ine and do as our ships do
when they come here?"

"They are expected to, Bob said," answered Walter. "In case they do
not, however, they cannot be meddled with by underlings. Instead they
are immediately reported to the government and the two countries
involved settle their dispute by arbitration. It is too delicate a
matter for others to butt in on, for some blunderer might offend
another country and get us into war just through being stupid.
Conversely, when our ships are in foreign waters they must keep the
naval rules of the nation they are visiting."

"That's fair."

"It sure is," agreed Walter. "Besides that, all the shipboard radio
stations have to carry with them their license to prove that they are
authorized by their countries to operate a wireless outfit, and that
they fulfil the requirements of the government whose flag they fly.
Should any trouble arise when they are in a foreign port they can be
asked to produce this license; and if the foreign authorities whom
they are visiting have reason to suspect they are not meeting the
standards the license demands they can complain to the government that
is responsible for the ship."

"But suppose the government didn't know anything about such a ship?"

"Great Scott! But it does, man," ejaculated Walter. "There are lists
that contain not only the name and nationality of all ships but even
the names and addresses of its radio operators. There is no getting by
that."

"So the ships themselves are not allowed to take up their own quarrel
if they are challenged?" commented Dick.

"No. They simply have to stay perfectly polite and keep their mouths
shut, no matter how mad they are," grinned His Highness. "Otherwise
there would be squabbles all the time, for there are always
misunderstandings and grudges, and people who enjoy picking on one
another. All the ships would be fighting and the countries that owned
them, too, if everybody rolled up his sleeves and pitched into the
other fellow when things went wrong. Governments are supposed to be
more slow-moving, fair, and impartial. And anyhow, it is their job to
look out for their own citizens and see they are squarely treated. Bob
says it is a more dignified way than for individuals to fight out
their own quarrels. It certainly carries more weight. Nobody is going
to bully a ship and make trouble for its crew if a big nation stands
behind it. It serves as a check on the men, too, Bob told me, for when
they are i