Blue Star Navigation Company,
By Alden P. Ricks,
President.

Matt Peasley read this extraordinary communication twice, then folded it
and calmly placed it in his pocket.

"May I inquire, sir," he said, facing the gentleman who had accompanied
All Hands And Feet aboard the Retriever, "who you are and the nature of
your business?"

"I am the American consul, Mr. Peasley, and I am here at the invitation
of Captain Peterson, the master of this ship, to witness the formal
transfer of authority from you to him. I was given to understand by
Captain Peterson that you might offer some slight objection to this
arrangement."

"Slight objection!" Matt Peasley replied with a rising inflection, and
grinned maliciously.

The consul had his Yankee sense of humor with him and chuckled as Matt
lifted his big body on his toes and stretched both arms lazily. Then
Matthew Peasley turned toward All Hands And Feet.

"I have a letter from the owners of the Retriever," he said
respectfully, "which leads me to presume that you are to supersede me
in command of the vessel." All Hands And Feet nodded. "Which being the
case," Matt Peasley continued, "as a mere matter of formality, you will
of course present your credentials as master."

"Sure!" Ole replied pleasantly, and sidled toward Matt Peasley with
outstretched arms. Could Cappy Ricks have seen his skipper then, he
would have reminded the Old Man more than ever of a bear.

Matt Peasley needed no blueprint of the big Swede's plans. All Hands
And Feet, depending on his sheer horse power and superior weight, always
fought in mass formation, as it were. His modus operandi was to embrace
his enemy in those terrible arms, squeeze the breath out of him with
one bearlike hug, then lay him on the deck, straddle him, and pummel him
into insensibility at his leisure. Matt gave ground rapidly and held up
a warning hand.

"One moment, my friend," he requested. "Before you get familiar on brief
acquaintance, don't you think you had better present your credentials?"

All Hands And Feet shook his two great fists and grinned good-naturedly.

"How dese ban suit you for credentials?" he queried.

"Fine," Matt Peasley answered; "only, before you present them, our first
duty is to the ship. I take it that you have cleared the vessel and that
after trimming me you intend to put to sea."

"You ban gue