However, the crew was fairly familiar with its duties and the work
progressed at a rapid rate. When "Bill" and I reached the paint locker
we found several others preparing to convey the oil to the deck. It was
a momentary respite, and "Bill" took advantage of it.

"When the sun rose the fellows hiding behind the tombstones saw the lazy
man open his eyes," he resumed hurriedly. "He looked around and took in
all the details of the scene, the old church with the windows glowing
redly, the weeping willows shaking and trembling in the crisp morning
breeze, the rows of sod-covered mounds, the crumbling tombstones, and on
one side the old rickety fence marking the passing of the road. All this
he saw and then--"

"Hear the news, fellows?" interrupted the "Kid," suddenly approaching.
"We are going to--what's the matter, 'Bill'?"

For "Bill" had caught him by the slack of the shirt and one arm and was
hustling him along the deck. The "Kid," looking aggrieved, went his way,
and "Bill" returned.

"As I was saying," he continued calmly; "the lazy fellow saw all those
things, then he threw back his head and laughed and laughed until the
tears rolled down his cheeks. 'Whoop!' he cried, 'this is the best piece
of luck I've struck yet. Hurray! blamed if it ain't the resurrection day
and I'm the first feller above ground. Whoop!'"

After I had finished laughing I picked up a can of oil and asked:

"Where's the similarity, 'Bill'? It's a good story, but you said this
reminded you of it."

"Humph! aren't we going to see the resurrection of some of these old
Spanish fossils around here to-day?" "Bill" demanded. "And aren't we the
first volunteer force on the spot? I guess that makes the story
apropos."

As the "Yankee" was the first vessel manned by Naval Reserves to reach
the scene of hostilities, I could not deny "Bill's" claim. Seeing the
success of one story, he was on the point of telling another, when word
came to hasten the clearing of the ship for action, and we were
compelled to devote our energies to the work in hand.

The decks were sanded--a precaution that made more than one wonder if
the spilling of blood was really anticipated; all boats and spare booms
were covered with canvas to prevent the scattering of splinters, the
steel hatch covers were closed down, hammocks were broken out of the
racks and made to serve as an added protection to the forward
wheel-house, and everything possible done to make the ship fit