as just secured on her. Have
the charter parties made out immediately in conformity with this option
and bring them here for my signature."

Mr. Skinner read the option and began to protest.

"Mr. Ricks, I tell you we cannot possibly use the Unicorn for sixty
days, if you are forced to keep her off the market that long. If this
thing develops into a waiting game--"

"I'll wear the other side out," Cappy finished for him. "Listen to me,
Skinner! How's the shingle market in the Southwest?"

"The market is steady at three dollars and fifty cents, f.o.b. Missouri
River common points."

Cappy scratched his ear and cogitated.

"The Unicorn will carry eighteen million shingles," he murmured. "The
going water freight from Grays Harbor to San Francisco is how much?"

"Thirty-five cents a thousand," Mr. Skinner replied promptly.

"Therefore, if we used one of our own vessels to freight eighteen
million shingles it would cost us--"

"Six thousand three hundred dollars," prompted Mr. Skinner.

"Fortunately for us, however, we do not use one of our own vessels.
We use that fellow Hudner's and we get her for three hundred and
twenty-five dollars a day. She can sail from here to Grays Harbor, take
on her cargo, get back to San Francisco and discharge it in twelve days.
What's twelve times three hundred and twenty-five?"

"Thirty-nine hundred dollars," flashed Skinner, to the tremendous
admiration of Matt Peasley, who now considered the manager an
intellectual marvel.

"Being a saving of how much?" Cappy droned on.

"Twenty-four hundred dollars," answered the efficient human machine
without seeming to think for an instant.

"Being a saving of how many cents on a thousand shingles?"

Mr. Skinner closed one eye, cocked the other at the ceiling an instant
and said:

"Thirteen and one-third cents a thousand."

"Very well, then, Skinner. Now listen to my instructions: Wire all the
best shingle mills on Grays Harbor for quotations on Extra Star A Stars
in one to five million lots, delivery fifteen, thirty and forty-five
days from date; and if the price is right buy 'em all. We have about
ten millions on hand at our own mill. To-night send out a flock of night
letters to all the wholesale jobbers and brokers in Kansas, Missouri,
Oklahoma, Texas, and all points taking a sixty-cent tariff, and quote
'em ten cents under the market subject to prior acceptance."

He turned to Matt Peasley.

"That clause--'subject to prior a