" Cappy commenced to chuckle softly. "In-fer-nal
rascal!" he declared. "He had me where the hair is short, Matt; he
had me where I dassen't defy my own general manager! Yes, sir, that
was the long and short of it. I dassen't call his bluff, because he
doesn't bluff worth a cent, and I happen to know some of my
competitors would like to get him away from me. A good man is always
in demand, Matt; never forget that. You see, Skinner has been
carrying the burden of this business for the past ten years
practically, and he threatened to toss that burden back on me. Well,
if he had, Matt, I just couldn't have carried it without competent
help--and by the time I had competent help broken in they'd be
measuring me for a tombstone."
"How did you whip him into line?" Matt demanded.
"Just like spearing fish in a dry lake, boy," Cappy chuckled. "I just
sold Mr. Skinner part of that burden, and now he has to carry it all
until he dies, because if he drops it he loses what I sold him. Only
one way to whip that boy into line, Matt, and that is to pelt him with
dollars."
"But I do not see how that affects me," Matt answered.
"You don't, eh? Why, you're the port captain of the Blue Star
Navigation Company, you-you-you bonehead, and Skinner has to stand for
you now whether he likes it or not.
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