you as
mine does to me, though of course I might have, if I hadn't been
thinking so much of myself. Our fathers worked together and got along
fine. It may be that we can do the same thing."

The fire died slowly from the girl's eyes. In its place there came an
expression, more wistful perhaps than anything else. When she spoke
again the irritation was gone from her voice.

"No," she answered. "There isn't any reason why we can't be friends. And
there are a lot of reasons why we should be. I'm willing to do my part
and I'll show you, Mr. Gregory, that I do know my business. It always
makes me mad when any one thinks I don't know the sea. When dad wanted
to tease me he always called me a 'land-lubber.' And even when a kid I
would always fight at that."

She paused a moment. Then went on:

"I'd like to do what I can for you for two reasons. Your father did a
lot for mine. He was one of my few friends. I'd like to give his son a
hand if it would help. In the second place, it is to my interest in a
business way to see your cannery succeed. It is a market for my fish. I
won't sell to the Golden Rule and the dealers won't pay the express on
canning fish. The sooner you start up the better it will be for me. I
can tell you right now you have a lot to do."

Again she paused and looked down at her feet. When she spoke again it
was with some hesitation.

"If I were you I'd get hold of Jack McCoy. He can do more for you than
any one else. I wouldn't count too much on Blair. I heard from him this
morning and they didn't hold out much hope. He's completely run down and
that's the kind pneumonia hits hard."

Gregory nodded.

"I know," he said. Then he asked: "McCoy was the foreman, wasn't he?"

"Yes. He's still in town. Blair gave him a letter of recommendation but
Jack won't look for another job until he knows what Blair is going to
do. He says Blair taught him all he knows and he's going to stick to him
because he always treated him white."

Gregory wrote McCoy's address which the girl supplied and she continued:

"One of the first things to be done, of course, will be to go all over
the machinery. That won't take long. Then the supplies and material will
have to be checked over and the new stuff ordered. That will take a week
for two men."

Gregory looked at the girl with more respect. Apparently she knew
something of his business as well as her own. Doubtless her association
with her father had brought her into clo