Captains of great ships behave exactly like two hansom-drivers in the streets of London; they think they can just shave past without grazing; and they DO shave past nine times out of ten.

The tenth time they run on the rocks through sheer recklessness, and lose their vessel; and then, the newspapers always ask the same solemn question--in childish good faith--how did so experienced and able a navigator come to make such a mistake in his reckoning?
He made NO mistake; he simply tried to cut it fine, and cut it too fine for once, with the result that he usually loses his own life and his passengers.

That's all.

We who have been at sea understand that perfectly." Just at that moment another passenger strolled up and joined us--a Bengal Civil servant.

He drew his chair over by Hilda's, and began discussing Mrs.Ogilvy's eyes and the first officer's flirtations.