Cappy Ricks Retires

g to discover, in the incomprehensible charter his owners had made for him, what the French call la raison d'etre. Not having any wireless, he was un

been equally barred from keeping in touch with the war, although en route throu

tain had had no time to acquaint himself with the movements of the various fleets, and when he sent his day letter to his owners on the morning of the day he sailed from Norfolk for Pernambuco, his action was predicated, not on what he knew, but on what he felt. The sixth sense that all real sailors possess warned him that his cargo of coal was not destined for B

rfectly quiet while Field-Marshal von Hindenburg, Sir John French and General Joffre came on the screen and bowed. Under the circumstances, therefore, Murphy found it very difficult to suspect his owners of conspiring to deliver a cargo of coal to

hands of their own government, Mike Murphy knew full well that no man could guarantee immunity from the right of a belligerent warship to visit and search, or from confiscation or months of demurrage in a prize court in the event that his ship's papers and the course the vessel was travelling failed to justify her presence in tha

rank stupidity on the part of the Blue Star Navigation Company. But Seaborn & Company were above a shady deal. In putting through the charter for the Blue Star Navigation Company it might have occurred to them that all was not as it should be, but that was none of their business. If they spread their hand and permitted Cappy Ricks an unobstructed view, it was up to Cappy to decide and order them to close or reject the charter. As for stupidity on the p

e contrary, it seemed equally impossible that they had gone into it with their eyes shut. Consequently Michael J. decide

ve because he had no wireless to bring him a prompt reply; he berated himself for not waiting at the dock in Norfolk until his owners should have had an opportunity t

for naught but a symbol of monthly revenue. In fact, of the forty-one men under him, there was but one with whom he could, with entire dignity, discuss the matter. That man was Terence Reardon. But even here he was barred, for since he had called the chief engineer a renegade, the only possible discussion that could

on deck, vociferously beating his triangle to an

ge, "as soon as your men have had their supper

ated before Mr. Schultz stuck his head in the dining saloon window and announced that a gentleman who cl

answered. "I'll meet him there in a pig's whisper. It is probable he has come aboard with our orders, Mr. Schultz, so never mind cle

Carl von Staden. Behind the mate a sailor with a bulging suitcase stood at attention; two more sailors stood behind the first, a steamer trunk between them, and as Captain Murphy s

per of this big box," he announce

nt, expressed his pleasure in the meeting. The captain cast a glance of frank curiosity at the bag von

e;" and he handed a blank envelope to the captain. "However, I happened to know tha

mate: "Mr. Schultz, will you be good enough to see to it that Mr. von Staden's baggage is stowed in the owners' suite. Then tell the stewar

he settee and lighted a gold-tipped cigarette, while Murphy tor

,-Pernambuco, Brazil

UES

telegraphic-code book. Whe

ceed to Montevideo and t

NAVIGATIO

s before. Murphy looked keenly at his guest, who smok

ared from New York for Manila or Batavia, via the Cape of Good Hope. It would be a sure sign of ba

stic more Teutonic than Celtic, I believe, so I shall experience no embarrassment in bei

s did not see fit to take me into their confide

e. Moreover, in the event of a judicial inquiry it would be an advantage if you could say that you had had no voice in the matter, but had been instructed to obey the orders of the charterers-of whom we are the agents in Pernambuco. Perhaps this cab

lead to further business. Charterers must take the r

ram was sig

" von Staden qu

in replied. "My owners may think there is no r

ain Murphy. We know the approximate location of every British wars

pany's end of the gamble. They know their own business, I dare say. Evidently they feared I might want to resign, so I hav

. "Now that you have decided to remain, I need not point out to you the danger of a resignation at this time. It might lead to some unlooked-for developments

haven't been promised double my usual salary, or a split on the profits of the voyage; and I know if I were to command a vessel loaded w

isk that you might resign unless you received adequate compensation. I came aboard prepared to

d $5,000 for doing something one yearns to do for nothing. I am not

e same interesting country, my dear captain, and you may have

ve the benefit of my rascality in case anything unforeseen should arise to prevent my retu

you are a man aft

it, for still I am taking a risk. I am thirty-eight years old, Mr. von Staden, and a skipper as young as that has his futu

ning my authority for such assurance, that you would have no difficulty in procuring a r

. Will you come ashore with me, sir, and din

brought me alongside has a knocked-down wireless plant aboard, and I am anxious to have it set up on

e some interest in life now. We can get all the war news, go

go answered. "By the by, can you

h in the owners' suite which you wi

nt to sleep close

and-dollar gold certificates of the United St

mured. "How many rascals fight unde

aden continued. "While I understand his sympathies a

self, Mr.

f a man is h

enough. We avoid each other as much as possible and never speak except in

etting in order; and, having decided to set up the wireless in the sleeping-room, von Staden accompanied the skipper round to superintend the taking on board of the wireless plant from the gasoline launch bobbing alongside

ven the quartermaster at the companion ladder smiled covertly. It is possible they would not have felt so cheerful had they known that Michael J. Murphy's "dear old father and mother" had been sleeping in a Boston cemetery some fifteen y

crook comes with a bag of gold to talk illegitimate business with an honest man. I'm banking you're as crooked as a bed spring, and tha