Page:Barbour--For the freedom from the seas.djvu/246

 years. Say, were those American soldiers on those ships?"

"Yes."

"Honest?"

Nelson replied in the affirmative again and the German looked thoughtful. "If that's true they lied to us," he said. "In Berlin they told us the Yankees wouldn't come. They say that yet, I think. Are you telling the truth?"

"Of course! If you've lived in St. Louis you ought to know an American soldier when you see one."

The other shook his head. "I never saw any when I was there. Well, I guess this war won't last much longer, eh?"

"I hope not."

"So do I. I've had three years of it."

"How long have you been a prisoner?" asked Nelson.

"Four months. It's better than fighting." He grinned and winked. "There was an American in the prison camp where I was guard last Winter who used to say the United States would be in the war this Summer, but I didn't believe him. He was a sailor, like you, but not in the Navy. Now I know that he was right." 221