ofits on the codfish?" Scraggs queried eagerly.

"Certainly not. Me an' Neils splits that fifty-fifty. A quarter
o' them profits is too high a price to pay for your friendship,
Scraggsy, old deceitful. Remember, I made that profit after you
an' Mac had pulled out o' the syndicate."

"That's logic," McGuffey declared.

"It's highway robbery," Scraggs snarled. "I won't sell no quarter
interest to you or The Squarehead, Gib. Not on them terms."

"Then you'll load them codfish aboard, or pay demurrage on that
barge for every day they hang around; an' if the Board o' Health
condemns 'em an' chucks 'em overboard I'll sue you an' Mac for my
lost profits, git a judgment agin you, an' take over the _Victor_
to satisfy the judgment."

"You're a sea lawyer, Gib," Scraggs retorted sarcastically.

"You do what Gib says," McGuffey ordered threateningly.
"Remember, I got a half interest in any jedgment he gits agin
us--an' what's more, I object to them codfish clutterin' up my
half interest."

"You bullied me on the old _Maggie_," Scraggs screeched, "but I
won't be bullied no more. If you want to tow that barge, Mac, you
buy me out, lock, stock, and barrel. An' the price for my half
interest is five thousand dollars."

"You've sold something, Scraggsy," Mr. McGuffey flashed back at
him, obeying a wink from Mr. Gibney. "An' here's a hundred
dollars to bind the bargain. Balance on delivery of proper
bill-o'-sale."

While Scraggs was counting the money Mr. Gibney was writing a
receipt in his note book. Scraggs, still furious, signed the
receipt.

"Now, then, Scraggsy," said Mr. Gibney affably, "hustle up to the
Custom House, get a formal bill-o'-sale blank, fill her in, an'
hustle back agin for your check. An' see to it you don't change
your mind, because it won't do you any good. If you don't come
through now I can sue you an' force you to."

"Oh! So you're buyin' my interest, eh?"

"Well, I'm lendin' Mac the money, an' I got a hunch he'll sell
the interest to me an' Neils without figgerin' on a profit.
You're a jarrin' note in the syndicate, Scraggsy, an' I've come
to that time o' life where I want peace. An' there won't be no
peace on the _Victor_ unless I skipper her."

Captain Scraggs departed to draw up the formal bill of sale and
Mr. Gibney, drawing The Squarehead and McGuffey to him, favoured
each with a searching glance and said:

"Gentlemen, did it ever occur to you that there's money in the
chicken busines