“Yes, if I had done that I would have had him, but how much would I have had him for?  Paltry nine thousand dollars!  I wanted him to get into the financial quicksands up to his chin—­and then I’d have had him!  Besides, Skinner, I had to go slow.  Just think what would have happened if Florry found me out!  Why, I would have had to call off the dogs before I was half through the job.”

“He’s probably told her all about it by now,” Skinner suggested.

“Don’t get him wrong,” Cappy protested.  “He’s no tattle-tale.  He’ll fight fair.  However, as I was saying, I couldn’t do anything raw, Skinner.  I had planned, when Matt reached Panama and discovered he had been double-crossed to pass the buck up to you!”

Mr. Skinner started, but Cappy continued serenely: 

“I planned to be away from the office when the blow-off came, and you were to have borne the brunt of Matt’s fury and despair.  Why, what the devil do I have a general manager for if not to help me out in these little affairs?  And besides, Skinner, when he blew in here the day Morrow & Company hit the ceiling, he was so excited and worried I felt positive he was busted then; so what was the use calling him for his overdue payment when if I let him run on I’d have his young soul in hock for the next ten years?” Cappy leaned forward and laid an impressive hand on Mr. Skinner’s knee.  “You know, Skinner, we really need that boy in this office, and it would have been a fine thing to have gotten him and gotten him right.  Then he wouldn’t be leaving the reservation to chase rainbows.  However, as the boys say, I overlooked a bet, but I’ll not overlook another.”

“You said you had an idea,” Mr. Skinner suggested.

“I have.  Just at present there is a libel on the Tillicum, and when we lift it Matt Peasley is prepared to plaster another libel on her, and another, and still another.  Now, as a result of our conversation with Matt yesterday, he thinks we’ll lift the libel to-day—­in fact, settle with him for what he paid the crew when they assigned their wage claim to his company, and thus prevent any further libels.  Now, if we do that it leaves Matt in the clear to commence discharging his cargo, but at the same time it makes it incumbent upon him to slam a certified check for eighteen thousand dollars down on the Blue Star counter, in order to hold the vessel long enough to discharge her and collect the freight.  Then he’ll turn the vessel back on our hands with many thanks—­rot him!”

“I have no doubt that such are his intentions, Mr. Ricks; in which event he will, of course, be ready with the certified check the instant we make formal, written demand upon him for our money.  I believe I have already warned you, sir, that we cannot cancel the charter without first making formal, written demand for our charter money.”

“Well,” said Cappy, “we’ll get round that all right.”

“Pray, how?”