ed. "That
rowdy Peasley and a man like Kjellin will not get along together for one
voyage; then Kjellin will fire him, and first thing you know you'll be
groping around in the dark again."

"Oh, I know this Finn is a pet of yours," Cappy retorted acidly, "but
Matt Peasley is a pet of mine. If we put them together in the same ship
maybe we'll have one of those skin-glove contests you referred to a
minute ago, but between their mutual recriminations you can bet your
hopes of Heaven I'll catch a glimpse of the truth and act accordingly.
Matt will not tell a lie, Skinner. Remember that."

"Neither will Kjellin," Skinner declared with equal warmth.

"Well, I don't know whether he will or not. However, that's beside the
question. Where is the Florence Ricks?"

"Sailed from San Pedro at noon yesterday."

"Where is the Quickstep?"

"Sailed from Eureka to load shingles last night."

"Good. Wireless the master of the Florence to provide himself with a
new second mate. That will give him time to wireless ahead and have one
waiting for him when the vessel touches in to discharge passengers
from the south. Tell him to inform Peasley he isn't fired, but just
transferred. Attend to it, Skinner."

While Mr. Skinner departed to carry out Cappy's order, the old gentleman
called up Harbor 15, Masters' and Pilots' Association, and asked for the
secretary.

"Ricks of the Blue Star speaking," he announced crisply. "Been
furnishing many second mates to the Quickstep lately?"

"Why, yes, Mr. Ricks. Kjellin wires for a new second mate quite
frequently. They don't seem to stay with him more than a voyage or two.
He's quite a driver, you know, Mr. Ricks."

"I know," Cappy replied grimly. "The next time he wires in to have a
second mate join the ship when he touches in here, you might be good
enough to call me up. I have a skookum young second mate in the Florence
Ricks that I'm training for a captain, and I want to switch him in on
the Humboldt Bay run for the sake of the experience. And, of course, you
know how it is with masters--they like to think they're selecting their
own mates, and always resent any interference from their owners. And if
you do ask them to take a certain mate they're apt to suspect he's a spy
from the office, and--well, you understand. I'd prefer to have this lad
I have in mind go aboard as if you had sent him."

"I understand, Mr. Ricks. I'll let you know the first time Kjellin wires
in."

CHAPTER XXV