“When I thinks to myself how much the folks need me home, it makes me feel sort o' confident-like, I dunno why. I juss can't cash in my checks, that's all.” He laughed jovially.
No one joined in the laugh.
“Is it awfully catchin'?” asked Fuselli of the man next him.
“Most catchin' thing there is,” he answered solemnly. “The worst of it is,” another man was muttering in a shrill hysterical voice, “bein' thrown over to the sharks. Gee, they ain't got a right to do that, even if it is war time, they ain't got a right to treat a Christian like he was a dead dawg.”
“They got a right to do anythin' they goddam please, buddy. Who's goin' to stop 'em I'd like to know,” cried the red-faced man.
“If he was an awficer, they wouldn't throw him over like that,” came the shrill hysterical voice again.
“Cut that,” said someone else, “no use gettin' in wrong juss for the sake of talkin'.”
“But ain't it dangerous, waitin' round up here so near where those fellers are with that sickness,” whispered Fuselli to the man next him.
“Reckon it is, buddy,” came the other man's voice dully.
Fuselli started making his way toward the door.