s words when he asked, with a deprecatory grin:

"Where do you live?"

"With my father," she said, and closed the door.

When Cappy and Matt returned to the Blue Star offices they were informed
that Mr. Allan Hayes was patiently awaiting the arrival of the managing
owner of the Lion. Matt concluded, therefore, to remain secluded while
Cappy went into his own office and met Mr. Hayes.

Two hours later Cappy summoned Skinner and Matt to his sanctum.

"Skinner," he said briskly, "have you bought any shingles?"

"I have not," said Mr. Skinner.

"Have you sent out those telegrams to the dealers?"

"Not yet, Mr. Ricks. I was going to have them filed just before we close
the office."

"Well," said Cappy smilingly, "don't accept any quotations until
to-morrow and don't send out those telegrams until further advice from
me. I locked horns with that man Hayes, and I think I gored him, Matt.
It appeared he called on me first; and when I quoted him four hundred
dollars a day on the Lion, he favored me with a sweet smile and said he
could get the Unicorn for three-fifty. So, of course, I had to explain
to him that he couldn't, because I wouldn't charter her at any such
ridiculous figure! That took the ginger out of him and we got down to
business, with the result that I've given him a forty-eight-hour option
on both boats at four hundred dollars a day each, with a commission of
two thousand dollars cash in full to him."

"Why, he told me he would get two and a half per cent. commission!" Matt
declared. "He figured he'd have an income of twenty dollars a day for
the next four years."

"I daresay he did, Matt," Cappy replied dryly; "but then, in the very
best business circles you never pay a broker two and a half commission
when you know who his principals are! If he insists, you eliminate him
entirely and do business direct. Of course, my boy, if he had put the
proposition up to me, and I had agreed to pay him the regular commission
while ignorant of the identity of his principals, and he had then
reposed confidence in my business honor and told me whom he represented,
he would have been perfectly safe. Remember, Matt, that the business man
without a code of business honor never stays in business very long. From
the office to the penitentiary or the cemetery is a quick jump for birds
of that feather."

"Then, why did you offer him two thousand dollars?"'

"Because it never pays to be a hog, my son, and besides I want t