To Leon Werth

@@@@@That boy is too careful, Croft told himself And then with a passionate certainty he thought, "Hennessey's going to get killed today He felt like laughing to release the ferment in himThis time he was sure But, abruptly, Croft remembered the poker game the preceding night when he had failed to draw his full house, and he was confused and then disgustedYou figure you're getting a little too smart for yourself, he thoughtHis disgust came because he felt he could not trust such emotions, rather than from any conviction that they had no meaning at allHe shook his head and sat back on his haunches, feeling the assault boat race in toward land, his mind empty, waiting for what events would bring Martinez had his worst minute just before they landedAll the agonies of the previous night, all the fears he had experienced early that morning had reached their climax in himHe dreaded the moment when the ramp would go down and he would have to get out of the boatHe felt as if a shell would swallow all of them, or a machine gun would be set up before the bow, would begin firing the moment they were exposedNone of the men was talking, and when Martinez closed his eyes, the sound of the water lashing past their craft seemed overwhelming as though he were sinking beneath itHe opened his eyes, pressed his nails desperately into his palms"Buenos Dios," he mutteredThe sweat was dripping from his brow into his eyes, and he wiped it out roughlyWhy no sounds? he asked himselfAnd indeed there were noneThe men were silent, and a hush had come over the beach; the lone machine gun rapping in the distance sounded hollow and unreal A plane suddenly wailed past them, then roared over the jungle firing its gunsMartinez almost screamed at the noiseHe felt his legs twitching againWhy didn't they land? By now he was almost ready to welcome the disaster that would meet him when the ramp went down In a high piping voice, Hennessey asked, "Do you think we'll be getting mail soon?" and his question was lost in a sudden roar of laughterMartinez laughed and laughed, subsided into weak giggles, and then began laughing a