you experienced
fellows to put me through. Don't know much about this lawmaking
business, you know. Raising cotton, arguing the Government and bossing
niggers have been about the extent of my occupation for the last forty
years, so I reckon I'm not much of a practical lawmaker."

"Oh, you'll learn; you'll learn quickly," assured Peabody. "With
Stevens, here, for a guide you can't go wrong. We all look up to
Stevens. He's one of the powers on your side. He's an able man, is
Stevens."

The new Senator from Mississippi gladly corroborated this.

"You're right, sir. A great man! I tell you, when he told that
Legislature what they ought to do, Senator Peabody, they did it. If it
wasn't for Stevens I wouldn't be here now."

In mock protest the senior Senator from Mississippi raised his hands.

"Now, now, Langdon, don't say that. Your worth, your integrity, your
character and our old friendship got you the senatorship."

The old planter laughed gleefully.

"Sure, Stevens, I have the character and the integrity, but I reckon
the character and integrity wouldn't have done much business if you
hadn't had the Legislature."

Clearly delighted, Peabody considered it certain that this new Senator
knew just the way he should go and would cause no difficulty. His
keen sense of gratitude made him appreciate how he had been elected.
Peabody literally beamed on Langdon.

"I hope we shall be able to work a good deal together, Senator," he
said. "I have the interests of the South at heart, particularly with
regard to this new naval base. Perhaps we may be able to get you on
the naval committee."

"Me!" laughed Langdon. "Well, that would be going strong! But I tell
you I'm for the naval base."

"For Altacoola?" suggested Stevens.

Langdon hesitated. Peabody and Stevens watched him as eagles watch
their prey from the mountain crag.

"Well, it looks to me like Altacoola ought to be a fine site. But the
actual place isn't so important to me. I tell you, gentlemen," he said
in impressive seriousness that rang with sturdy American manhood--"I
tell you that what is important is that the great, sweeping curve of
the gulf shall hold some of those white ships of ours to watch over
the Indies and the canal and to keep an eye on South America.

"And right there on our own Southern coast I want these ships built
and equipped and the guns cast and the men found to man them. I want
the South to have her part in the nation's defense. I wa