to hoot and ram her for all she's worth!
But when I carry in my accounts they seem to be trying to think up
language that tells a man to do a thing, and yet doesn't tell him.
What's that?" He put his head far out of the window.

Floating out of the fog came a dull, grunting sound, a faint and
far-away diapason, a marine whistle which announced a big chap.

"I should say it is a Union liner, sir--either the _Triton_ or
_Neptune_."

They listened. They waited two long minutes for another signal.

"Seems to be taking up his full, legal time," growled Captain Wass.
"Since Marston has gobbled that line maybe he has put on a special
register to keep tabs on tooting--thinks it's waste of steam and will
reduce dividends. Expects us little fellows to do the squawking!"

The big whistle boomed again, dead ahead, and so much nearer that it
provoked the skipper to lash out a round oath.

"He is reeling off eighteen knots for a gait, or you can use my head for
a rivet nut!" He yanked the cord and the freighter howled angrily. The
other replied with bellowing roar--autocratic, domineering. With irony,
with vindictiveness, Captain Wass pitched his voice in sarcastic nasal
tone and recited another rule--thereby trying to express his irate
opinion of the lawlessness of other men.

"Article Sixteen, Mr. Mayo! He probably carries it in his watch-case
instead of his girl's picture! Nice reading for a rainy day! 'A
steam-vessel hearing apparently forward of her beam the fog signal of a
vessel, the position of which is not ascertained, shall, so far as the
circumstances of the case permit, stop her engines and then navigate
with caution until all danger of collision is over.' Hooray for the
rules!"

Captain Wass hooked a gnarled finger into the loop of the bell-pull and
yanked upward viciously. A dull clang sounded far below. He pulled again
and the vibration of the engine ceased.

"Gad rabbit it! I'll go the whole hog as the department orders! If he
bangs into me we'll see who comes off best at the hearing."

He gave the bell-loop two quick jerks; then he shifted his hand to
another pull and the jingle bell sounded in the engine-room--the
_Nequasset_ was ordered to make full speed astern.

The freighter shook and shivered when the screw began to reverse,
pulling at the frothing sea, clawing frantically to haul her to a stop.
The skipper then gave three resentful, protesting whistle-blasts.

But the reply he received from ahead