ome people--but not with me. You're not a safe bet--yet; but we
can make it safe."

"How?"

"You can pay the charter money in advance," Cappy answered smilingly.

"I have decided not to do any more gambling, Mr. Ricks. Hereafter, as
near as such a thing may be humanly possible, I'm going to play a sure
thing. Therefore, all things being equal, if I can guarantee you your
price for the steamer, on a year's charter, you do not care what I do
with the vessel, provided that I do not injure her?"

"Certainly."

"Well, then, in order to play safe and protect you, suppose I charter
her from you, contingent on my ability to recharter her to some
responsible shipping firm. Under those conditions would you exact the
charter money in advance? You know very well that when I collect my
money from the charterers you'll get yours right away."

"Without question, Matt; but sometimes a fellow cannot collect his
money from the charterers, and then the owner has to wait. I'm taking no
chances to speak of on you, Matthew, my son; but for the sake of making
it a sporting proposition I'll talk business on the basis of fifty per
cent. of the charter money, payable monthly in advance."

"That's cold-blooded, but I can stand it. What is the Tillicum going to
cost me a day?"

"What kind of charter do you want--government form or bare boat?"

"You might give me an option with a price based on each form. I haven't
the slightest idea what form my prospective victim prefers, though I
prefer a bare-boat charter. I will close with you on whatever basis he
prefers, if that is satisfactory."

"I'll make many concessions to get that vessel out of the mud and to
sea, and paying a reasonable rate on the money invested in her. I hate
to keep a good skipper and a good chief engineer on the beach, and I
want them to begin drawing their salaries again."

Cappy reached into his desk and produced a little loose-leaf memorandum
book, and from certain figures therein contained he commenced to figure
what he should charge Matt for the ship. On his part, Matt, whose
apprenticeship under the Blue Star had made him tolerably familiar with
every steamer in the fleet, got out a pad and pencil and commenced
to figure the cost of operation himself. Not knowing the cost of the
steamer or the ratio of profit Cappy might expect on the investment,
however, he was more or less at sea until Cappy had named his figures;
whereupon Matt pretended to do some more figur