Francisco. He
asked me if I had seen a one-armed man with a box under his good arm.
I'll lead you to him."

A prolonged ringing at Cappy's stateroom door brought the old gentleman
to the entrance in his nightshirt.

"Very sorry to have to disturb you, Mr. Ricks," said Bill Peck, "but the
fact is there were so many Cohens and Cohns and Cohans, and it was such
a job to dig up two thousand dollars, that I failed to connect with you
at seven forty-five last night, as per orders. It was absolutely
impossible for me to accomplish the task within the time limit set, but
I was resolved that you should not be disappointed. Here is the vase.
The shop wasn't within four blocks of where you thought it was, sir, but
I'm sure I found the right vase. It ought to be. It cost enough and was
hard enough to get, so it should be precious enough to form a gift for
any friend of yours."

Cappy Ricks stared at Bill Peck as if the latter were a wraith.

"By the Twelve Ragged Apostles!" he murmured. "By the Holy Pink-toed
Prophet! We changed the sign on you and we stacked the Cohens on you and
we set a policeman to guard the shop to keep you from breaking the
window, and we made you dig up two thousand dollars on Sunday night in a
town where you are practically unknown, and while you missed the train
at eight o'clock, you overtake it at two o'clock in the morning and
deliver the blue vase. Come in and rest your poor old game leg, Bill.
Brake-man, I'm much obliged to you."

Bill Peck entered and slumped wearily down on the settee. "So it was a
plant?" he cracked, and his voice trembled with rage. "Well, sir, you're
an old man and you've been good to me, so I do not begrudge you your
little joke, but Mr. Ricks, I can't stand things like I used to. My leg
hurts and my stump hurts and my heart hurts----"

He paused, choking, and the tears of impotent rage filled his eyes. "You
shouldn't treat me that way, sir," he complained presently. "I've been
trained not to question orders, even when they seem utterly foolish to
me; I've been trained to obey them--on time, if possible, but if
impossible, to obey them anyhow. I've been taught loyalty to my
chief--and I'm sorry my chief found it necessary to make a buffoon of
me. I haven't had a very good time the past three years and--and--you
can--pa-pa-pass your skunk spruce and larch rustic and short odd length
stock to some slacker like Skinner--and you'd better--arrange--to
replace--Skinner, because