The trip home was pretty fine. We didn't find much to do at Genoa and with all due respect to Columbus's birthplace the only thing I particularly remember seeing there was a dead horse. The hotel was interesting. We had five rooms and one of 'em smelt like macaroni, another smelt like pie, the third smelt like cake, the fourth reminded me of the circus and we didn't keep the fifth. As for the house where Columbus lived we drove out to see it and that was the time I saw the dead horse. Columbus's house was a very poor sight, and between you and me I don't believe he ever lived there, because if he had he'd have gone into the business of selling cabbages the way everybody else in the neighborhood does instead of becoming a great discoverer, though I'll tell you one thing. If I'd had to live a week in that neighborhood I'd have wanted to be on the ocean for the rest of my natural life to get fresh air enough to carry me through. That's a queer thing about Italy. There's less fresh air to the square inch in Italy than there is anywhere else in the world. Pop says Italians most always sleep with their windows open and maybe that's the trouble. It is the closest country I ever was in. We got on board the _Werra_ Thursday morning and she's a great ship. Aunt Sarah says the only thing against her is the band that plays all through dinner, but Pop doesn't think so. He says the band is a good investment because it keeps people from eating and hasn't been known to blow a ship to pieces, which is a great thing considering the band. I liked the music. Why one night I was feeling pretty mean when the sausages were served, and I wanted to go up on deck and the band began to play the Washington Post March, and it settled my stomick right away. Besides the officers aren't so great but what they can notice kids. I got to know every officer on the boat from the deck steward down to the Captain, and when they weren't on duty they were fine; but on duty--my--you'd have thought the world depended on 'em. I tell you, Jack, I liked Chesterfield, and I liked the officers on the _New York_, but if a _Werra_ man chose to throw me overboard I wouldn't care because I'd _know_ he'd get me home safe and was looking after me whatever he did, whether the band played or not. You are ten and I'm nine but we can size up fellows just the same, and when it comes to sizing up, give me Captain Pohle and Captain Polack. They can have me for a cabin-boy or anything else. I'll get home safe as long as I'm with them and I won't have to wear rubbers either.