"You're right, Luke. We'll have to put all such pictures down as freaks of the artist's imagination. But I guess I know why some of them are put out—to draw the young fellows into the army and navy."
"Right ye are. Some fellers seeing a picture like that want to march to glory right off,—an' so they go an' enlist. When it comes to hardtack an' black coffee——"
"Hold on, Luke. Remember you are in Japan. Here it is rice and tea."
"So it is, Larry. Say, but I had to laugh yesterday, when I see some of them jackies on board o' our ship gettin' out their teapots with tea."
"It did look funny. But they do the same thing in the army, so I have been told. They can make the Japanese soldier and sailor do everything as we do it but give up his tea."
"Well, I reckon tea is better nor rum."
"Certainly it is,—and if I were an officer I'd let them have all the tea they wanted—if they would fight any better for it."
"Those Russian sailors and soldiers drink an awful lot of vodka. I should think they would try to stop that. A half-drunken sailor or soldier isn't of any account."
"They are so used to having it, I've been told, that to stop it would bring on a regular mutiny. It's hard to break off using a thing when you are used to it."
"Right ye are, lad; a habit if it ain't proper is something awful."