in common. I don't think his editorial columns are for
sale, and he doesn't believe there are blow-holes in my steel plates.
I really do believe we have certain convictions. Tremlidge seems to
have an idea that journalism can be clean and yet enterprising, and
tries to run his sheet accordingly, and I am afraid that I would not
make a bid for bridge girders below what it would cost to manufacture
them honestly. Tremlidge and I differ in politics; we hold conflicting
views as to municipal government; we attend different churches; we are
at variance in the matter of public education, of the tariff, of
emigration, and, heaven save the mark! of capital and labour, but we
tell ourselves that we are public-spirited and are a little proud that
God allowed us to be born in the United States; also it appears that we
have more money than Henry George believes to be right. Now," continued
Mr. Campbell, straightening himself as though he were about to touch
upon the real subject of his talk, "when the news of your return, Mr.
Bennett, was received, it was, as of course you understand, the one
topic of conversation in the streets, the clubs, the newspaper
offices--everywhere. Tremlidge and I met at our club at luncheon the
next week, and I remember perfectly well how long and how very earnestly
we talked of your work and of arctic exploration in general.

"We found out all of a sudden that here at last was a subject we were
agreed upon, a subject in which we took an extraordinary mutual
interest. We discovered that we had read almost every explorer's book
from Sir John Franklin down. We knew all about the different theories
and plans of reaching the Pole. We knew how and why they had all failed;
but, for all that, we were both of the opinion" (Campbell leaned
forward, speaking with considerable energy) "that it can be done, and
that America ought to do it. That would be something better than even a
World's Fair.

"We give out a good deal of money, Tremlidge and I, every year to public
works and one thing or another. We buy pictures by American
artists--pictures that we don't want; we found a scholarship now and
then; we contribute money to build groups of statuary in the park; we
give checks to the finance committees of libraries and museums and all
the rest of it, but, for the lives of us, we can feel only a mild
interest in the pictures and statues, and museums and colleges, though
we go on buying the one and supporting the othe