"The Germans would not let us come back, sir."
"Where are your rifles? And did you destroy the enemy's guns? What happened to your uniforms?"
"We destroyed the guns, sir, but were captured. We tried to escape, but were caught between liquid fire and poisonous gas. We lost part of our uniforms trying to climb over the barbed wire fence, sir."
"You pack of fools!"
"Yes, sir."
Then the captain, smiling, congratulated us and ordered the steward to supply us with new uniforms and send us back to our ship as soon as possible. We went back next day, June 2.
VI—BACK TO TURKEY—THEN TO AMERICA
The Queen Elizabeth was ordered back to the Dardanelles and remained there until July 26. Through the telescope we saw many demolished Turkish forts and big black holes where clusters of houses and groves had been.
On July 26 we sailed for Gibraltar. We left there on August 1 and sailed for the North Sea and went in harbor to give the ship a thorough overhauling. From August 10 to Sept. 5 we were cruising around the North Sea and North Atlantic Ocean in search of the German fleet. This sort of life, after the excitement of battle grew wearisome to every one on board. Thoughts of home and family came to me. There had been no chance to write or to have our letters mailed. The only mail boat leaving the Queen Elizabeth was sunk. I told the officer in charge that I was an American.
After hearing my story he sent a message to the Admiralty and they ordered my discharge. I was sent to Portsmouth Naval Branch to receive my final papers. On obtaining these I thought I was free; but I was arrested for having failed to register as an alien when I first landed in Liverpool.