hat's a good word, old
man--nor any iron box?"

"Don't be so pessimistic--_think_ we're going to find it, it will help
a lot."

"How about if we _don't_ find it?"

"Then, at least, we'll have had a good time in hunting, and have done
our best to succeed."

"It's a new thing to hear old cynical Macloud preaching optimism!"
laughed Croyden--"our last talk, in Northumberland, wasn't particularly
in that line, you'll remember."

"Our talk in Northumberland had to do with other people and
conditions. This is an adventure, and has to do solely with ourselves.
Some difference, my dear Croyden, some difference! What do you say to
an early breakfast to-morrow, and then a walk over to the Point. It's
something like your Eastern Shore to get to, however,--just across the
river by water, but three miles around by the Severn bridge. We can
have the whole day for prospecting."

"I'm under your orders," said Croyden. "You're in charge of this
expedition."

They had been passing numerous naval officers in uniform, some well
set-up, some slouchy.

"The uniform surely does show up the man for what he is," said Macloud.
"Look at these two for instance--from the stripes on the sleeves, a
Lieutenant-Commander and a Senior Lieutenant. Did you ever see a real
Bowery tough?--they are in that class, with just enough veneer to
deceive, for an instant. There, are two others, opposite. They look
like soldiers. Observe the dignity, the snappy walk, the inherent air
of command."

"Isn't it the fault of the system?" asked Croyden. "Every Congressman
holds a competitive examination in his district; and the appointment
goes to the applicant who wins--be he what he may. For that reason, I
dare say, the Brigade of Midshipmen contains muckers as well as
gentlemen--and officers are but midshipmen of a larger growth."

"Just so! and it's wrong--all wrong! To be a commissioned officer, in
either Army or Navy, ought to attest one's gentle birth."

"It raises a presumption in their favor, at least."

"Presumption! do you think the two who passed us could hide behind that
presumption longer than the fraction of an instant?"

"Don't get excited, old man! I was accounting for it, not defending it.
It's a pity, of course, but that's one of the misfortunes of a Republic
where all men are equal."

"Rot! damn rot!" Macloud exclaimed. "Men aren't equal!--they're born to
different social scales, different intellectualities, different
conditions othe