I shall never be able to down the feeling that we have been, as a people, careless of our honor in not long ago stepping in to put a stop to the outrages against Americans that have been of almost daily occurrence in Mexico." "If fighting does begin," asked Dalzell, suddenly, "where do we of the Navy come in?
Shelling a few forts, possibly, and serving in the humdrum life of blockade duty." "If we land in Mexico," Dave retorted, "there will be one stern duty that will fall to the lot of the Navy.

The Army won't be ready in time for the first landing on Mexican soil.

That will be the duty of the Navy.

If we send a force of men ashore at Tampico, or possibly Vera Cruz, it will have to be a force of thousands of our men, for the Mexicans will resist stubbornly, and there'll be a lot of hard fighting for the Navy before Washington has the Army in shape to land.

Never fear, Danny boy! We are likely to see enough active service!" Dave soon went to the bridge to stand a trick of watch duty with Lieutenant Cantor.
For an hour no word was exchanged between the two officers.