Best Short Stories

  NOT MUCH TO TALK ABOUT

  There was an explosion of one of the big guns on a battleship not longago. Shortly afterward one of the sailors who was injured was asked by areporter to give an account of it.

  "Well, sir," rejoined the jacky, "it was like this: You see, I wasstandin' with me back to the gun, a-facin' the port side. All of asudden I hears a hell of a noise; then, sir, the ship physician, hesays, 'Set up an' take this,'"