“Oh, don’t worry about that, old man!  Give it to me as soon as you can, because I’m a little pinched myself.”

Nevertheless, Matt was beginning to worry, for his acquaintance throughout the trade had extended rapidly, due to his propensity for making friends, and he had heard one or two little rumors that Morrow & Company had bitten off more than they could chew in a few big deals of late and had been badly pinched; in fact, to such an extent did Matt ponder on the possibility of the company’s going into the hands of the receiver, leaving his thirty thousand dollars to disappear into the ravening maw of the Blue Star Navigation Company, that he forgot to send Cappy his check for nine thousand dollars the day it was due.  And the next morning Cappy himself called up and, in a voice that seemed to come straight from a cold-storage plant, asked him what he meant by it, and requested him—­though to Matt it sounded like a peremptory demand—­to send the check over at once.  So angry and humiliated did Matt feel as a result of this dun, he could not trust himself to call with the check but sent it by special delivery.

The Tillicum had returned from her second voyage to Panama and was about to commence loading her third cargo when another payment fell due.  To Matt’s chagrin Kelton again pleaded for delay; and again Matt settled with Cappy Ricks prior to collecting from Morrow & Company.  Kelton had promised a check on the following Wednesday, and on the appointed day Matt called, only to be met with a request for further delay.  Kelton explained that Mr. Morrow had been taken very ill and things were at sixes and sevens in the office as a result.  Could not Matt wait until Saturday, when Mr. Morrow would be back to sign a check?

“What’s wrong with Morrow?” Matt demanded pointedly.  “Has he got paralysis of the right hand?”

“Worse than that,” Kelton answered seriously.  “He’s on the verge of nervous prostration.”

“But can’t you sign a check?”

“Y-e-s; but Mr. Morrow generally attends to all financial details.”

“Well, we’ll excuse him from attending to this detail,” Matt replied.  “I want a check and I want it now, because it is a week overdue; the vessel is nearly loaded and about to go to sea, and if I do not get my money—­”

“Well, suppose I give you half of it now and the other half in a day or two?” Kelton suggested.

He looked worried and unhappy, and Matt felt sorry for him; for, indeed, Kelton was a likable chap and perfectly trustworthy, and Matt sensed some of the worry that was falling on the manager in his desperate efforts to run a business on short capital.  However, Matt’s own financial shoestring was too short for him to afford any sentiment, though, for the reason that he was naturally kind-hearted and considerate, he consented to accept a check for half the amount due and left Kelton to the society of the many devils which seemed to be tormenting him.