e _Montana_, if that's the only way to
get rid of her."

Boyd Mayo lost no time in obeying his orders to report in New York. He
gave his name to a clerk at the offices of the Vose line and asked to
see Mr. Fogg. He presented himself a bit timorously. He was not at all
sure of his good fortune. It is rather bewildering for a young man to
have the captaincy of a twin-screw passenger racer popped at one as
carelessly as tossing a peanut to a child. He crushed his cap between
trembling palms when he followed the clerk into the inner office.

Mr. Fogg rose and greeted Mayo with great cordiality. "Good morning,
captain," said the manager. "Allow me to hope that you're going to be as
lively in keeping to schedule time as you have been in getting here from
Norfolk."

"I didn't feel like wasting much time, considering what was promised
me," stammered Mayo, not yet sure of himself.

"Afraid I might change my mind?"

"It seemed too good to be true. I wanted to get here as soon as I could
and make sure that I had heard right, sir. Here are my papers."

He laid them in the manager's hand. Fogg did not unfold them. He fanned
them, indicating a chair.

"Sit down, Captain Mayo. You understand that new management has taken
hold of the Vose line in order to get some life and snap into the
business. We have strong competition. A big syndicate is taking over
the other steamship properties, and we must hustle to keep up with the
procession. I'm laying off freighters that are not showing a proper
profit--I'm weeding out the moss-covered captains who are not up with
the times. That's why I'm putting you on the _Montana_ in place of
Jacobs."

"He's a good man--one of the best," ventured Mayo, loyalty to his kind
prompting him. "I'll be sorry to see him step aside, as glad as I am to
be promoted--and that's honest."

"That's the way to talk; but we've got to have hustle and dash, and
young men can give us what we're after. It doesn't mean that you've got
to take reckless chances."

"I hope not, Mr. Fogg. My training with Captain Wass has been the other
way. And if you could only give him--"

"Captain, you've got your own row to hoe. Keep your eye on it," advised
the general manager, sharply. "I'm picking captains for the Vose boats,
and I think I understand my business. Now what I want to know is, do you
have confidence in me? Are you going to be loyal to me?"

"Yes, sir!" affirmed Mayo, impressed by his superior's brisk, brusque