“It was a precious lucky thing for me,” said the officer. “I'd have been in quite a predicament, you know.”
He paused for a moment. “You cannot imagine,” he said, “the position that we naval officers are in. Do you know, I think some word must have got out about that contract.”
“You don't say so,” said Montague, with interest.
“I do. By gad, I thought of writing to headquarters about it. I was approached no less than three times!”
“Indeed!”
“Fancy,” said the officer. “A young chap got himself introduced to me by one of my friends here. He stuck by me the whole evening, and afterwards, as we were strolling home, he opened up on me in this fashion. He'd heard from a friend in Washington that I was one of those who had been asked to write specifications for the oil contracts of the Navy; and he had some friends who were interested in oil, and who might be able to advise me. He hinted that it might be a good thing for me. Just think of it!”
“I can imagine it was unpleasant.”
“I tell you, it sets a man to thinking,” said the Lieutenant. “You know the men in our service are exposed to that sort of thing all the time, and some of them are trying to live a good deal higher than their incomes warrant. It's a thing that we've all got to look out for; I can stand graft in politics and in business, but when it comes to the Army and Navy—I tell you, that's where I'm ready to fight.”
Montague said nothing. He could think of nothing to say.
“Gamble said something about your being interested in a fight against the Steel Trust,” said the other. “Is that so?”