Explore "On Time" by Oliver Optic on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Colonel Wimpleton was evidently very anxious, as he had been from the beginning, for the success of the steamer. On the present occasion, when the _Ucayga_ was nearly ten minutes behind her ordinary time, I grant that he had not much to hope for in the light of past experience; but he did not know my plans, and I did not wish to startle him by announcing them, fearful that, if I did so, he would not permit me to carry them out. I repeated my promise to be on time, and though he was far from satisfied, he could not do anything but wait the result.
My calculations were based upon the assured fact that the _Ucayga_ could easily make sixteen miles an hour. She had the reputation of being a fast boat, and I intended that she should sustain her reputation. Immense expense had been lavished upon her to give her great speed, as well as to make her elegant and commodious. The testimony was that she had repeatedly made her sixteen miles without straining or undue crowding. This was all I asked of her. If she did only what she was warranted to do, and what she had often accomplished, I was safe.