before your eyes and you never
cheeped. Then you put one of my motors on the blink because you were too
lazy to watch the oil-feed. Where do you think I get off? How long could
I run this outfit if all my men were like you? Take a brace and come
alive, Pete. That's the way to get more money out of me or any one else.
The harder you hit the ball the more you'll get. I don't want to hog it
all. The boys will tell you I shoot square."

The fisherman slunk sullenly away and joined his companions. Dickie Lang
turned again to Gregory.

"That's one of the things I'm up against," she exclaimed in a low voice.
"That fellow is a regular agitator. Talking is his long suit. Why, he
didn't even know how to throw a bowline when he hit in here, flat broke
and down on his uppers. I've taught him all he knows. And now he's
trying to start something. If men weren't so scarce I'd can him in a
minute."

Gregory watched the fleet embark, marveling at the manner in which the
burly fishermen took orders from a mere slip of a girl. How it must go
against their grain, he thought, to be bossed about by a woman. The
last of the boats had cleared before the youthful commodore prepared to
follow.

"Let's go," she exclaimed impatiently. "We're late now. Mascola's outfit
cleared two hours ago."

Leading the way she took Gregory aboard a small fishing vessel which
waited at the float below. The motor started the instant their feet
touched the deck and a gruff voice growled:

"We've got to go some to make the point by daybreak."

The girl nodded to the dark form at the wheel.

"You said it, Tom. Mascola's gang are mighty near down there by now."

She cast off the lines and jumped again to the boat as the little craft
backed from the slip and headed down the bay. While the boat gained
headway under the rapid pulse of the powerful motor, she explained:

"Got a string of nets off Long Point. Just put them out yesterday. But
I've a pretty good idea we'll load up. That is unless Mascola tries to
sew us up. One of his fishing captains was cruising round last night
when I left the set."

"But if you had your nets out first," Gregory began.

A low laugh from the girl interrupted him. "You don't know how Mascola
does business," she said. "Listen, I'll tell you. Did you ever notice
them throw garbage overboard from the deck of a steamer and see one lone
gull flying in her wake? The minute he squawks and swoops down to pick
it up there's a hundred