrophone." "Oh, a water-talkie." "Thanks." "Limpet to Stickle." "Okay." "Henry." "Now, hear this." "They'd like you to give the Navy a little assist." "Just hunt down Nai U-boats and lead us to them." "You'll be under my direct command." " I'm your liaison with the fleet." " I like that, George." "It won't be necessary for you to salute me or address me as "sir" even though I've been promoted to piscatorial specialist first class." " Fine." "Now, what's the first order?" " They go on the prowl at 1:00." " How do we keep in contact?" " Signal me through the oscillator and I'll signal you with my thrum." " Your what?" "It's a remarkable sound I make now." "Goes over big underwater." "Like this:" "Did you hear it?" "Sure did." "I'll pick that up, all right." "Good luck, Henry." "And full speed ahead." "Aye, aye, George." "Drop your charges!" "Hurry!" "The answer to Das Limpet." "With the thrum sound-maker." "The führer's super-secret weapon!" "The perfect Nai counter-weapon to blit the American underwater secret." "Our new beeper torpedoes will react to the thrum, and boom!" "You're doing a very nice job." "Captain Harlock is pleased." "I'm glad, George." "Isn't that a new rating you're sporting?" "Yeah, they gave me this little promotion here." "Chief petty officer, you know." "Skipper too." "He's a four-striper now." "And Admiral Spewter, our big boss he's moving right up there." "Congratulations." "I suppose I'm in all the papers." "You?" "Well..." "Well, no, you're not, Henry." "Why not?" "You're top-secret." " We can't let a thing like this out." " Yeah, I suppose not." "There's a couple of things I must talk to you about." "Very important." "Gentlemen, this is the rendevous point for the mammoth convoy." "Captain Harlock's destroyer will assume a vanguard position there." "And the Limpet will be out in front of Harlock." "This convoy must get through safely." "On its safe voyage depends the Allies' greatest effort:" "The invasion of Europe!" "I'm Captain Harlock." "I'm sorry to interrupt, but it's rather urgent." " It may change plans for the convoy." " Yes." "May I speak with Admiral Spewter?" "It concerns the liaison problem with the secret weapon." " Yes, certainly." "Excuse me, sir." "The cruiser Los Angeles will be the guide." "Vice Admiral Jones will be the OTC and will fly his flag..." "All right, Harlock." "What is it?" "You interrupted an important briefing." "Stickle has relayed a request from the secret weapon." "I told you that was your responsibility." "I know, but I don't have the authority to act on this unusual request." " Now what?" " He wants to be paid." "What?" "Are you out of your mind, Harlock?" "How can we pay a fish?" "He wants the pay sent to his wife in Brooklyn." "The fish has a wife in Brooklyn?" "She's not a fish." "She's a real woman." "I should've thrown you out when you came to me with this story." "All right, I suppose we can find some way to push this through the paymaster's office." " British screening units will deploy to their assigned ports..." "There's more?" "He also wants a lieutenant's commission." "No." "Absolutely, no!" "It's impossible to hold two meetings here at once." "May I join yours?" "I'm sorry." "The news Harlock brought is disturbing." "If it concerns the weapon, I'd like to hear." "Our secret weapon wants to be paid." "He wants a lieutenant's commission." "Then Admiral Spewter, I suggest you pay and commission him." "Immediately!" "Commission?" "But, sir, you don't understand." "I understand the secret weapon is the key to the safe conduct of our convoy." "I order you to commission the secret weapon personally!" "Henry's here now, sir." "You ready to begin the ceremonies?" "Henry Limpet, this is to inform you that..." "Sir." "No, sir." "He's over that way, sir." "I think you can see him out there." "Port beam." "You can see him, can't you?" "I might if I cared to look." " Limpet, raise your right hand." " Sir, sir..." "Raise your right fin and I will now swear you in Lieutenant Limpet." "A check for me?" "From the Navy?" "What does it mean, George?" "It's made out to you, but it's for Henry's services." "Henry?" "When was Henry ever in the Navy?" "You better get a grip on yourself, Bessie." "He's in the Navy right now." " Henry's alive?" " Yes, but you see that..." "I'm going to