The Sand Pebbles Page #4

for the garbage.

That was no way, so finally the cook

gave one sampan the contract.

Hey, come on.

Relax, huh?

Pretty soon they wasn't only collecting it,

they was scraping dishes and washing them.

In a week, every sailor mess cook

had a Chinese helper to do all the work.

The next thing you knew,

they was sleeping in the galley passageways.

Then they was with the ship for good,

in all the departments.

Of course, it ain't official.

Hey, how do they get paid?

The squeeze- a little here, a little there.

Uncle Sam don't miss it.

- Hey, you got a minute?

- Yeah.

Come on, I'll show you.

They live in the old

crew's quarters.

We never come in here.

Captain don't even inspect it.

Ah, come on.

He's lost enough face

for one day.

If you want to hit one of them,

kick him.

Don't ever touch him

with your hand.

And don't get buddies with a coolie.

That's another kind of trouble.

- And they do all the work?

- Sure.

That leaves us free for standing

topside watches and our primary duty.

Black gangs ain't supposed

to stand topside watches.

On this ship, everybody.

- What is our primary duty?

- Fighting.

- Who do we fight?

- Nobody. Probably never will.

But, like the skipper said,

we're always ready.

Look, Jake,

we got it good here, huh?

I didn't come all the way from the fleet

to have it good. I'm an engineer.

Look, I told you,

let Chien handle the engine.

He'll keep it in shape.

He knows it inside out.

Relax, huh?

Today we begin cruising

to show the flag...

on Tungting Lake

and the Hunan Rivers.

I want all honors

rendered smartly.

At home in America, when today

reaches them, it will be Flag Day.

For us who wear the uniform,

every day is Flag Day.

It is said,

there will be no more wars.

We must pretend

to believe that.

But when war comes...

it is we who will take the first shock

and buy time with our lives.

It is we

who keep the faith.

We serve the flag.

The trade we all follow

is the give-and-take of death.

It is for that purpose

that the people of America maintain us.

And any one of us who believes he has a job

like any other for which he draws a money wage...

is a thief of the food he eats...

and a trespasser in the bunk

in which he lies down to sleep.

Mr. Bordelles, make all preparations

for getting under way.

When was the last time

that was overhauled?

About a month ago.

Captain.

- Yes, Holman.

- Got a bad bearing, sir.

I think it's burnt.

It could tear up the crankshaft.

I'd like permission

to shut down and repair it.

Holman, as long as we move

and smoke boils out of our stack...

we'll make the impression

I want to make to the Chinese.

Yes, sir.

It's still gonna give us trouble, sir.

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