“And what of it, sir? What of it?” puffed old Mr. Pangloss. “I have lived for sixty years, sir, and all that time have managed to get along without any such nonsensical things, and so did my ancestors before me. It’s obvious, then, that there is no need of them. Mankind is better off without them.”
“But in case of war, sir,” put in Midshipman Stark. “If the Lockyer is as capable a submarine as we hope she will prove to be, the nation possessing her will be years ahead of any other, at least, so far as naval warfare is concerned.”
“Bah, sir! War ought to be abolished,” snapped the old man. “I’d like to shoot or hang everybody who talks about war, or is connected with it in any way.”
“Suppose we take a look over the boat before she is launched,” suggested the inventor, tactfully changing the subject.
“Oh, that would be the very thing,” cried Miss Pangloss excitedly. “I am sure it is a wonderful boat and will be a great success.”
“It will—it must be, if you wish it,” said the inventor, in so low a tone, however, that the others did not catch it.
“I will look at the boat,” announced Mr. Pangloss bristlingly, “but I want it distinctly understood that I do not endorse the principles for which she stands. Warfare and bloodshed are distasteful to me, odious—detestable!”
“Gee, he makes more disturbance about it than a whole battery of guns,” whispered Herc to Ned, as the boys and Tom Marlin fell in the rear of the party.
“Most of these peace agitators do,” was Ned’s rejoinder. “They forget that the rivalry between nations is not a theory, but a condition. The first nation to fall behind in her defenses will be the first to fall a prey to the others.”