him." "I'm going this minute." " Now, Bessie." " Take me to him." " Now, Bessie." " Why wasn't I told this before?" "How long has he been alive?" "I mean, when did he...?" " He didn't drown?" " No." "No, but brace yourself, Bessie." "He's changed." "You can't see him." "You wouldn't want to." "I do want to." "How can you say a thing like that?" "Why can't I see him?" "It's impossible." "His work for the Navy is top-secret." "Just be happy with his paycheck." "Don't even mention his name to anyone." " There's something fishy about this." " You said it." "A Mrs. Fish?" "What about a Mrs. Fish?" "No." "Not a Mrs. Fish, sir." "Mrs. Limpet." " The wife of the fish." " Spewter..." "She's a forceful woman, headstrong and determined." "She demands that we change her husband back into a man." "Sounds like a most humane and reasonable request." "Do it!" "Do it." "I beg your pardon, sir." "How do we do it?" " You claim he turned into a fish." " So I understand." "Then it's simple." "Just reverse the process." "Reverse?" " We'll try, sir." " You'll do nothing of the sort." "We have a weapon of effectiveness." "Guard it with your life." "Don't even touch it, understand?" "Now, never come to me again with a request like that." "At a time like this." "When we have a convoy on our hands ready for the biggest push of the war." "If Bessie could see me now." "Not bad for a 4-F fish." "The spearhead of the spearhead." "Imagine!" "This might make me a national hero." "My glasses." "I must find my glasses." "The convoy." "I'm losing the convoy." "Without my glasses, we're sunk." "Sunk?" "Just when the Navy needs me most." "Himmel and Blitels!" "It's that female Flatbush." "Ladyfish, got a message for you from Limpet." "He said he loves you and other such mush like that." "He loves me?" "Oh, he loves me!" "I don't love you, he does." "Silly female." "Oh, Crusty, do you think he'll ever come back?" "Don't get yourself into a tiy now, Ladyfish." "If I know Flatbush, he'll be back." "Listen!" "Listen!" "It's him." "It's Limpet!" "Ladyfish." "Limpet, I've never heard anything more beautiful than that noise you make." "Ladyfish, I'm in terrible trouble." "I can't see." "Come along." "Any sign of him yet?" "Not yet, sir." "He better show up soon or the whole operation will be snafued." "I'm not completely blind, but things are awful fuy." "Flatbush, what in tarnation...?" "I'm in an awful predicament." "I need some glasses, and..." "I noticed you were missing some eyes." "I've got to get back to my convoy!" "But how will I find it?" "I'll be your eyes." "I'll climb topside and serve as your navigator." "The sound of the convoy will guide me, and with you navigating, why..." " I can't ask you to risk your life." " Risk my life?" "Hold everything." "Maybe I ought to put on something more torpedo-proof." " Ladyfish..." " Limpet." " I've got to go now." "I'm on duty." " Does that mean you'll be leaving me?" "Don't you care for me at all, Limpet?" "But I have an important job to do before we can talk about that anymore." "Let's shove off." " Then I'm going with you too." " You can't." "It's a very dangerous mission." "Wait for me here." "All right, cast off." "Full speed ahead." "No, hard aport." "Full reverse." "Come about full, then steady as she goes." "I'll always wait for you, Limpet." "Slow down, gosh darn it." "I ain't got the hang of steering you yet." "Haul up your keel!" "Darned near shivered your timbers that time." "Dagnab it." "Hey, Flatbush, wait!" "Hold it!" "Wait!" "He makes a..." "A thrum." "Sorry, chief, no thrums." "Stickle!" "Any contact with that piscatorial lieutenant pal?" " We're nearing enemy water, Stickle." " Sir, it's not my fault." "Maybe Henry has laryngitis." "Me and my secret weapon!" "We've come quite a way." "I still can't pick up any sound of the convoy." "Do you see anything?" "No." "Say, why don't you make that whale-busting noise of yours again?" " Let them know you're on your way." " I should've thought of that." "Just hold up a minute till I get inside." "I hear the convoy now." "Dead ahead." " Hooray, we finally made it!" " Stop." "Hold it." "Hold it." "Whole school of big ones, coming dead at us." "Hard right rudder." "Hard right." "They're attacking our convoy!" "They're coming at us!" "Stop making that whale-busting thrum of