rcial
thrashing; and after you've tamed him I want you to--"

All Hands And Feet nodded his comprehension.

"An'," he interrupted, "after aye ban slap him once or twice aye
ban give good kick under de coattail an' fire dis fresh guy--eh?" he
suggested.

"Fire nothing!" shrilled Cappy. "You follow instructions, Ole, or I'll
fire you! No, sir. After you've thrashed him I want you to bend a rope
round him amidships and souse him overside to bring him to! Remember, we
fired him once and he would not be fired. The damned sea lawyer quoted
the salt-water code to us and said he'd shipped for the round trip; so
we'll take him at his word. He's your first mate, captain. Bring him
back to Grays Harbor with you; and then, if you feel so inclined, you
may apply the tip of your number twenty-four sea boot where it will do
the most good; in fact, I should prefer it. But by all means see to it
that he completes his contract with the barkentine Retriever."

"Aye skoll see to it," Ole promised fervently.

"I thank you, captain. Come out in the general office now and I'll
introduce you to the cashier, who will furnish you with expense money.
Meantime, I'll have Skinner fill out a certificate of change of masters
and have it registered at the custom-house. Can't send you down there
without your credentials, you know."

All Hands And Feet mumbled his thanks; for, indeed, he was grateful
for this chance to prove his metal. Calm in the knowledge of his
past performances, he took no thought of the personal issue with Matt
Peasley, for never had he met a mate he could not thrash. He followed
Cappy out to the cashier's desk; and while the latter equipped All Hands
And Feet for his journey to South Africa, and Mr. Skinner departed
for the custom-house to have the certificate registered, Cappy wired
McBride, aboard the Overland speeding east, instructing him to come back
to San Francisco.

When Skinner returned to the office he found Cappy clawing nervously at
his whiskers.

"The man Peasley has completely disrupted our organization," he
complained bitterly. "Here I go to work and promote McBride to the
Retriever to make room for his mate in the Nokomis, and now I have to
recall Mac and give the Retriever to All Hands And Feet until she gets
back to Grays Harbor; in consequence of which Mac hasn't a thing to do
for four months and draws full pay for doing it, and later I've got
to provide a permanent place for All Hands And Feet! Skinne