174 WALL STREET AND THE WILDS 



last my curious wish was gratified to the accom- 

 paniment of strange coincidences. I owned a 

 line of steamers that ran up Long Island Sound 

 to the eastern end of the island and it was my 

 custom to take friends to Montauk for a day or 

 two of blue fishing, life on the beach, and at the 

 lighthouse. On one occasion I had arranged to 

 take a goodly party of friends to Montauk, by 

 my boat which was to leave on a certain Wednes- 

 day. On the Monday preceding, one of the pro- 

 posed party, a very dear friend of my own, died 

 suddenly and on Wednesday, instead of going 

 with him on an excursion, we followed his re- 

 mains to the cemetery. The excursion was post- 

 poned to the following Wednesday, but again, 

 on the Monday preceding, another of the party 

 died with similar suddenness and once more our 

 Wednesday's pilgrimage was to the cemetery. 

 This time the call was even nearer, for the ladv 

 who died was our nearest neighbor and with her 

 husband our closest associates, companions on 

 many trips. 



Superstitious fears were rife when the excur- 