yours." "Those things go for it." "Yeah, how about that?" "Then I'll just keep it up." "Follow me, you beeping devil." "We'll take it right back where it came from." " What's happening below?" " I don't know, sir." "Might be Henry." "Something big is going on down there." "Them torpedoes pack a walloping thrum too." "Great!" "They hit their own boats." "We've got the system now." "We'll just let them knock themselves out." "We gonna drop depth charges, skipper?" "No, we don't dare." "Crash dive!" "Help!" "It's about time you showed up." "George." "I gotta talk to George Stickle." "George Stickle." "Henry!" "Where have you been?" "You put me in a terrible spot when we lost contact." "I'm sorry, George." "I had a little accident." "I lost my glasses." "Nice work anyhow, Henry." "I'll see Bessie when we get back and have her get you a new pair." "We'll meet at Coney Island when this is over." "Aye, aye, George." "See you at Coney when it's all over." "Carry on." "Limpet, you did come back." "Yes, Ladyfish." "And you did wait." " You're coming with me now?" " No, but you're coming with me." "You see, I love you, but I don't know if I have any right to." "I've got to talk to my wife first." "You and I have to make a trip to Coney Island." "I can be your other eyes now." "Take over." "I'm not going." "I'd probably drown in all the slush." "Thanks for all your wonderful help, Crusty." "Forget it." "I like the bachelor life." "So long, Flatbush." "Hate to admit it, but I'm gonna miss him." "Had to lose my best buddy to a frilly female." "Better get rid of this battle gear and get back to my civvies." "What if I told you I was once a human being?" "I don't care how terrible your past was, Limpet." "I'll help you forget." "I've forgotten an awful lot already." "So long, Flatbush." "I'll never leave you, and I hope you'll never leave me." "It's always the males who leave in our species." "That's why there's so few of us." "In that case, there might be more before long." "You and I could be the beginning of a whole new and better world." "I know where we are now." "Follow me." "There, that's my wife." "Not much to look at, is she?" "Actually, for a human, she's quite lovely." "Let's get this over with, Limpet." "The water here is very cold." "Hello, Bessie." "Henry, is that you?" "Don't you recognie me, Bessie?" "Henry, you really are..." "A fish?" "Yes, Bessie, you can say it." "To think you're actually still alive, and I'm married to a..." "A fish." "Is that so terrible?" "It doesn't happen every day." "Well, what's new?" "I mean, how have you been, Bessie?" "Well, I'm..." "I'm bewildered, Henry." "Henry, am I the widow of a man or the wife of a fish?" "Let's be logical." "You couldn't keep me in a tub, could you?" "I suppose not." "No." " I mean, what would the neighbors say?" " I shudder to think." "You know how that Miss Harris objects every time I fry fish." "Why..." "Oh, good heavens." "Well, there you are." "Are you really happier down there, Henry?" "If you only knew, Bessie." "I guess this is goodbye, Henry." "If you'll come up to the steps, I have something for you." "Take care of yourself, Henry." "Remember how you catch cold when you get your feet wet." "Don't break up, Bessie." "I'm just fine." "Maybe I was meant to be a fish." "Maybe nature just corrected her error." "Maybe." "Goodbye, Henry." "Goodbye, Bessie." "And thanks for being sensible about this." "And understanding." " Goodbye, Henry." " So long, George." "Take good care of Bessie." "Tell them not to look for me." "They won't find me." ""Goodbye, Henry," I said." "And I saluted." "I thought that was it." "Bessie and I have been happy." "Why stir this thing up again?" "The chief of naval operations ordered it." "Do they really think that Henry is teaching porpoises?" "That's what we've been assigned to find out." "You and I, Pickle." "Stickle." "Where do we start to look?" "Maybe that spot off the Florida coast where Henry first contacted you." "It's worth a try." "Get the old man." "He's going with us." "The secretary of defense ordered him to take command of this mission." ""On behalf of the secretary of defense, and speaking for a grateful nation I'm empowered to advance you to the rank of commodore United States Naval Reserve."" "And now, commodore regarding porpoise activities..."