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greyhound of a boat that ate up the distance between them； at the
jets of smoke and stabs of flame that sprang from her bow； at the
figures crouched behind her gunwale； firing in volleys。
To David it came suddenly； convincingly； that in a dream he had
lived it all before； and something like raw poison stirred in
David； something leaped to his throat and choked him； something
rose in his brain and made him see scarlet。 He felt rather than
saw young Carr kneeling at the box of ammunition； and holding a
shell toward him。 He heard the click as the breech shut； felt the
rubber tire of the brace give against the weight of his shoulder；
down a long shining tube saw the pursuing gun…boat； saw her again
and many times disappear behind a flash of flame。 A bullet gashed
his forehead； a bullet passed deftly through his forearm； but he
did not heed them。 Confused with the thrashing of the engines；
with the roar of the gun he heard a strange voice shrieking
unceasingly：
〃Cuba libre！〃 it yelled。 〃To hell with Spain！〃 and he found that
the voice was his own。
The story lost nothing in the way Carr wrote it。
〃And the best of it is；〃 he exclaimed joyfully； 〃it's true！〃
For a Spanish gun…boat HAD been crippled and forced to run
herself aground by a tug…boat manned by Cuban patriots； and by a
single gun served by one man； and that man an American。 It was
the first sea…fight of the war。 Over night a Cuban navy had been
born； and into the limelight a cub reporter had projected a new
〃hero；〃 a ready…made； warranted…not…to…run； popular idol。
They were seated in the pilot…house； 〃Jimmy〃 Doyle； Carr； and
David； the patriots and their arms had been safely dumped upon
the coast of Cuba； and The Three Friends was gliding swiftly and；
having caught the Florida straits napping； smoothly toward Key
West。 Carr had just finished reading aloud his account of the
engagement。
You will tell the story just as I have written it；〃 commanded the
proud author。 〃Your being South as a travelling salesman was only
a blind。 You came to volunteer for this expedition。 Before you
could explain your wish you were mistaken for a secret…service
man； and hustled on board。 That was just where you wanted to be；
and when the moment arrived you took command of the ship and
single…handed won the naval battle of Nipe Bay。〃
Jimmy Doyle nodded his head approvingly。 〃You certainty did；
Dave；〃 protested the great man； 〃I seen you when you done it！〃
At Key West Carr filed his story and while the hospital surgeons
kept David there over one steamer； to dress his wounds； his fame
and features spread across the map of the United States。
Burdett and Sons basked in reflected glory。 Reporters besieged
their office。 At the Merchants Down…Town Club the business men of
lower Broadway tendered congratulations。
〃Of course； it's a great surprise to us；〃 Burdett and Sons would
protest and wink heavily。 〃Of course； when the boy asked to be
sent South we'd no idea he was planning to fight for Cuba！ Or we
wouldn't have let him go； would we？〃 Then again they would wink
heavily。 〃I suppose you know；〃 they would say； 〃that he's a
direct descendant of General Hiram Greene； who won the battle of
Trenton。 What I say is； 'Blood will tell！'〃 And then in a body
every one in the club would move against the bar and exclaim：
〃Here's to Cuba libre！〃
When the Olivette from Key West reached Tampa Bay every Cuban in
the Tampa cigar factories was at the dock。 There were thousands
of them and all of the Junta； in high hats； to read David an
address of welcome。
And； when they saw him at the top of the gang…plank with his head
in a bandage and his arm in a sling； like a mob of maniacs they
howled and surged toward him。 But before they could reach their
hero the courteous Junta forced them back； and cleared a pathway
for a young girl。 She was travel…worn and pale； her shirt…waist
was disgracefully wrinkled； her best hat was a wreck。 No one on
Broadway would have recognized her as Burdett and Sons' most
immaculate and beautiful stenographer。
She dug the shapeless hat into David's shoulder； and clung to
him。 〃David！〃 she sobbed； 〃promise me you'll never； never do it
again！〃
Chapter 5。 THE SAILORMAN
Before Latimer put him on watch； the Nantucket sailorman had not
a care in the world。 If the wind blew from the north； he spun to
the left； if it came from the south； he spun to the right。 But it
was entirely the wind that was responsible。 So； whichever way he
turned； he smiled broadly； happily。 His outlook upon the world
