inal, while Matt Peasley,
with the duplicate in his pocket, hastened back to Cappy Ricks' office.

"Matt," said Cappy approvingly, "you're a born business man, and it will
be strange indeed if you don't pick up a nice little piece of money
on this Unicorn deal." He glanced at his watch and then turned to his
daughter.

"Florry, my dear," he said, "would you like to go up-town with your
daddy and Captain Peasley for luncheon?"

Matt Peasley grinned like a Jack-o'-lantern, all lit up for Hallowe'en.

"Fine!" he said enthusiastically.

Florence withered him with one impersonal glance, saw that she had
destroyed him utterly, relented, and graciously acquiesced. When they
left the office Matt Peasley was stepping high, like a ten-time winner,
for he had suddenly made the discovery that life ashore was a wonderful,
wonderful thing. There was such a lilt in his young heart that, for the
life of him, he could not forbear doing a little double shuffle as he
waited at the elevator with Cappy and his daughter. He sang:

"The first mate's boat was the first away;
But the whale gave a flip of his tail,
And down to the bottom went five brave boys,
Never again to sail--
Brave boys,
Never again to sail!

When the captain heard of the loss of his whale,
Right loud-lee then he swore.
When he heard of the loss of his five brave boys,
'Oh,' he said, 'we can ship some more brave boys--
'Oh,' he said, 'we can ship some more.'"

Cappy winked slyly at his daughter, but she did not see the wink. She
had eyes for nobody but Matt Peasley, for he was a brand-new note in her
life. They were half through luncheon before Florry discovered the exact
nature of this fascinating new note. Matt Peasley was real. There was
not an artificial thought or action in his scheme of things; he bubbled
with homely Yankee wit; he was intensely democratic and ramping with
youth and health and strength and the joy of living; he could sing funny
little songs and tell funny little stories about funny little adventures
that had befallen him. She liked him.

After luncheon Cappy declared that Matt should return to the office with
him, while Florry instructed the waiter to ring for a taxicab for
her. Later, when Matt gallantly handed her into the taxi, he asked
innocently:

"Where are you going, Miss Florry?"

"Home," she said.

He looked at her so wistfully that she could not mistake the hidden
meaning in hi