firemen at the furnaces. They cursed me in the name of God, their
teeth and the whites of their eyes gleaming, but their skin black as
night with coal dust. The sweat ran down in rivers between ridges of
grime on the skin of their naked bellies. When a bell rang and the
fire doors opened they glowed like pictures I have seen of devils.
They were shadows when the doors clanged shut again. Considering
them, I judged that they and we were one.

I climbed on deck again and spoke to a risaldar. He spoke to Colonel
Kirby. Watching from below, I saw Colonel Kirby nod--thus, like a
bird that takes an insect; and he went and spoke to the captain of
the ship. Presently there was consultation, and a call for
volunteers. The whole regiment responded. None, however, gave me
credit for the thought. I think that risaldar accepted praise for
it, but I have had no opportunity to ask him. He died in Flanders.

We went down and carried coal as ants that build a hill, piling it
on the iron floor faster than the stokers could use it, toiling
nearly naked like them lest we spoil our uniforms. We grew grimy,
but the ship shook, and the water boiled behind us. None of the
other ships was able to overtake us, although we doubted not they
all tried.

There grew great good will between us and the stokers. We were
clumsy from inexperience, and they full of laughter at us, but each
judged the spirit with which the other labored. Once, where I stood
directing near the bunker door, two men fell on me and covered me
with coal. The stokers laughed and I was angry. I had hot words
ready on my tongue, but a risaldar prevented me.