it is, sir!"

At least, he had conquered East River, the Gate, and the narrows beyond,
and had many miles straight ahead to the whistler off Point Judith. He
was resolved to be thankful for small favors.

He hoped that with the coming of the night and on account of the
prevalence of the fog he would find that shipping of the ordinary sort
had stopped moving. However, in a few minutes he heard telltale whistles
ahead, and he signaled half speed. A lumbering old lighter with a
yawing derrick passed close aboard. An auxiliary fisherman, his exhaust
snapping like a machine-gun, and seeming to depend on that noise for
warning, was overtaken.

"Can you leave that window for a minute, Captain Mayo?" asked the
general manager.

The captain promptly joined Mr. Fogg at the rear of the spacious
pilot-house.

"See here, Cap," remonstrated his superior, "I came down through these
waters on the _Triton_ of the Union line the other day, and she made her
time. What's the matter with us?"

"I'm obeying the law, sir. And there are new warnings just issued." He
pointed to the placard headed "Safety First" in big, red letters. "The
word has been passed that the first captain who is caught with the goods
will be made an example of."

"Is that so?" commented Fogg, studying the end of his cigar. His tone
was a bit peculiar. "But the _Triton_ came along."

"And she nigh rammed the _Nequasset_ in the fog the last trip I made up
the coast. It was simply touch and go, Mr. Fogg, and all her fault. We
were following the rules to the letter."

"And that's one way of spoiling the business of a steamboat line,"
snapped Fogg. He added, to himself, "But it isn't my way!"

"I'm sorry, but I have been trained to believe that a record for safety
is better than all records for speed, sir."

"I let Jacobs go because he was old-fashioned, Mayo. This is the age of
taking chances--taking chances and getting there! Business, politics,
railroading, and steam-boating. The people expect it. The right folks do
it."

"You are general manager of this line, Mr. Fogg. Do you order me to make
schedule time, no matter what conditions are?"

"You are the captain of this boat. I simply want you to deliver
up-to-date goods. As to how you do it, that is not my business. I'm not
a sea-captain, and I don't presume to advise as to details."

Captain Mayo was young, He knew the 'longcoast game. He was ambitious.
Opportunity had presented itself. He understood t