never before : but now he had spoken ; he had said , `` mr. ferris , '' and given the direction to him ; and ferris could not be blamed-ferris had likely thought as little as laurence himself , before answering , `` yes , sir , '' and going at once to work which he did not need laid out for him : the sailors must be rousted from their beds of ease and set to clearing brush , the handful of surviving aviators-the only officers left among them-organized to supervise ; small parties of the younger officers sent up into the interior to investigate what supply might be found .