t time----"

His words were lost in the roar of his motor. The speed-boat shot
forward like a horse at the touch of a spur. In a whirl of white water
Mascola sped away for the beach.

CHAPTER VII

YOU'LL HAVE TO SHOW ME

The sky was reddening in the east when the last of the nets were pulled
aboard. Rounding Long Point, the _Petrel_ took up the homeward track as
the sun peeped over the low brown hills and caressed the sea. Dickie
Lang looked back at the wreck of the _Roma_ and the light of victory
died slowly from her eyes.

"I'm not sorry for Mascola," she exclaimed. "He got only what was coming
to him. But I am sorry for the little boat. She was a good little scout
and she was game to the end. You'll find that boats are a good deal like
people," she went on, "when you know them as well as I do. Some of them
are cranky and have to be coaxed along. Others are just plain lazy and
must be pounded on the back. And there are some that are treacherous and
the minute they get you in a tight place, they will lay down cold."

Her last words gave her the cue to continue: "And the ocean is full of
tight places. Mascola found himself in one this morning. He had the
sense to realize it and act before it was too late. It went against his
grain to be beaten by a girl. But by cashing in when he did, he saved a
boat perhaps. So he put his pride in his pocket. Sometimes you've got
to do that," she concluded seriously. "It hurts. But it's business."

Gregory's face showed his surprise at her annunciation of the business
principle and, sensing that her admission might become embarrassing at
some future time, the girl changed the subject abruptly.

"Did you see McCoy yesterday?" she asked.

"Yes. We had a long talk last night. He's coming to work for me as
house-foreman."

"That's fine," Dickie commended. "You'll like him. He'll be just the man
for you."

Gregory nodded. "Yes," he answered. "I think we'll get on fine when we
understand each other better."

"What do you mean? You haven't had a row with Jack already, have you?"

"Not exactly. Just a difference of opinion. I had an idea I worked out
yesterday. McCoy couldn't see it."

"What was the idea?"

"It was a plan I had for getting labor. I wanted to hire a certain class
of men. McCoy didn't."

"How did it come out?"

"I'm going to hire them, of course. I told McCoy if he didn't like it,
he could take the job or leave it. He decided to take it."

"It's t