South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-06-30

pose Fresh food was put right in
on . Of this mess. cooked and
served up TO the boys It's Won
der that the ptomaine bugs didn't
get Us ALL
The chef was laid off the Job for
the rest of the voyage, and We had
no further trouble with the chow.
However. the sergeant and I con
tinued to get our private stock from
the boilerroom cache.
The day after the chef was fired
out of the galley in high disgrace a
shrill call rang out from one Of the
lookouts of the transport"
"Periscope on the port bow"
CHAPTER III.
With Pershing i'm France.
y dynamic thrill ran through ev-
cry mothers son of US.
Here. at last. we were face to face
with that dread mechanical mon
ster of the deep-the German sub
marine
Singing with excitement. We
crowded TO the rail and strained our
eyes TO port over the dancing sea.
officers issued sharp. quick orders,
while the gunners swung their pieces
and felt for the range. Sailors in
blue yanked the lids from munition
boxes and lifted out shells.
The cruiser ahead swung about,
pointed her brow due north, and
forged along swiftly in response TO
the quickening of her engines. The
guarding destroyerS darted about
quarry that had temporarily eluded
them.
This is the life" heard a com
rade say through gritted teeth.
/ stood tense. expecting every sec
ond TO hear u shell 90 screeching out
into the brine.
About a quarter of a mile away
could see something sticking up out
of the sea-
That rubberin' periscope." I
thought; 4 hope We make a direct
hit"
Then came the sickening reaction:
False alarm; nothing but one Of
those d-n PROPOSES" cried the
lookout. lowering his glasses.
4 groan of disgust ran through
the ship.
wouldn't 1t make you sick OBJ
served a Californian. Here we
were all primed for the best movie
Of our lives, and the lights so out
and the screen goes on the blink I'd
like TO skin that hell of porpoise."
AS for me. I was as mad as q
devil. for I felt that our trip across
would not be complete without d
good warm argument with one of
Germany,s C-boats.
Anyway. that was our introduction
TO the much-talked- Of submarine
zone.
Taking No Chances.
A porpoise at a distance does look
very much like a spying periscOpe,
and the peslly mammals fooled our
lookouts several times before we
reached France. But then. these
instances only showed that our men
were ever on the alert for the kali
ser's under-the-sea dogs.
Our officers took no chances while
We were passing through the terri
tory of the U-boat. For three nights
the transport travelled without lights.
and our guardians, the cruiser and
the destroyers, redOubled their vigil
lance. We were routed out Of our
hunks At a. m. on each Of those
three days. and were compelled 10
remain on deck until a. m. with
our life preservers buckled on and
our shoes and trousers unlaced. The
favorite time for the average sub
marine TO attack is around dawn.
We didn't sight a single U-boat all
the way over. but we had lot OF
fun at the expense Of these sneaking
craft Naturally We were all think
ing about subs when We entered the
zone. and hardly an hour would pass
but that some jokester would yell: .
Hey. boys, there's a sub"
Then. we fall guys would crowd
10 the rail and put our eyes out
looking for periscopes.
/ was akins my turn at poker one
day around noon when the subma-
rine chestnut came along and caught
me an awful wallop. NJ hand was
a pretty good one-well IL was moth
ing less than a royal flush. some
thing which had never before rub
bed acquaintance with me during
my brief experience as a poker
player.
was about 10 proceed with this
poker knockout when voice
screeehed At my elbow
Holy smoke. lads. here comes a
torpedo. going 70 hit Us 'midship.
Zowie was on my feet in an
instant dashing my cards on the
table The other players followed
suit
We did our u-tIe marathon 10 the
rail, only 10 ind that We had been
properly guyed again.
When We returned 70 the BILE
OF course. We found the cards ali
mixed up and had 10 make new
deal I spent an hour looking FOR
the jokester but he was wise enough 4
10 stay ont Of sight until had cool F..
ed down.
one or The 9reezlest. brightest lit f
tie personalities on the ship was our +
chaplain. man by the name or
Dixon from Illinois. That fellow was
just one human bottle Of sunshine .
with the cork out 30 that the glad .