Ralph Henry Barbour

“ Martin he was to see again soon, for all ships were destined to remain in port for a number of days, according to report, and they had planned to get liberty together.
Some of the ships began coaling the next morning, but, fortunately for Nelson, the Gyandotte was not of the number and his watch was given liberty. If you have never been through a week of such stress and anxiety as those aboard the Gyandotte you can't well imagine the positive joy of setting foot ashore once more. ”

“ Scarce an hour passed that a floating cask or spar or hatch did not send the destroyer and cruiser gun crews to stations. About noon the Q-4 rode through a patch of oil nearly an acre in extent. They wanted to think that it was evidence of a destroyed German submarine, but the more likely explanation had to do with an Allied tanker sunk by mine or torpedo. Toward dusk general quarters was sounded on the Q-4 and the two deck guns were manned and the torpedo crew flew to their stations. ”

“ Having someone to write to, someone who really cared to hear from a chap, was pretty nice! Neither found letters from home, a fact which disturbed Martin more than it did his companion. Nelson pointed out, however, that American mail hadn't had time to reach Queenstown yet, and Martin felt better. They joined forces with nearly a dozen members of the Q-4's petty officers and crew and hired numerous carriages—only they called them cars there—and were driven around the island. ”

“ They were in the German submarine zone and the watch became sharper than ever. Just before dark the main body of the flotilla was sighted and the next morning the Q-4 was back with her companions, some of them showing effects of their struggles with the storm. Nelson learned that the Gyandotte was one of the gray shapes ahead and he wondered whether the captain would attempt to put him aboard her. He didn't quite see the possibility of it, nor did Martin, and the latter prophesied that Nelson would stay just where he was until they reached port, something that Nelson was glad enough to do. ”

“ The game had reached the end of the seventh inning when the Q-4's rioters appeared and the score was 18 to 7 in favor of the destroyer's team, but Clancy rallied the neutrals, which included many amused British Tommies from the garrison, and conducted such a siege of cheering and raillery that the supply ship came through in the ninth with enough hits to win. ”

“ We'll go back to Main Street or Prairie Boulevard or whatever they call that causeway down there and drop it along the pavement. Then we'll wait until it gets nice and soft and make a lot of money prying folks loose. ”