o close
this deal and close it quickly. Naturally Hayes isn't fool enough to
toss away two thousand dollars, and something seems to tell me he'll
urge his principals to take the boats at our figure, Matthew!" And the
graceless old villain chuckled and dug his youngest skipper in the short
ribs. "Let this be a lesson to you, my boy," he warned him. "Remember
the old Persian proverb: 'A shut mouth catches no flies.'"

Cappy's prediction proved to be correct, for the following morning Hayes
telephoned that the Mannheim people desired the steamers at Cappy's
figures, the charter parties, signed by Cappy, were forwarded to
Seattle, and in due course were returned signed by the charterers;
whereupon Cappy exercised his option, procured by Matt from Hudner, to
charter the Unicorn for four years additional.

"What did Hudner have to say for himself?" Cappy queried when Matt
returned from the latter's office, after finally completing the deal.

"Not a word! He looked volumes, though, sir."

"Serves him right. That man, sir, is a thorn in the side of the market.
However, since we're making a daily profit on him we can afford to speak
kindly of the unfortunate fellow, Matt; so sit down and we'll figure out
where we stand on the Unicorn. She costs us three-twenty-five and we've
chartered her at four hundred--a daily profit of seventy-five dollars,
of which you receive thirty-seven dollars and fifty cents. That makes
eleven hundred and twenty-five dollars monthly income for you, my boy;
and, believe me, it isn't to be sneezed at. Meantime you and I, as
partners, owe me a thousand dollars commission to that Seattle broker;
so I'll have Skinner make a journal entry and charge your account five
hundred dollars. There's no need to pay it now, Matt. Wait until the
vessel earns it."

"The vessel might sink on her first voyage and that would cancel the
charter," Matt replied; "so I guess I'll be a sport and hold up my end.
You paid out the hard cash and took a chance, and so will I." And, with
the words, Matt drew from his pocket the Black Butte Lumber Company's
check for a thousand dollars, indorsed it and passed it over to Cappy
Ricks. "We're equal partners, sir," he said, "and I pried that thousand
out of Hudner on the side as a commission for chartering the Unicorn
to you. Half of it is yours and I owe you the other half; so there you
are."

Cappy Ricks threw up his hands in token of complete surrender.

"Scoundrel!" he cried.