to the captain and retains a duplicate for his own files.

The Blue Star youth returned presently with his duplicate list, on
consulting which, to his unspeakable amazement, Cappy Ricks discovered
that Matthew Peasley had shipped aboard the Retriever as an able
seaman, and that the first mate was one William Olson--which goes to
prove that in the heat of passion a skipper will often discharge a
mate on the eve of sailing for a foreign port and forget to tell the
Deputy Shipping Commissioner anything about it.

"Remarkable," Cappy declared. "Ree-markable!"

"Dirty work here," Mr. Skinner announced. "Captain dead and a common
A.B. cabling us for authority to draw drafts as captain, while posing
as first mate. Nigger in the woodpile somewhere, Mr. Ricks."

"I'll smoke him out in five minutes, Skinner. Ring up the local
inspectors and inquire if, by any chance, they have ever issued a
captain's license to one Matthew Peasley."

Skinner obeyed. After a brief wait he was informed that the said
Peasley had an unlimited license as first mate of sail, and was
entitled to act as second mate of steam vessels up to five hundred
tons net register.

"Nothing doing!" Cappy piped. "Skinner, when a mate with an unlimited
license ships before the mast, THERE'S A REASON!"

"Drunkard!" Mr. Skinner suggested without an instant's hesitation.