tle of both, maybe. It's always a pleasure to see you, of
course; and I have got a little mite of business on hand."

Malcolm smiled, in his languid fashion. If he suspected sarcasm in
the first part of the captain's reply, it did not trouble him. His
self-sufficiency was proof against anything of that sort.

"Business," he repeated. "Well, that's what I'm here for. Thinking of
cornering the--er--potato market, were you?"

"No-o. Cranberries would be more in my line, and I cal'late you fellers
don't deal in that kind of sass. I had a private matter I wanted to talk
over with you, Mr. Dunn; that is, if you ain't too busy."

Malcolm looked at him with an amused curiosity. As he had expressed it
in the conversation with his mother, this old fellow certainly was a
"card." He seated himself on the arm of the oak settle from which the
captain had risen and, lazily swinging a polished shoe, admitted that he
was always busy but never too busy to oblige.

"What's on your mind, Captain?" he drawled.

Captain Elisha glanced about him somewhat uneasily.

"I--I don't know as I made it quite clear," he said, "that it was sort
of private; somethin' just between us, you understand."

Malcolm hesitated. Sliding from the settle, and impatiently commanding
the clerk to open the gate in the railing, he led his caller through the
main office and into a small room beyond. On the glass pane of the door
was lettered, "Mr. Dunn--Private." A roll-top desk in the corner and
three chairs were the furniture. Malcolm, after closing the door,
sprawled in the swing chair before the desk, threw one leg over a
drawer, which he pulled out for that purpose, and motioned his companion
to occupy one of the other chairs.

Captain Elisha took the offered chair and dropped his hat on the floor
beside it. Then he inspected the room and its furnishings with interest.
Dunn drew out a pocket case, extracted a cigarette, lit it, and waited
for him to speak.

"Well," observed the young man, after a moment, "what's the trouble,
Admiral? Better get it off your chest, hadn't you? We're private enough
here."

The captain answered the last question. "Yes," he said, "this is nice
and private. Got a stateroom all to yourself; name on the door, and
everything complete. You must be one of the officers of the craft."

"Yes."

"Um-hm. I sort of expected to find your name on the door outside, but
there 'twas, 'Smith, Haynes & Co.' I presume likely you're the 'Co.