ist his opinion, and he quizzed Larrabee again, more sharply than
before, about the hypothetical Ripples. He kept moving, and as he walked
he calculated, bringing to bear all the power of a mind which he
believed to be logical, and which his financial success had proved to
be keen and intelligent. All his life he had trusted his judgment, and
it had rarely failed him--barring accidents like that unfair poker game.
At last, as the hours went on, his decision crystallized. He had made up
his mind.

At dinner he drank champagne in addition to his usual ice water, and
only half heard the scraps of conversation in the dining room. There was
to be a special masquerade dance, he gathered. People around him were
excitedly planning the improvisation of costumes. He would not get
himself up in any silly costume, he decided, but if his plans went well,
he might look in later in the evening, on the chance to being allowed to
glide over the waxed floor with the lovely Tanya.

After finishing his last drop of coffee he went directly to the cabin of
Captain Evans, who had just begun to eat his simple dinner.

The Chairman of the board of directors pulled up a chair and sat down,
without waiting to be asked.

"Look here, Josiah, I want to talk to you. I've been thinking. I'm
afraid I was too brusque this morning. That's a bad habit of mine, and I
want to apologize. But after all, we should not be quarreling, for your
interests and mine are the same, as you surely realize."

Captain Evans pushed away his tray, lit a cigar, and puffed stolidly. "I
realize that I must consider the safety of my passengers, if that's what
you mean."

"That's included, of course." Jasperson made his voice warm and
persuasive, the voice that had swayed boards of directors, the voice
that reassured hesitant bankers.

"Passenger safety is always paramount, of course, and I respect your
attitude there. But in this particular case, isn't it possible that you
are being too cautious?"

"But Burl! Can the Captain of a ship _ever_ be too cautious? Think of
his responsibility!"

"His responsibility is very great, and I would never advise you, nor
permit you, to shirk yours. But sometimes caution may cease to be a
virtue. Think about this caution of yours for a minute. Surely you
believe that I would never urge you to do anything against the interests
of the ship, or against your own conscience? Now you have an excellent
mind--logical, objective, clear. That