was that of one who loved his fellowman。 He had many brothers as
like him as twins all over Nantucket and Cape Cod and the North
Shore； smiling from the railings of verandas； from the roofs of
bungalows； from the eaves of summer palaces。 Empaled on their
little iron uprights； each sailorman whirledsometimes
languidly； like a great lady revolving to the slow measures of a
waltz； sometimes so rapidly that he made you quite dizzy； and had
he not been a sailorman with a heart of oak and a head and
stomach of pine； he would have been quite seasick。 But the
particular sailorman that Latimer bought for Helen Page and put
on sentry duty carried on his shoulders most grave and unusual
responsibilities。 He was the guardian of a buried treasure； the
keeper of the happiness of two young people。 It was really asking
a great deal of a care…free； happy…go…lucky weather…vane。
Every summer from Boston Helen Page's people had been coming to
Fair Harbor。 They knew it when what now is the polo field was
their cow pasture。 And whether at the age of twelve or of twenty
or more； Helen Page ruled Fair Harbor。 When she arrived the
〃season〃 opened； when she departed the local trades…people
sighed and began to take account of stock。 She was so popular
because she possessed charm； and because she played no favorites。
To the grooms who held the ponies on the sidelines her manner was
just as simple and interested as it was to the gilded youths who
came to win the championship cups and remained to try to win
Helen。 She was just as genuinely pleased to make a four at tennis
with the 〃kids〃 as to take tea on the veranda of the club…house
with the matrons。 To each her manner was always as though she
were of their age。 When she met the latter on the beach road； she
greeted them riotously and joyfully by their maiden names。 And
the matrons liked it。 In comparison the deference shown them by
the other young women did not so strongly appeal。
〃When I'm jogging along in my station wagon；〃 said one of them；
〃and Helen shrieks and waves at me from her car； I feel as though
I were twenty； and I believe that she is really sorry I am not
sitting beside her； instead of that good…looking Latimer man；
who never wears a hat。 Why does he never wear a hat？ Because he
knows he's good…looking； or because Helen drives so fast he can't
keep it on？〃
〃Does he wear a hat when he is not with Helen？〃 asked the new
arrival。 〃That might help some。〃
〃We will never know；〃 exclaimed the young matron； 〃he never
leaves her。〃
This was so true that it had become a public scandal。 You met
them so many times a day driving together； motoring together；
playing golf together； that you were embarrassed for them and did
not know which way to look。 But they gloried in their shame。 If
you tactfully pretended not to see them； Helen shouted at you。
She made you feel you had been caught doing something indelicate
and underhand。
The mothers of Fair Harbor were rather slow in accepting young
Latimer。 So many of their sons had seen Helen shake her head in
that inarticulate； worried way； and look so sorry for them； that
any strange young man who apparently succeeded where those who
had been her friends for years had learned they must remain
friends； could not hope to escape criticism。 Besides； they did
not know him： he did not come from Boston and Harvard； but from a
Western city。 They were told that at home； at both the law and
the game of politics； he worked hard and successfully； but it was
rather held against him by the youth of Fair Harbor that he
played at there games； not so much for the sake of the game as
for exercise。 He put aside many things； such as whiskey and soda
at two in the morning； and bridge all afternoon； with the remark：
〃I find it does not tend toward efficiency。〃 It was a remark that
irritated and； to the minds of the men at the country clubs；
seemed to place him。 They liked to play polo because they liked
to play polo； not because it kept their muscles limber and their
brains clear。
〃Some Western people were telling me；〃 said one of the matrons；
〃that he wants to be the next lieutenant…governor。 They say he is
very ambitious and very selfish。〃
〃Any man is selfish；〃 protested one who for years had attempted
to marry Helen； 〃who wants to keep Helen to himself。 But that he
should wish to be a lieutenant…governor； too； is rather an
anticlimax。 It makes one lose sympathy。〃
Latimer went on his way without asking any sympathy。 The
companionship of Helen Page was quite sufficient。 He had been
working overtime and was treating himself to his first vacation
in yearshe was younghe was in love an