etty clever one,"
he murmured; "they've simply cut off all railway connections. I can't
help admiring the fellows--they've learned a lot since 1904." He threw
himself into his comfortable Morris chair, and after having carefully
studied the Stock Exchange quotations of Saturday, went once more to the
map on the wall, and marked several spots with a blue pencil; these he
connected by means of a long line which cut off the Pacific States of
Washington, Oregon, and California, and large districts of Nevada and
Arizona from all communication with points to the East. He then looked
at his watch and pressed one of the electric buttons on his desk.

The door opened noiselessly, and an East Indian, dressed in the bright
costume of his native country, entered, and, crossing his arms, made a
deep bow. "When Mr. Gerald Hanbury returns, tell him I want to see him
immediately." The Indian disappeared, and Mr. Hanbury sat down on his
desk, folded his hands under his knees, and swung his feet to and fro,
puffing out the smoke of his pipe from between his teeth. "If only the
boy won't spoil everything with his ridiculous altruistic ideas-- Ah,
Gerald, there you are!"

"Did you send for me, father?"

"Sit down, my boy," said the old gentleman, pointing to a chair; but he
himself remained sitting on the desk.

The son was the very image of his father--the same slender, muscular
figure, the same piercing eyes, the same energetic mouth. "Well, father,
what do you think of it?"

"Think of it? What do _you_ think of it?"

"Isn't it awful, this sudden attack on our country? Isn't it awful the
way we have been taken by surprise? Think of it, three of our States in
the enemy's hands!"

"We'll soon get them back, don't worry about that," said the old
gentleman calmly.

"Have you read the orders for mobilization?"

"I haven't read them, and don't intend to."

"Colonel Smiles told me just now that it will not be possible to
dispatch our troops to the West in less than three weeks. Fortunately
there are about a dozen ships of the Pacific fleet off the west coast,
and they will be able to attack the Japanese in the rear."

"If there's still time," supplemented his father. "Anyhow, we can leave
these matters to others. It's none of our business; they can attend to
all that at Washington. War is purely and simply a question of finances
so far as the United States is concerned, and it's as plain as day that
we can hold out ten times longe