without a ship, and he knew it. If you fire
Murphy you do a fine man a terrible injustice."

"Well, how in blue blazes did he get so close to the beach and let
himself into your clutches?" Cappy raved.

"He couldn't answer that question, sir. He doesn't know. He thinks the
current set him in there. It didn't. I set him in there."

"You set him in?" Cappy queried incredulously.

"I set him in. I kept backing up on his starboard counter, ostensibly to
dicker with him, and as soon as I had the stern of my tug within a few
feet of the Retriever I'd signal my mate at the wheel, he'd give the
engineer full speed ahead--why you have no idea of the force of the
quick water thrown back from that big towing propeller of the Sea Fox.
The rush of it just swung the Retriever's nose slowly toward the beach
and kicked her ahead fifteen or twenty feet, and then her sheer momentum
carried her thirty yards farther. By that time I was backed up to her
again, bargaining with Murphy, and ready for another kick. It was easier
after the flood tide set in, and I kept at her all night long, and
gradually kicked her into the breakers, where I wanted her. I knew
Murphy would listen to reason then. So you see, Mr. Ricks, it wasn't a
salvage job, and I didn't betray my owners at all--"

"You Yankee thief!" Cappy yelled, and dashed at Matt, to enfold the
son-in-law-to-be in a paternal embrace. "Oh, Matt, my boy, why do you
want to be a tugboat man when I need a man with your brains? Why don't
you be sensible and listen to reason?"

Matt held the old man off at arm's length and grinned at him
affectionately.

"It's worth twenty thousand dollars to get the better of you, sir," he
said.

Cappy sat down very suddenly.

"Ah, yes," he said. "Speaking of money reminds me: What do you intend
doing with that twenty thousand dollars?"

"Well, I thought at first I'd go into the shipping business for
myself--"

"Skiffs or gasoline launches--which?" Cappy twitted him.

"But you seem bent on having your way, and Florry is making such a fuss,
I suppose I'll have to give in to you after all."

Matt stepped to the door, opened it and called: "Mr. Skinner!"

Mr. Skinner looked up from his desk by the window. "Well, sir!" he
demanded haughtily.

"Murphy is not to be fired," Matt answered.

"Indeed! And by whose orders?"

"Mine! I'm the port captain of the Blue Star Navigation Company, and,
beginning now, I'm going to do all the hiring and firing