oo," echoed Mr. Tolman. "You've got plenty of backers
behind you, Dick, and you have a clear path ahead. That is all any boy
needs."

"You're going back to school, aren't you, youngster?" Mr. Ackerman
suddenly inquired of Stephen.

"Yes, sir. I start in next week."

"Decided yet whether you will be a railroad man like your Dad, or a
steamboat man like me?" went on the New Yorker facetiously.

"Not yet."

"Oh, for shame! It should not take you any time at all to decide a
question like that," the capitalist asserted teasingly. "What's
hindering you?"

Stephen gave a mischievous chuckle.

"I can't decide until I have heard both sides," said he. "So far I know
only half the steamboat story."

"I see! In other words you think that between here and New Haven I might
beguile the time by going on with the yarn I began yesterday."

"That thought crossed my mind, sir,--yes."

"You should go into the diplomatic service, young man. Your talents are
being wasted," observed Mr. Ackerman good-humoredly. "Well, I suppose I
could romance for the benefit of you two boys for part of the way, at
least. It will give your father, Steve, a chance to go into the other
car and smoke. Where did we break off our story? Do you remember?"

"Where the United States said anybody had the right to sail anywhere he
wanted to, in any kind of a boat he chose," piped Dick with promptness.

"Yes, yes. I recall it all now," said Mr. Ackerman. "The courts withdrew
the grant giving Livingston the sole right to navigate the waters of New
York State by means of steamboats. So you want to hear more about it, do
you?"

"Yes!" came simultaneously from both the boys.

"Then all aboard! Tolman, you can read, or run off and enjoy your cigar.
We are going on a steamboat cruise."

"Push off! You won't bother me," was the tolerant retort, as the elder
man unfolded the morning paper.

Mr. Ackerman cleared his throat.

"Before this decree to give everybody an equal chance in navigating the
waters of the country was handed down by the courts," he began, "various
companies, in defiance of Livingston's contract, began building and
running steamboats on the Hudson. Two rival boats were speedily in
operation and it was only after a three years' lawsuit that they were
legally condemned and handed over to Fulton to be broken up. Then the
ferryboat people got busy and petitioned the New York Legislature for
the right to run their boats to and fro between the