``Well, I don't know.It sounds more interesting than engineering.Burke says I beat him on his last fight, and he'd like to have me with him in the next one--sort of young-blood-in-the-firm idea--and he calculates that we can go about setting people free and upsetting governments for some time to come.He says there is always something to fight about if you look for it.
And I must say the condition of those poor Macedonians does appeal to me.Think of them all alone down there bullied by that Sultan of Turkey, and wanting to be free and independent.That's not right.You, as an American citizen, ought to be the last person in the world to throw cold water on an undertaking like that.In the name of Liberty now?''
``I don't object; set them free, of course,'' laughed Clay.
``But how long have you entertained this feeling for the enslaved Macedonians, Mac?''
``Well, I never heard of them until a quarter of an hour ago, but they oughtn't to suffer through my ignorance.''
``Certainly not.Let me know when you're going to do it, and Hope and I will run over and look on.I should like to see you and Burke and the Prince of Macedonia rolling rocks down on the Turkish Empire.''
Hope and Clay passed on up the deck laughing, and MacWilliams looked after them with a fond and paternal smile.The lamp in the wheelhouse threw a broad belt of light across the forward deck as they passed through it into the darkness of the bow, where the lonely lookout turned and stared at them suspiciously, and then resumed his stern watch over the great waters.
They leaned upon the rail and breathed the soft air which the rush of the steamer threw in their faces, and studied in silence the stars that lay so low upon the horizon line that they looked like the harbor lights of a great city.
``Do you see that long line of lamps off our port bow?'' asked Clay.
Hope nodded.
``Those are the electric lights along the ocean drive at Long Branch and up the Rumson Road, and those two stars a little higher up are fixed to the mast-heads of the Scotland Lightship.