use to me in an emergency.
When I made you my general manager, on a bank president's salary, I
thought I'd be able to take it easy for the rest of my life." He
wagged his head sadly. "And what's the result? I work harder than ever.
Skinner, if I hadn't any more imagination than you possess I'd be out
there on the corner of California and Market Streets peddling lead
pencils this minute. Leave this problem to me, Skinner. I suppose I'll
find a way out of it, with entire honor to all concerned. Holy sailor!"
he added. "But that man Murphy is loyal--and loyalty is a pretty scarce
commodity these days, let me tell you!"

CHAPTER XVII. CAPPY FORCES AN ARMISTICE

During the week that succeeded, Cappy Ricks did not once mention the
subject of the Retriever and her recalcitrant skipper and mate; and Mr.
Skinner argued from this that all was well. Finally one day Cappy came
into the office and paused beside the general manager's desk. He was
grinning like a boy.

"Well, Skinner," he piped. "I've just come from the Merchants' Exchange
and I see by the blackboard that our Retriever cleared for Antofagasta
yesterday."

"Indeed!" Mr. Skinner replied politely. "So you found a captain for her.
Whom did you send?"

"Nobody," the old man cackled. "Matt Peasley took her out, and the
manager of the Rainier mill wires me that Murphy went with him as chief
kicker. What do you think of that?"

"Why, I'm--er--satisfied if you are, sir."

"Well, you can bet I'm satisfied. If I wasn't I'd have a revenue cutter
out after the man Peasley and his mate right now. By golly, Skinner," he
piped, and slapped his wizened flank, "I tell you I've worked this deal
pretty slick, if I do say it myself. And all on dead reckoning--dead
reckoning, and not a single day of demurrage!"

"Oh! So you wired Peasley and the mate and asked them to go back to work
and forget they were discharged?" Mr. Skinner suggested witheringly.

"Skinner, on my word, you grow worse every day. You've been with me, man
and boy, twenty-odd years, and in all that time you never saw anybody
cover me with blood, did you?"

"No, sir."

"And you never will. Why, I managed this affair by simply forgetting all
about it! When you're in a jam, Skinner, always let the other fellow
do the talking. I just sat tight until I had a telegram from the man
Peasley, informing me that the vessel would be loaded in two days and
that his successor had not appeared as yet. I threw that t