The senator tossed a hand in amiable protest: "Oh, sir, you see it much too small! My half of it is large enough for me, with forty times this young gentleman's experience. I don't see just this one boat and trip and these few hundred native-American citizens in deadly contact with a few hundred of Europe's refuse. I see--your passengers see--we view with alarm--a state of affairs--and a test case!" The old commodore's eyes flashed to retort, but the senator forced a propitiative smile, adding: "However, let that pass just now, here's something else." "Is it also in that paper?" "It is." "Tell it to Hugh--or let him read it." But as the old gentleman would have moved away, the senator, ignoring the suggestion, stepped across his path:-- "Last night, commodore, this matchless new boat"--he paused to let the compliment sink in, his eye wandering to Watson, who had sauntered down from the texas roof--"this _Votaress_, swept past everything that had backed out at New Orleans ahead of her." "Built to do it," put in Hugh while the commodore, by a look, drew Watson to them and the senator flowed on. XXIV A SENATOR ENLIGHTENED "But, lying at Bayou Sara this morning," said the senator, "everything worth counting left us behind again." "For the time being," said Hugh. "Good for you," said the senator. "Mr. pilot, this paper, of a hundred signatures, petitions this boat to put off her foreigners at Natchez Island. If that is refused, when and where are we likely to overhaul the _Antelope_?" "_Antelope_? Let's see. We'd still be a-many a bend behind the _Antelope_ at sundown but fo' one thing. At Natchez she's got to discharge an all-fired lot o' casting an' boilers, things she can't put ashore 'ithout han'spikes, block-an'-taickle an' all han's a-cuss'n' to oncet. Like as not we'll catch her right there." "Good again; sundown!" said the senator. "Now, commodore, this petition begs----" The commodore tried to wave him to Hugh but the senator's big hand gently prevented. "It begs," he went on, "and every friend of Gideon Hayle and John Courteney on this boat insists, that Madame Hayle be required to leave this suicidal work she's doing and with her daughter and youngest son be put aboard the _Antelope_ to join her husband ahead of all bad news." With his under lip pushed out he smiled into the commodore's serene face. Hugh spoke. "The _Votaress_ being slow?" he inquired. "Not at all! But, my young friend, the _Votaress_ can't hold funerals and outrun the _Antelope_ at the same time." The commodore had turned to Watson: "Want to see me?" The two moved a few paces aft. "Then it isn't," Hugh asked the senator, "that your hundred signers of this thing are afraid madame will get the cholera?" He took the petition's free end between thumb and finger and softly pulled. But its holder held on.