the tar out of him and after a while he says "What's the matter with the
old salt tonight he don't seem to have no pepper with him." So I told him
to shut up.

Well we didn't have no French lesson on acct. of me being taken sick but
we are going to have a lesson tonight and pretty soon I am going up and
try and eat something and I hope they don't try and hand me no more of that
canned beans or whatever it was that effected me and if Uncle Sam wants his
boys to go over there and put up a battle he shouldn't try and poison them
first.

Your pal, JACK.

* * * * *

_On the Ship Board, Jan. 21._

FRIEND AL: Well Al I was talking to one of the sailors named Doran to-day
and he says in a day or 2 more we would be right in the danger zone where
all the subs hangs out and then would come the fun and we would probably
all have to keep our clothes on all night and keep our life belts on and I
asked him if they was much danger with all them convoys guarding us and he
says the subs might fire a periscope right between two of the convoys and
hit our ship and maybe the convoys might get them afterwards but then it
would be to late.

He said the last time he come over with troops they was two subs got after
this ship and they shot two periscopes at this ship and just missed it and
they seem to be laying for this ship because its one of the biggest and
fastest the U. S. has got.