Page:Patriotic pieces from the Great War, Jones, 1918.djvu/178

174 was in the army I imagined that they were really better—that their blood was of a different grade, I suppose.

"And then I got out of the army and went to America on a freight ship. When I went ashore in New York, I had a job offered me, and I didn't go back to the ship. And now I'm glad I didn't. I've saved nearly two thousand dollars, being cook in a restaurant. And then this war came on, and they needed more men for the new ships they were building. So I offered to go as cook. I told them that I was born in Germany, but that I wanted to help the world get rid of the Kaiser. I had some trouble getting a ship, but at last our captain took me. This is my second trip over. And we haven't been sunk yet. Instead of that we got you to-day."

He stopped a moment and then continued.

"Why, if you knew what America is you'd want to be an American too."

He seized the coffee-pot again and refilled the sailor's cup.

"Here," he said, "have some more."

He poured out another cupful and turned to the form that still lay quietly on the deck. Seizing the unconscious man, he straightened him up and started to pour the coffee down his throat. He turned the white face toward