s we can
get there."

A soldier watched them going and said: "The night before we left home I
went to a show, and a fellow sang: 'Good-by, Broadway! Hello, France!' I
thought it was great. I know what they're saying aboard those ships
there now. 'Hello, Broadway! Good-by, France!' is what they're saying.
And I betcher it'll be a straight line with no time wasted zigzagging
for them on the way back!"

He had it about right. They carried the most eloquent sterns that any of
us had seen on ships for a long time. The big one in the middle, the
others like chickens under either wing--away they went, belting it for
about sixteen knots good. In one half-hour all we could see of them was
a cloud of smoke to the west'ard. Just how far off the French coast we
were at this time does not matter here, or from what direction we were
approaching; but we were far enough off for that group of destroyers to
show how they went about their work of guarding the troop-ships. To comb
the sea about us was their mission; and they were attending to it every
minute. The fleet steamed on.

We proceeded under advices not to fall asleep with too much clothes on,
and never to get too far away from our life-belts. It may have been true
that some men slept with their life-belts on, but it is probably not
true that one man took his to the bathroom with him--not true because
about the time we got that far along the steward refused to prepare any
more baths. He had enough on his mind, he said, without fussing with
baths.

There was one place we looked forward to passing with lively feelings.
We may not name the place here, but here is how it was described: "Ever
been to that big aquarium in Naples? Yes? Well, remember those
devil-fish hiding behind the rock on the bottom? Along comes an innocent
young fish who is a stranger to those waters. Mr. Devilfish, hiding
behind, has a peek at it coming. He waits. Mr. Young Fish drifts by his
hiding-place, and then--Good night, young fishie."

That kind of talk in the watches of the night sounded like lively action
before us. We waited for--call it the Devilfish's Cave--and waited; and
the first thing we knew when we came to inquire further about it, we
were safely past it, with never a sign of any devil-fish, unless it
would be the one torpedo which went by the bow of one of us from some
distance one noontime. Some distance it must have been because it was a
clear day with a smooth sea, and under such weathe