“Personally, I incline to the second theory.  Also, I am impatient.  For a hundred thousand generations, from the first social groups of our savage forbears, government has remained a monster.  To-day, the inertia-crushed mass has less laughter in it than ever before.  In spite of man’s mastery of matter, human suffering and misery and degradation mar the fair world.

“Wherefore I have decided to step in and become captain of this world-ship for a while.  I have the intelligence and the wide vision of the skilled expert.  Also, I have the power.  I shall be obeyed.  The men of all the world shall perform my bidding and make governments so that they shall become laughter-producers.  These modelled governments I have in mind shall not make the people happy, wise, and noble by decree; but they shall give opportunity for the people to become happy, wise, and noble.

“I have spoken.  I have invited you, and nine of your fellow-captains, to confer with me.  On March third the yacht Energon will sail from San Francisco.  You are requested to be on board the night before.  This is serious.  The affairs of the world must be handled for a time by a strong hand.  Mine is that strong hand.  If you fail to obey my summons, you will die.  Candidly, I do not expect that you will obey.  But your death for failure to obey will cause obedience on the part of those I subsequently summon.  You will have served a purpose.  And please remember that I have no unscientific sentimentality about the value of human life.  I carry always in the background of my consciousness the innumerable billions of lives that are to laugh and be happy in future aeons on the earth.

“Yours for the reconstruction of society,

“Goliah.”

The publication of this letter did not cause even local amusement.  Men might have smiled to themselves as they read it, but it was so palpably the handiwork of a crank that it did not merit discussion.  Interest did not arouse till next morning.  An Associated Press despatch to the Eastern states, followed by interviews by eager-nosed reporters, had brought out the names of the other nine captains of industry who had received similar letters, but who had not thought the matter of sufficient importance to be made public.  But the interest aroused was mild, and it would have died out quickly had not Gabberton cartooned a chronic presidential aspirant as “Goliah.”  Then came the song that was sung hilariously from sea to sea, with the refrain, “Goliah will catch you if you don’t watch out.”

The weeks passed and the incident was forgotten.  Walter Bassett had forgotten it likewise; but on the evening of February 22, he was called to the telephone by the Collector of the Port.  “I just wanted to tell you,” said the latter, “that the yacht Energon has arrived and gone to anchor in the stream off Pier Seven.”