ot so definitely and accurately known in those days as
now."

"Latitude was latitude, and longitude was longitude," would be the
captain's retort. "Variation and deviation are used in setting courses
and estimating dead reckoning."

All of which was Greek to Simon Nishikanta, who would promptly take the
Ancient Mariner's side of the discussion.

But the Ancient Mariner was fair-minded. What advantage he gave the Jew
one moment, he balanced the next moment with an advantage to the skipper.

"It's a pity," he would suggest to Captain Doane, "that you have only one
chronometer. The entire fault may be with the chronometer. Why did you
sail with only one chronometer?"

"But I _was_ willing for two," the Jew would defend. "You know that,
Grimshaw?"

The wheat-farmer would nod reluctantly and Captain would snap:

"But not for three chronometers."

"But if two was no better than one, as you said so yourself and as
Grimshaw will bear witness, then three was no better than two except for
an expense."

"But if you only have two chronometers, how can you tell which has gone
wrong?" Captain Doane would demand.

"Search me," would come the pawnbroker's retort, accompanied by an
incredulous shrug of the shoulders. "If you can't tell which is wrong of
two, then how much harder must it be to tell which is wrong of two dozen?
With only two, it's a fifty-fifty split that one or the other is wrong."

"But don't you realize--"

"I realize that it's all a great foolishness, all this highbrow stuff
about navigation. I've got clerks fourteen years old in my offices that
can figure circles all around you and your navigation. Ask them that if
two chronometers ain't better than one, then how can two thousand be
better than one? And they'd answer quick, snap, like that, that if two
dollars ain't any better than one dollar, then two thousand dollars ain't
any better than one dollar. That's common sense."

"Just the same, you're wrong on general principle," Grimshaw would oar
in. "I said at the time that the only reason we took Captain Doane in
with us on the deal was because we needed a navigator and because you and
me didn't know the first thing about it. You said, 'Yes, sure'; and
right away knew more about it than him when you wouldn't stand for buying
three chronometers. What was the matter with you was that the expense
hurt you. That's about as big an idea as your mind ever had room for.
You go around looking for