"The boat could have been mended at night, and ready for use," in the tone
which a teacher might use to idle boys.--"It is singular, Captain
Swendon," turning his back on the men as on so many mud-turtles, "that the
sea-air begets improvident habits in all coast-people. You cannot account
for it rationally, but it is a fact. Along the whole immediate shore-line
of Europe you find the same traits. Unreadiness, torpor of mind and
body.--Ah! Captain Swendon and I wish to hire a boat for the day," turning
to the fishermen again. "Can any of you men furnish us with one?"

Sutphen lighted his cigar leisurely: "We always manage to provide Captain
Swendon with a boat when he wants it. We kin obleege him," with a slight
stress on the pronoun.

"At what rates?" sharply.

"Waal, we kin talk of rates when the day's over. The captain and us won't
disagree, I reckon."

"I never do business in that way. Bring out your boat and put a price on
it."

"Come, Neckart," said the captain, rising hastily, "we will walk up the
beach a bit.--I'll see you about the boat presently, Sutphen.--You don't
know these fellows, Bruce," when they had passed out of hearing and found
a seat in the thin salt grass. "They are not used to being dealt with in
such a prompt, drill-major fashion."

"I deal with all men alike. Order and promptness have been necessary to me
in every step of my way. I must have them from others. I pay to a penny,
and I exact to a penny. It is not the money I want: it is discipline in
the people about me. They must move as if they were drilled if they move
to further my ends."

The captain took his cigar out of his mouth and turned blankly on him:
"'Further your ends?' But, Bruce?--"

Neckart laughed: "Oh, no doubt they were created with some other object in
view than to serve my purposes. But that is the cognizance which I take of
them. Really, captain, if you were in public life, and saw with what
eagerness masses of men follow feeble leaders who know the trick of piping
to them, and how willing they are to be manipulated, you would soon come
to look upon the American public simply as a machine ready for your own
use when you had the skill to work it."

The captain's cigar went out in his fingers as he sat staring with dull
perplexity at Neckart. There was a certain nobility in the carriage of the
powerful figure and black shaggy head, an occasional fire in the deep-set
eyes, a humor in the fine smile, which argued a