the boss, and if he can't be the boss he'll sit round and criticize.
But if I want a man to handle Chinamen, or niggers, or Japs, or
Bulgarians I'll advertise for an Irishman and take the first one
that shows up. A young man like you, Matt, shouldn't monkey with
these people. They're a wonderful race and very much misunderstood,
and if you don't start 'em right on the job you'll always be in
trouble. Now, Matt, I've always done the hiring and firing for
the Blue Star Navigation Company, and as a result I've had blamed
little of it to do, considering the size of our fleet; consequently
I'll just give these two Harps the Double-O. Have Murphy and Reardon
at the office at nine o'clock to-morrow morning and I'll read them
the riot act before turning them to."






CHAPTER II





Cappy Ricks was at his office at eight-fifty the following morning. At
eight-fifty-two Mr. Terence Reardon, plainly uncomfortable in a
ready-made blue-serge Sunday suit purchased on the Embarcadero for
twenty-five dollars, came into the office. He was wearing a celluloid
collar, and a quite noticeable rattle as he shook hands with Cappy
Ricks betrayed the fact that he also was wearing celluloid cuffs; for,