nd a watch himself. Better
call up Harbor 15 and see if there isn't a second mate out of a job
hanging round there, and tell him to join the ship at Meiggs Wharf."

Mr. Skinner's eyes fairly popped. "You don't mean to tell me, sir, that
you've given the Quickstep to that rowdy Peasley?"

Cappy relapsed into the colloquialism of the younger generation with
which he was wont to associate at luncheon. "Surest thing you know," he
said.

"If I may be permitted a criticism, Mr. Ricks--"

"You may not."

"Your sentimental leaning toward your fellow townsman may be the cause
of losing one of the best paying ships of the fleet."

"Forget it, Skinner!"

"Oh, very well. You're the boss, Mr. Ricks. But if I were in your place
I would have an older and more experienced man to relieve him the moment
he comes into the bay. You must remember, Mr. Ricks, that while he may
run her very nicely during the summer months, he has had no experience
on Humboldt Bay during the winter months--"

"Skinner, the only way he'll ever accumulate experience on that bar is
to give him the opportunity."

"He'll take big risks. He's very young and headstrong."

"I admit he's fiery. But I promised him a ship, and he's earned her
sooner than I planned, so, even if my decision loses the Quickstep for
us, he shall have her. I'll be swindled if I ever did see the like of
that boy Matt. He gets results. And do you know why, Skinner?"

"Because," Mr. Skinner replied coldly, "he's a huge, healthy animal,
able and willing to fight his way in any ship, and at the same time
clever enough to take advantage of your paternal interest in him--"

"Rats! I'll give you the answer, Skinner, my boy: He gets results
because he does his duty and doesn't sidestep for man or devil. And he's
able to do his duty and do it well because he has a clear understanding
of what his duty is--and that, Skinner, is the kind of skipper material
I've been looking for all my life. As for the boy's horsepower, let me
tell you this: If Matt Peasley wasn't any bigger than I am, he'd fight
any man that tried to walk over him. It's in his breed. Damn it, sir,
he's a Yankee skipper, and when you've said that you're through. I guess
I know. How much have we been paying that bully Kjellin?"

"Two hundred a month."

"Too much! Pay Matt two-twenty-five and attend to the certificate of
change of masters."

When Mr. Skinner had departed Cappy sat back in his chair and closed his
eyes, as