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upon you to place Lieutenant Turck under arrest and immediately exert
every endeavor to bring the ship back into Pan…American waters。〃
〃I shall not know；〃 replied Alvarez； 〃that the Coldwater passes thirty；
nor shall any other man aboard know it；〃 and； with his words； he drew a
revolver from his pocket； and before either I or Johnson could prevent it
had put a bullet into every instrument upon the bridge； ruining them
beyond repair。
And then he saluted me； and strode from the bridge； a martyr to loyalty
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and friendship； for； though no man might know that Lieutenant Jefferson
Turck had taken his ship across thirty； every man aboard would know that
the first officer had committed a crime that was punishable by both
degradation and death。 Johnson turned and eyed me narrowly。
〃Shall I place him under arrest？〃 he asked。
〃You shall not；〃 I replied。 〃Nor shall anyone else。〃
〃You become a party to his crime！〃 he cried angrily。
〃You may go below； Mr。 Johnson；〃 I said； 〃and attend to the work of
unpacking the extra instruments and having them properly set upon the
bridge。〃
He saluted； and left me； and for some time I stood； gazing out upon the
angry waters； my mind filled with unhappy reflections upon the unjust fate
that had overtaken me； and the sorrow and disgrace that I had unwittingly
brought down upon my house。
I rejoiced that I should leave neither wife nor child to bear the burden
of my shame throughout their lives。
As I thought upon my misfortune； I considered more clearly than ever
before the unrighteousness of the regulation which was to prove my doom；
and in the natural revolt against its injustice my anger rose； and there
mounted within me a feeling which I imagine must have paralleled that
spirit that once was prevalent among the ancients called anarchy。
For the first time in my life I found my sentiments arraying themselves
against custom； tradition； and even government。 The wave of rebellion
swept over me in an instant； beginning with an heretical doubt as to the
sanctity of the established order of thingsthat fetish which has ruled Pan…
Americans for two centuries； and which is based upon a blind faith in the
infallibility of the prescience of the long…dead framers of the articles of
Pan…American federationand ending in an adamantine determination to
defend my honor and my life to the last ditch against the blind and
senseless regulation which assumed the synonymity of misfortune and
treason。
I would replace the destroyed instruments upon the bridge； every
officer and man should know when we crossed thirty。 But then I should
assert the spirit which dominated me； I should resist arrest； and insist upon
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bringing my ship back across the dead line； remaining at my post until we
had reached New York。 Then I should make a full report； and with it a
demand upon public opinion that the dead lines be wiped forever from the
seas。
I knew that I was right。 I knew that no more loyal officer wore the
uniform of the navy。 I knew that I was a good officer and sailor； and I
didn't propose submitting to degradation and discharge because a lot of old；
preglacial fossils had declared over two hundred years before that no man
should cross thirty。
Even while these thoughts were passing through my mind I was busy
with the details of my duties。 I had seen to it that a sea anchor was
rigged； and even now the men had completed their task； and the Coldwater
was swinging around rapidly； her nose pointing once more into the wind；
and the frightful rolling consequent upon her wallowing in the trough was
happily diminishing。
It was then that Johnson came hurrying to the bridge。 One of his eyes
was swollen and already darkening； and his lip was cut and bleeding。
Without even the formality of a salute； he burst upon me； white with fury。
〃Lieutenant Alvarez attacked me！〃 he cried。 〃I demand that he be
placed under arrest。 I found him in the act of destroying the reserve
instruments； and when I would have interfered to protect them he fell upon
me and beat me。 I demand that you arrest him！〃
〃You forget yourself； Mr。 Johnson；〃 I said。 〃You are not in command
of the ship。 I deplore the action of Lieutenant Alvarez； but I cannot
expunge from my mind the loyalty and self…sacrificing friendship which
has prompted him to his acts。 Were I you； sir； I should profit by the
example he has set。 Further； Mr。 Johnson； I intend retaining command of
the ship； even though she crosses thirty； and I shall demand implicit
obedience from every officer and man aboard until I am properly relieved
from duty by a superior officer in the port of New York。〃
〃You mean to say that you will cross thirty without submitting to
arrest？〃 he almost shouted。
〃I do； sir；〃 I replied。 〃And now you may go below； and； when again
you find it necessary to address me； you will please be so good as to bear
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in mind the fact that I am your commanding officer； and as such entitled to
a salute。〃
He flushed； hesitated a moment； and then； saluting； turned upon his
heel and left the bridge。 Shortly after； Alvarez appeared。 He was pale；
and seemed to have aged ten years in the few brief minutes since I last had
seen him。 Saluting； he told me very simply what he had done； and asked
that I place him under arrest。
I put my hand on his shoulder； and I guess that my voice trembled a
trifle as； while reproving him for his act； I made it plain to him that my
gratitude was no less potent a force than his loyalty to me。 Then it was
that I outlined to him my purpose to defy the regulation that had raised the
dead lines； and to take my ship back to New York myself。
I did not ask him to share the responsibility with me。 I merely stated
that I should refuse to submit to arrest； and that I should demand of him
and every other officer and man implicit obedience to my every command
until we docked at home。
His face brightened at my words； and he assured me that I would find
him as ready to acknowledge my command upon the wrong side of thirty
as upon the right； an assurance which I hastened to tell him I did not need。
The storm continued to rage for three days； and as far as the wind
scarce varied a point during all that time； I knew that we must be far
beyond thirty； drifting rapidly east by south。 All this time it had been
impossible to work upon the damaged engines or the gravity…screen
generators； but we had a full set of instruments upon the bridge； for
Alvarez； after discovering my intentions； had fetched the reserve
instruments from his own cabin； where he had hidden them。 Those which
Johnson had seen him destroy had been a third set which only Alvarez had
known was aboard the Coldwater。
We waited impatiently for the sun； that we might determine our exact
location； and upon the fourth day our vigil was rewarded a few minutes
before noon。
Every officer and man aboard was tense with nervous excitement as
we awaited the result of the reading。 The crew had known almost as
soon as I that we were doomed to cross thirty； and I am inclined to believe
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that every man jack of them was tickled to death； for the spirits of
adventure and romance still live in the hearts of men of the twenty…second
century； even though there be little for them to feed upon between thirty
and one hundred seventy…five。
The men carried none of the burdens of responsibility。 They might
cross thirty with impunity； and doubtless they