was moored, for the trivial pleasure of tightening a bolt⁠—which did not need tightening; or wake up in the night to tell Laura of some wonderful new idea he had conceived as to the equipment or decoration of the yacht. He had blustered about the extravagance of a crew, but the sums of money that went to the brightening, refitting, overhauling, repainting, and reballasting of the boat⁠—all absolutely uncalled-for⁠—made even Laura gasp, and would have maintained a dozen sailors an entire year.

This same inconsistency prevailed also in other directions. In the matter of business Jadwin’s economy was unimpeachable. He would cavil on a half-dollar’s overcharge; he would put himself to downright inconvenience to save the useless expenditure of a dime⁠—and boast of it. But no extravagance was ever too great, no time ever too valuable, when bass were to be caught.