Ed bounced out of his chair.
"What do you mean?" he cried—and there was a sure note of fear in his voice that was not lost upon the Captain.
"You're discharged, sir!"
Ed caught his breath.
"You can't do it!" he cried. "You can't do it: you don't own the paper! I've got a contract——"
The old Captain drew himself to his full height and pointed with one long arm at the door:
"Go!" said he.
It was grand.
He then turned to Fergus. "Fergus call up my niece on the telephone. I wish to speak to her."
He walked up the length of the room and back again, his hands clasped behind him under his coat tails. He did not once look at Ed.