Cape Town, Feb. 17, 19--.

Bluestar,
San Francisco.

Swenson fired before leaving San Francisco. Second mate Murphy
declines take your orders, claiming me superior officer; I
decline also, claiming captain en route my superior officer.
Owner can fire captain but only captain can fire or disrate
ship's officers. Besides I shipped for the round trip.

Peasley.

"Well," said Cappy, "what do you know about that? He clings to us
like a barnacle or a poor relation--and the worst of it is the damned
sea lawyer is absolutely right. We have no authority to fire him,
Skinner. Just think of a government that will permit such a
ridiculous state of affairs as that to exist! Think of it, Skinner!
We hire the man Peasley but we can't fire him--and in the meantime
he'll roost in Cap'n Noah's cabin and run up bills on us and consume
our groceries and draw master's pay until McBride arrives and
discharges him."

For geographical and financial reasons Cappy Ricks was barred from
quarreling with Matt Peasley. However, he was as cross as a setting
hen and just naturally had to vent his displeasure on somebody, and as
he paid Mr. Skinner a very large salary to be his general manager, he
figured he could afford to quarrel with Skinner. So he said: