--said he'd quit if I did, and I just couldn't
afford to lose him, Matt. However, I have all that fixed up now, so you
quit that tugboat job of yours and come to work here as soon as you
can. I could have put you to work three months ago, right after I sewed
Skinner up, but I thought I'd wait a little while just to save poor
Skinner's face." Cappy commenced to chuckle softly. "In-fer-nal rascal!"
he declared. "He had me where the hair is short, Matt; he had me where
I dassen't defy my own general manager! Yes, sir, that was the long and
short of it. I dassen't call his bluff, because he doesn't bluff worth a
cent, and I happen to know some of my competitors would like to get him
away from me. A good man is always in demand, Matt; never forget that.
You see, Skinner has been carrying the burden of this business for the
past ten years practically, and he threatened to toss that burden back
on me. Well, if he had, Matt, I just couldn't have carried it without
competent help--and by the time I had competent help broken in they'd be
measuring me for a tombstone."

"How did you whip him into line?" Matt demanded.

"Just like spearing fish in a dry lake, boy," Cappy chuckled. "I just
sold Mr. Skinner part of that burden, and now he has to carry it all
until he dies, because if he drops it he loses what I sold him. Only
one way to whip that boy into line, Matt, and that is to pelt him with
dollars."

"But I do not see how that affects me," Matt answered.

"You don't, eh? Why, you're the port captain of the Blue Star Navigation
Company, you-you-you bonehead, and Skinner has to stand for you now
whether he likes it or not. He'll not sacrifice his future to vent his
grudge against you, because he is a business man, Matt, and he knows
it's mighty poor business to bite off his nose to spite his face. So you
just come to work."

Matt Peasley beamed across at his future father-in-law.

"That was well done, sir," he said, "and I wish I had known you were
going to do it. I would have saved you the trouble, because, you see, I
never intended to go to work for you in this office anyhow."

"The devil you say!" Cappy interrupted. "Well, you just put some reverse
English on those intentions of yours, my boy. I know what's good for
you."

But Matt Peasley only shook his head.

"I can't do it, sir," he said. "While deeply appreciative of all you
want to do for me, the fact is, if I'm going to marry your daughter--and
I am--I'm not g