it," he laughed. "It's full of live men who want to be doing
something--instead of being compelled to argue that they're some good.
They get very tired saying they're useful. They'd like to make it
self-evident."

"Well, perhaps we'll have a war with Japan," said Katie consolingly.

"Perhaps we will. Having an army that's spoiling for it, I don't see how
we can very well miss it."

"But if we had no army we certainly should have a war."

His silence led Katie to gasp: "Wayne, are you
becoming--anti-militarist?"

He laughed. "Oh, I don't know what I'm becoming. But as to myself--I do
know this. There would be more satisfaction in constructive work than
in work that constructs only that it may be ready to destroy. I would
find it more satisfying to help give my country itself--through natural
and legitimate means--than stand ready to give it some corner of some
other country."

"But to keep the other country from getting a corner of it?"

"Doesn't it occur to you, Katie, that as a matter of fact the other
country might like a chance to develop its resources? We're like a crowd
of boys with rocks in their hands and all afraid to throw down the
rocks. If one did, the others might be immensely relieved. It seems
rather absurd, standing there with rocks nobody wants to
throw--especially when there are so many other things to be doing--and
everybody saying, 'I've got to keep mine because he's got his.' Would you
call that a very intelligent gang of kids? Ferguson says it's the
workingmen of the world will bring about disarmament. That they're coming
to feel their common cause as workers too keenly to be forced into war
with each other."

"That's what the man that mends the boats says," piped up Worth. "He says
that when they're all socialists there won't be any wars--'cause
nobody'll go. But Watts says that day'll never come, thank God."

"Are you thanking God for yourself or for Watts, sonny?" laughed his
father. "And who, pray, is the man that mends the boats?"

"The man that mends the boats, father, is a man that's 'most as smart
as you are."

"It has been a long time," gravely remarked Wayne, "since any man has
been brought to my attention so highly commended as that."

But their talk had been sobering to them both, for they spoke seriously
then of various things. It was probable that before long Wayne would be
ordered to Washington. He wanted to know what Katie would do then. Why
not spend next season in W