pected his daughter of faking the accompaniment. He listened at
the head of the stairs and presently was treated to a rendition of a
lilting little Swedish ballad, followed by one or two selections from
the Grand Banks and the doleful song of the Ferocious Whale and the Five
Brave Boys. Then he heard Florry laugh happily.

Cappy was thinking of the curious inflection in that laugh now. Once
before he had heard it--when he courted Florry's dead mother; and
his old heart swelled a little with pain at the remembrance. He was
wondering just what to do about that laugh when Matt was announced.

"Show him in," said Cappy; and Matt Peasley entered.

"Sit down, Matt," said Cappy kindly. "Yes, I sent for you. The Gualala
will be in to-morrow and you've had a fine two-weeks' vacation. What's
more, I think you've enjoyed it, Matt, and I'm glad you did; but now
it's time to get down to business again. I wanted to tell you that the
skipper of the Gualala will expect you to be aboard at seven o'clock
to-morrow morning."

Matt studied the pattern of the office rug a minute and then faced Cappy
bravely.

"I'm obliged to you, Mr. Ricks, more than I can say; but the fact of the
matter is I've changed my mind about going to sea again. It's a dog's
life, sir, and I'm tired of it."

"Tired at twenty-three?" said Cappy gently.

Matt flushed a little.

"Well, it does appear to me kind of foolish for a man with an income of
more than eleven hundred dollars a month to be going to sea as second
mate of a dirty little steam schooner at seventy-five dollars a month."

"Well, I can hardly blame you," said Cappy gently. "I suppose I'd feel
the same way about it myself if I stood in your shoes."

"I'm sure you would," Matt replied.

Fell a silence, broken presently by Cappy's:

"Huh! Ahem! Harump!" Then: "When I came in from my club last night,
Matt, I believe Florry had a caller."

"Yes, sir," said Matt; "I was there."

"Huh! I got a squint at you. Am I mistaken in assuming that you were
wearing a dress suit?"

"No, sir."

"Whadja mean by wasting your savings on a dress suit?" Cappy exploded.
"Whadja mean by courting my Florry, eh? Tell me that! Give you an inch
and you'll take an ell! Infernal young scoundrel!"

"Well," said Matt humbly, "I intended to speak to you about Miss Florry.
Of course now that I'm going to live ashore--"

"What can a big lubber like you do ashore?" Cappy shrilled.

"Why, I might get a job with some