for all our political mistakes of the last few years. The revenge for
Portsmouth came as such a terrible surprise, because, misled by common
opinion, we believed the enemy to be breaking down under the weight of
his armor and therefore incapable of conducting a new war and, in this
way undervaluing our adversary, we neglected all necessary preparations.
No diplomatic conflict, not the slightest disturbance of our relations
with Japan prepared the way for the great surprise. The world was the
richer by one experience--that a war need have no prelude on the
diplomatic stage provided enough circumstances have led up to it.

_Chapter XIV_

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WHIRLPOOL

On the rear deck of a ferry-boat bound for Hoboken on the morning of May
12th stood Randolph Taney, with his hands in his pockets, gazing
intently at the foaming waters of the Hudson plowed up by the screw. It
was all over: he had speculated in Wall Street, putting his money on
Harriman, and had lost every cent he had. What Harriman could safely do
with a million, Randolph Taney could not do with a quarter of a million.
That's why he had lost. Fortunately only his own money. The whole bundle
of papers wasn't worth any more than the copy of the _Times_ tossed
about in the swirling water in the wake of the boat.

Randolph Taney kept on thinking. Just why he was going to Hoboken he
really didn't know, but it made little difference what he did.

"Halloo, Taney," called out an acquaintance, "where are you going?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know? How's that?"

"I'm done for."

"You're not the only one; Wall Street is a dangerous vortex."

"But I'm absolutely cleaned out."

"How so?"

"Do you know what I'm going to do, James Harrison?" asked Taney, with
bitter irony in his voice. "I'll apprentice myself to a paperhanger,
and learn to paper my rooms with my worthless railway shares. I imagine
I can still learn that much."

"Ah, that's the way the wind blows!" cried the other, whistling softly.

"What did you think?"

"It was pretty bad, I suppose?"

"Bad? It was hell----"

"Were you in Wall Street on Monday?"

"Yes, and on Tuesday, too."

"And now you want to learn paperhanging?"

"Yes."

"Does it have to be that?"

"Can you suggest anything else?"

"Yes."

"Well?"

Hubert pointed to the button-hole in the lapel of his coat and said: "Do
you see this?"

"What is it?"

"A volunteer button."

Taney looked with i