er, and the invasion became more noticeable, the alien element of
the fishing colony began to experience a feeling of sharp resentment
against the new owner of the Legonia cannery and his wild scheme. But
again the foremost citizen had come to the fore and quieted their
fears, turning them into open contempt and ridicule by his words:

"What can he do with a bunch of crippled rag-a-muffins? Look at them for
yourselves. There's hardly a whole man among them. I give him a month to
go to the wall. It's the old saying of a 'fool and his money.'"

The opening of the new cannery presented every appearance of proving the
truth of Rock's prophecy and caused the aliens to laugh openly.

"How can they run without fish?" sneered Mascola as he checked the catch
of the incoming boats. "They haven't had enough in a week to pay them to
keep up steam."

Ten days after the opening Gregory was asking Jack McCoy the same
question.

"I tell you, Mac, something has to be done. The Lang boats are falling
down on the job. You'll admit we haven't had a paying run since we
started and expenses are climbing."

McCoy nodded. "I know it," he agreed. "But Dick has had hard luck. None
of the boats have brought in much lately. The fish have taken out to
sea. Then Mascola's men have been causing a lot of trouble."

"That's just it," Gregory interrupted. "The girl's tackled too big a
job. I was afraid of it all the time. She's all right, Jack. I'm not
saying a word against her. But she was foolish to get on her
'high-horse' and turn down my proposition. It's a man's job to get all
the fish we're going to need. Not a woman's. Of course I know she's
doing her best," he went on. "But we can't go on this way. If she can't
make good on her contract we'll have to take it out of her hands. I'm
only going to give her a few more days."

"Then what?" McCoy questioned.

"Then we'll run things ourselves. I've been figuring on it for three or
four days. That's why I'm having all our boats put in shape."

"How will you man them?" asked McCoy quickly.

"I've arranged for that too. The last time I was in the city I lined up
a bunch of ex-navy men. They are fair sailors and have had some
experience in handling launches and small boats. I'm going to bring them
down here the same as I figured at first. If the girl wants to help me
with her men, all right. If not, we'll go it alone. It's a ground-hog
case. We've got to get the fish."

"I wish Dick wasn't so