About the beginning of March Mr. Skinner opened his cold heart long enough to let in a little human love and get married, and shortly thereafter he found it necessary to make a business trip to the redwood mill of the Ricks Lumber and Logging Company on Humboldt Bay.  He went up on the regular P. C. passenger boat and took his bride with him, and while he was at the mill Matt Peasley came nosing in with the Quickstep and loaded a cargo of redwood lumber.  He finished loading on the same day that Mr. Skinner discovered he had no further excuse for remaining away from the office, in consequence of which the latter decided to return to San Francisco on the Quickstep.  This for several very good reasons:  The food on the Quickstep was better than the food on the regular liner, the accommodations were fully as good, the vessel was loaded deeply and would ride steadily—­and Mr. Skinner and his bride would travel without charge.

The sight of the Skinners coming aboard was not a pleasing one to Matt Peasley.  He did not like Mr. Skinner well enough to care to eat at the same table with him, and he bethought him now of all the mean, nagging complaints of the past six months.  In particular he recalled Mr. Skinner’s instructions to him anent the carrying of dead-head passengers—­and suddenly he had a brilliant idea.  He sent for his wireless operator and ordered him to send this message: 

Blue Star Navigation Company, San Francisco, Cal.

Please accept my resignation as master of your steamer Quickstep, said resignation to take effect immediately upon my arrival in San Francisco.  Kindly have somebody on hand to relieve me.

Matthew Peasley.

Matt had just remembered that his six months in the Quickstep were up.  His next move was to call on the steward.

“Go into Stateroom 7,” he ordered, “and collect fifteen dollars from that man and woman in there.  They came aboard without tickets.”

Two minutes later the steward was back with word that the passengers in question were dead-heads, being none other than the manager of the Blue Star Navigation Company and his wife.

“Steward, you go back and tell that man Skinner that Captain Peasley never carries any dead-heads on the Quickstep.  Tell him that when Captain Peasley wants to carry a guest he pays the guest’s passage out of his own pocket.”

“But he’ll fire me, sir.”

“Do as I order; he will not fire you.  I’m the only man that has that privilege, and I’ll exercise it if you don’t obey me.”

Two more minutes elapsed; then Mr. Skinner presented himself at the captain’s stateroom.

“Peasley,” he said sharply, “what nonsense is this?”

“No dead-heads on this ship, Mr. Skinner.  Your own orders, sir.  Fifteen dollars, if you please.  You’re not my guests.”

“Of course,” said Mr. Skinner, “I shall do nothing of the sort.”

“Then get off the ship.”