Macon beacon., 1917-10-12
CHAPTER |.
The Mad Sea-Captaln.

Lieutenant Donald Paget, emerging
from the navy Office in Washington In
a state of high cxuberance at having
received command Of Il submarine, COZ
llded violently with tall, elderly man
OF singular aspect.
The stranger was dressed in quasi
nautical costume Of his own devising'
resembling nothing known to any navy
In the world. His iron gray beard
swept down to his waist, giving MN
the nspect of a twentieth-ccntury
Nonh and just then he was very angry
indeed, for, standing stock-stlll at the
entrance Of the building he shook his
enormous fist at one Of the porters,
whose black and highly shocked "x-
preston indicated his unhappy frame
OF mind at this breach Of decorum.
"Confound you, sirl' exclaimed the
lieutenant angrily as he recoIled from
his impact upon the sturdy igurc on
which the collision had made no more
impression than If he had fallen
against the Washington monument.
"Why don't you look"
Then, cntchIng sight Of the long
beard "Why, Captain Mastermnn"
he exclaimed
Donald Pagct" cried the elderly
man, grnspIng him by the hand. "EX-
cusc my being upset but these jacks
in-ofice win be the death of the repub-
lie one of these days. | have just
been trying to see the secretary on Il
matter affecting not only Amercn-in
which case his Indifference would not
surprise me--but the entire human
race. What do you suppose they told
mc?'
II am inclined to think that you got
no further than the porter, captain,
replied the lieutenant.
Right sirl" exclaimed Masterman,
beginning to grow angry again. "And
II | were not man of supcrhuman
patience, combined with inexhaustible
TACT singular clarity Of mind, and te-
uacity of purpose-in fact, an obsti-
nate old MULE should let the human
race 20 hang
Lieutenant Paget took the irate old
man by the arm. II wouldn't do that,
captain" he said, smiling. Come and
tell me nll about 1t, and let us see
whether we cannot devise some means
of saving the race. You see now that
the navy department Is SO busy on ac-
count of the war, perhaps little leni-
cncy with It's shortcomings might be
In order, ohY'
"Thc WARP What war?" demanded
Mastcrman.
"Why. our few words with the Ger
mans, MaStcrmnn."
what's that? War with the Ger
mans2 You don't mean to tell me we
are at war with GormanyY
"D0 you mean to say you don't
know that America and Germany are
at wnr7" demanded Paget incredu-
luusly.
no sir! And what's more, 1t
doesn't interest me. How the deuce
should know all the gossip and frivol-
tiles of the day when | only returned
TO the capital yesterdays
'But, my dear captnin-gosslp and
friyolIties /" exclaimed the lieutenant.
Surely you have seen newspapers, or
heard people talking about itT'
Il tell you l haven't seen or heard
anythngl I've got more important
things to think about. Anyhow, 1t will
have TO be stopped ut once said Mas
terman, half turning. "l'll have to &c
back and see the secretary immedi
ately."
However, he suffered his companion
10 lead him out of the building ant
along the street, while the lieutenant
firmly convinced that his old frlenC
was mad, held him by the arm tight!
and listened to the captains disiointcC
mutterings In the hope of discovering
the nature of his deiusion.
Donald Paget had known Captain
jonathan Masterman when he was II
Annapolis, where the old man, VIII,
had once been quartermaster in tn
navy. held subsidiary position on tn
instructors staff. The aCquaiutanc
had continued internationally, Master
man had risen in life until he obtaine
the command of ship fitted out, par
ly by private subscription, partly wit
the aid of a government subsidy, fo
the purpose Of deep-sea exploration.
In this and subsequent expedition
he had made n name for himself b
the remarkable nature of his diSco'
cries. He had discovered the prolol
cation of the submarine spur of III
continental shelf, extending from ii
Norwegian coast toward the Faroes
he had invented an improved net fC
scooping up the larger deni2ens of II
ocean depths; and then he had null
fed all the personal appreciation IN
fame which he had acquired durtt
his various voyages by asserting TIM
mammalian life existed on the st