bney spoke for the first time
when it had not been absolutely necessary.

"Put a beggar on horseback an' he'll ride to the devil," he said.
"When you two swabs was poor you was content to let me lead you
into a fortune, but now that you're well-heeled, you think you're
business men. All right! I ain't got a word to say except this:
Before I get through with you two beachcombers I'll have all your
money and you'll be a-beggin' me for a job. I apologize for
soakin' you two with that diseased codfish, an' for old sake's
sake we won't fight. We're still friends, but business associates
no longer, for I'm too big a figger in this syndicate to stand
for any criticism on my handlin' o' the joint finances.
Hereafter, Scraggsy, old kiddo, you an' Mac can go it alone with
your stern-wheel steamer. Me an' The Squarehead legs it together
an' takes our chances. You don't hear that poor untootered Swede
makin' no holler at the way I've handled the syndicate----"

"But, Gib, my _dear_ boy," chattered Captain Scraggs, "will you
just listen to re----"

"Enough! Too much is plenty. Let's shake hands an' part friends.
We just can't get along in business together, that's all."

"Well, I'm sorry, Gib," mumbled McGuffey, very much crestfallen,
"but then you hove that dog-gone fish at me an'----"

"That was fortune hittin' you a belt in the face, Mac, an' you
was too self-conceited to recognize it. Remember that, both of
you two. Fortune hit you in the face to-day an' you didn't know
it."

"I'd ruther die poor, Gib," wailed McGuffey.

The commodore shook hands cordially and departed, followed by the
faithful Neils Halvorsen. The moment the door closed behind them
Scraggs turned to the engineer.

"Mac," he said earnestly, "Gib's up to somethin'. He's got that
imagination o' his workin'. I can tell it every time; he gets a
foggy look in his eyes. We made a mistake kiddin' him to-day.
Gib's a sensitive boy some ways an' I reckon we hurt his feelin's
without intendin' it."

"He thrun a dead codfish at me," protested McGuffey. "I love old
Gib like a brother, but that's carryin' things with a mighty high
hand."

"Well, I'll apologize to him," declared Captain Scraggs and
started for the door to follow Mr. Gibney. McGuffey barred his
way.

"You apologize without my consent an' you gotta buy me out o' the
_Victor_. I won't be no engineer with a skipper that lacks
backbone."

"Oh, very well, Mac." Captain Scraggs realized too well t