“Oh, for that matter, the chances are heavily against success in anything. To reckon on that basis is hopeless. It’s no good to count on failure.... Imagine you have absolute success, and reckon backwards from that, if you like. Imagine that there is war. You are the Admiral commanding the Home Fleet. You have--you have the destinies of the world in your hands: it would be little less than that. Doesn’t there seem something fine----” “Assuming, for the sake of comparison, an equivalent success elsewhere, I’d rather shape destiny with other tools.” “As Prime Minister?” John smiled for a moment. Then he said seriously: “Or write a great book. Or--oh, there are dozens of better implements.” “But suppose--and this is the ultimate test--suppose you won a Trafalgar?” John looked up quickly, realizing whither he had been led. Their eyes met. “I don’t think Trafalgar would make me happy,” he said. He picked up the red lamp that was swinging within a few inches of the cabin floor and placed it on his knees. Hartington settled himself deeply in his great wicker chair. “If that’s so,” he said, “you ought not to be in the Service. You ought to get out of it, and try to write that great book.” John put the lantern from him hurriedly and rose. “Do you think I don’t know that?” he demanded, with a tremor in his voice. “You didn’t know it sixty seconds ago.” “I did. Good-night.” “Good-night.” John paused with one foot outside the cabin door. “Do you want to be an Admiral yourself?” he challenged. “That question does not arise,” Hartington answered. Because he could not trust himself to speak again John went out, his eyes aching as before a storm of tears. CHAPTER XVI THE ENGINES I About the middle of July the squadron left Wei-hai-wei to visit Chemulpo and Seoul. John was now attached to the Engine-room staff. He kept no more watches on the Upper Deck, attended no lectures, and ran no boats. His connection with the executive branch was limited to the writing up of his log-book, the taking and working out of sights, and to certain gunnery duties of which more shall be said. The executive officers, who objected strongly to the system under which midshipmen were withdrawn periodically from the Upper Deck, and by which they were thus deprived of a full complement of messengers, boat-runners, cocoa-makers, and general assistants, had contrived on this occasion that no more than two, John and Driss, should go below. This arrangement, which John had at first welcomed, was soon found to be less advantageous than he had supposed.