I'm de end! I'm de start! I start somep'n and de woild moves! It--dat's me!--de new dat's moiderin' de old! I'm de ting in coal dat makes it boin; I'm steam and oil for de engines; I'm de ting in noise dat makes yuh hear it; I'm smoke and express trains and steamers and factory whistles; I'm de ting in gold dat makes it money! And I'm what makes iron into steel! Steel, dat stands for de whole ting! And I'm steel--steel--steel! I'm de muscles in steel, de punch behind it! [_As he says this he pounds with his fist against the steel bunks. All the men, roused to a pitch of frenzied self-glorification by his speech, do likewise. There is a deafening metallic roar, through which Yank's voice can be heard bellowing._] Slaves, hell! We run de whole woiks. All de rich guys dat tink dey're somep'n, dey ain't nothin'! Dey don't belong. But us guys, we're in de move, we're at de bottom, de whole ting is us! [_Paddy from the start of Yank's speech has been taking one gulp after another from his bottle, at first frightenedly, as if he were afraid to listen, then desperately, as if to drown his senses, but finally has achieved complete indifferent, even amused, drunkenness. Yank sees his lips moving. He quells the uproar with a shout._] Hey, youse guys, take it easy! Wait a moment! De nutty Harp is sayin' someth'n. PADDY--[_Is heard now--throws his head back with a mocking burst of laughter._] Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho--- YANK--[_Drawing back his fist, with a snarl._] Aw! Look out who yuh're givin' the bark! PADDY--[_Begins to sing the "Muler of Dee" with enormous good-nature._] "I care for nobody, no, not I, And nobody cares for me." YANK--[_Good-natured himself in a flash, interrupts PADDY with a slap on the bare back like a report._] Dat's de stuff! Now yuh're gettin' wise to somep'n. Care for nobody, dat's de dope! To hell wit 'em all! And nix on nobody else carin'. I kin care for myself, get me! [_Eight bells sound, muffled, vibrating through the steel walls as if some enormous brazen gong were imbedded in the heart of the ship. All the men jump up mechanically, file through the door silently close upon each other's heels in what is very like a prisoners lockstep. YANK slaps PADDY on the back._] Our watch, yuh old Harp! [_Mockingly._] Come on down in hell. Eat up de coal dust. Drink in de heat. It's it, see! Act like yuh liked it, yuh better--or croak yuhself. PADDY--[_With jovial defiance._] To the divil wid it! I'll not report this watch. Let thim log me and be damned. I'm no slave the like of you. I'll be sittin' here at me ease, and drinking, and thinking, and dreaming dreams.