if I don't raise his salary!"

He turned to a pigeonhole in his desk and drew forth the charter he had
negotiated months before with Matt Peasley for the Tillicum. He read it
over carefully, tucked it in his breast pocket and slipped quietly out
the door. One hour later a suit against the Pacific Shipping Company
was filed in the county clerk's office, and at five minutes after ten
a deputy-sheriff appeared at the paying-teller's window in the Marine
National Bank and filed a writ of attachment on the funds to their
credit.

CHAPTER XLIV. SKINNER DEVELOPS INTO A HUMAN BEING

Cappy Ricks was having his mid-afternoon siesta in his office when
Captain Matt Peasley appeared at the counter of the general office and,
without awaiting an invitation to enter, swung through the office gate
and made straight for Cappy's office. En route he had to pass through
Mr. Skinner's lair, and the general manager looked up as Matt entered.

"Well, Captain," he said pleasantly, "how goes it?"

"Fine," Matt answered with equal urbanity. "That was a slick piece of
work tying up my bank account. I can't get a bond to-day, the bank
is closed, and I suppose you're going to insist upon payment of that
eighteen thousand dollars before midnight to-night or take the Tillicum
and her cargo away from me."

Mr. Skinner started in genuine amazement.

"Attached your bank account, Matt? I give you my word of honor I had
nothing to do with it."

"Well, it's tied up by the Blue Star Navigation Company, and Cappy Ricks
has served notice on me to call here and pay up or suffer cancellation
of my charter. Of course, for all the good my bank account is to me this
minute he might as well ask me to give him the moon."

"I'm truly sorry," said Skinner. "I protested to Mr. Ricks against this
action. I assure you I would not have taken such a course myself--under
the circumstances."

"Cappy wants cash or a certified check," Matt complained, "and he's made
it impossible for me to go to my bank and get either--to-day. What am I
going to do?"

"I'm afraid you're going to lose the Tillicum and her cargo. The Blue
Star Navigation Company will doubtless collect the freight on that
northbound cargo. Besides, Mr. Ricks has some business offered for the
Tillicum and wants her back--"

"But I was going to give her back to him as soon as I discharged her
cargo. Now, just for that he'll not get her back. I'll keep her the full
year."

"But how?" Mr. Skinne