much as half of us off safe in case something
happens. I counted up all the life-boats I could see, and ven I estimate
the number of peoples on board, w'y, by gracious, the loss of life
vould be frightful, gentlemen. The only chance we would haf would be
for approxi-madely fifty percent of the peoples on board to be killed
outright by the explosion."

"I hear there is a detective from Chicago on board, with a prisoner,"
ventured Mr. Fitts. "Why doesn't the Captain ask him to have a look at
this stowaway fellow?"

"What would be the good of that?" demanded Mr. Landover. "I never saw a
detective in my life that knew what to do in an emergency. Soon as
you get one of them where he can't telephone in to headquarters
for instructions he's as helpless as a baby. Don't talk to me about
detectives. Why, this fellow would simply laugh in his face."

"Just, as he is laughing in yours at this moment, Mr. Landover," pursued
Mr. Fitts pleasantly.

"The damned rascal," said Mr. Landover, and stalked away.

"There goes one of the biggest figures in the United States," said Mr.
Nicklestick, looking after the banker. His remark was addressed to Mr.
Fitts. "I wish I had his brains."

"Dey vouldn't do you any good, Nicklestick," said Mr. Block, "unless you
had his money too also."

"If I had his brains," said Mr. Nicklestick, "he wouldn't have his
money, so what's the difference?"

CHAPTER III.

Mr. Block looked uneasily out over the tumbling ocean, focusing his gaze
on a section of the horizon that for want of something more definite
than mere hope lay in a direct line with the City of New York.

"And ven you stop to think," said he wistfully, "that we are still
something like six thousand miles from home,--oh, veil! Vat's the use? I
bet you I never go so far avay from my business again. Vat a fool I vas
to make this trip ven the whole ocean is full of submarines and German
agents and plotters and--Yes, vat a fool ven I had so many high-priced
men vorking for me who vas crazy to come. But my vife she vould do it.
Paris and London every year it used to be, so she must haf a little
holiday or she vill die, she say. Veil, here we are. And ven I think
vat a long holiday it is going to be maybe,--by gracious, I could kick
myself for not giving in to my brother-in-law ven he begged so hard to
be allowed to make the trip because he needed the change from not being
avay from the office for five years, and his vife and chi