servants used to tell that whenever Travers and Larry Jerome and that
set came in for supper, they expected the waiters to drink every fifth
bottle; it made things more cheerful-like--but _revenons a nos
moutons_. Lord Rockstone is right, I do not want to sell my
discovery, for mine it is. I am the penniless inventor. I only want an
opportunity of showing it to the heads of the Powers that are now at
war, and of demonstrating to them the stupendous and overwhelming
force that is now practically in the hands of the greatest of the
neutral governments, and thus try, if possible, to convince them of
the uselessness of continuing this loss of life and treasure.

"If I could demonstrate to you, Mr. Underhill, that I could, sitting
here in your office, give an order that would set London on fire and
send every ship in the English navy to the bottom in the course of a
few weeks, would you not advocate opening negotiations for peace? And
were I to show the Emperor of Germany that his great army could be
destroyed in even less time, would he not be more receptive than we
now understand him to be?"

"Why, Mr. Edestone, I most certainly should," the First Lord of the
Admiralty granted with a smile, "and I think that perhaps the German
Emperor would be amenable under the circumstances, but as they say in
your great country, 'I am from Missouri, you must show me.'"

He changed his position and glanced at Edestone as if he were
beginning to think that possibly Rockstone might be right in his
estimate after all.

"Very well, Mr. Underhill; it is now five minutes to noon, and I think
that I will be able to show you in exactly five minutes."