If he lost that fight, or WHEN he lost it, he would close the Cy Whittaker place, and leave Bayport for good.
He had been in Washington once before, years ago, when he was first mate of a ship and had a few weeks' shore leave.

Then he went there on a pleasure trip with some seagoing friends, and had a jolly time.

But there was precious little jollity in the present visit.

He had never felt so thoroughly miserable.

In order to forget, he made up his mind to work his hardest to discover why the harbor appropriation was not to be given to Bayport.
The city had changed greatly.