issed doing it for a cool hundred
thousand. Why, Skinner, a man might as well retire from business when he
gets so weak and feeble and soft-headed he doesn't know how to protect
himself in the clinches and break-aways."

Mr. Skinner smiled. "The old dog for the cold scent," he suggested.

"You bet," Cappy cackled triumphantly. "Skinner, my dear boy, what are
we paying you?"

"Ten thousand a year, sir."

"Not enough money. Hereafter pay yourself twelve thousand. Tut, tut. Not
a peep out of you, sir, not a peep. If you do, Skinner, you'll spoil the
happiest day I've known in twenty years."

CHAPTER XLV. CAPPY PULLS OFF A WEDDING

About a week later, Captain Matt Peasley was studying the weather chart
at the Merchants' Exchange when he heard behind him a propitiatory
"Ahem! Hum-m-m! Harump-h-h-h!"--infallible evidence that Cappy Ricks was
in the immediate offing, yearning for Matt to turn round in order that
he might hail the boy and thus re-establish diplomatic relations. Matt,
however, elected to be perverse and pay no attention to Cappy; instead,
he moved closer to the chart and affected greater interest in it.

"Hello, you big, sulky boob!" Cappy snapped presently, unable to stand
the silence any longer. "Come away from that weather chart. It's blowing
a fifty-mile nor'west gale off Point Reyes, and that's all any shipping
man cares to know to-day. You haven't got any ships at sea!"

"No; but you have, sir," Matt replied, unable longer to simulate
indifference to Cappy's presence. "The Tillicum is bucking into that
gale this minute, wasting fuel oil and making about four miles an hour.
I'm glad you're paying for the oil. Where are you loading her?"

"At Hinch's Mill, in Aberdeen, Grays Harbor; discharge at Honolulu and
back with sugar." Cappy came close to Matt and drew the latter's great
arm through his. "Say, Matt," he queried plaintively, "are you still mad
over that walloping I gave you?"

"Well-l, no. I think I've recovered. And I'm not willing to admit I was
walloped. The best you got out of our little mix-up with the Tillicum
was a lucky draw."

"I'm still out a lot of money," Cappy admitted. "You owe me eighteen
thousand dollars on that charter I canceled on you, Matt, and you ought
to pay it. Really, you ought."

"That being tantamount to an admission on your part you cannot go into
court with clean hands and force me to pay it," Matt flashed back at
him, "I'll make you a proposition: You r