"Why, what the devil do I care for
profits? You keep the profits. You and Florry are young and you'll
know how to enjoy them. Why, what do you think I am? A human hog?
Let me sit in the game with you--let me play the game of business with
you, son, down to my last buffalo nickel. I can't take the blamed
money with me when I die, can I? But don't ask me to make any money
out of you, my boy. I'm going to get my fun watching you in action."
Matt Peasley came close and took old Cappy Ricks' hand in both of his.
"I want to be your partner," he said wistfully. "I couldn't come into
this office and sponge off you, and so I've waited until I could buy
in! I wanted to bring some assets besides myself when I should come
to manage the Blue Star. May I, sir? I want to turn in this big deal
I've put over for stock in the Ricks Lumber and Logging Company and
the Blue Star Navigation Company; and, then, with Skinner managing the
lumber end, I'll sit in and run the fleet--and you just sit round and
help and offer advice, Mr. Ricks. Let me turn in the Narcissus for
what I have been offered--four hundred and fifty thousand dollars--and
take stock.
"I don't want to be an employee; I don't want to be just your
son-in-law, waiting for your shoes. I want to be your partner--to be
more than a cog in the machine.
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