“To make you pirates turn back the Vose line property and pay damages. As to the rest of your combination, the critters that's in it can skin their own skunks. I guess the whole thing will take care of itself after we get the Vose line back.”
“You are asking for an impossibility. The matter cannot be arranged.”
“Then we'll see how far Uncle Sam can go in unscrambling that particular nestful of eggs. I'll give the papers to the government.”
“Haven't you any influence with this man?” Marston asked the astounded Mayo.
“No, he hasn't—not a mite in this case,” returned Captain Wass. “He needs a guardeen in some things, and I'm serving as one just now.”
“You must get them from him—you must, Captain Mayo,” cried the girl. “I did not understand what I was doing.”
“I will get them.”
“I'd like to see you do it, son!”
He turned on the Wall Street man. “I'm only asking for what is rightfully due my own people. I'm a man of few words and just now I'm sticking close to schedule. Until eleven o'clock to-night you'll find Vose, myself, and our lawyers at the Nicholas Hotel. After eleven o'clock we shall be in bed because we've got to get an early start for the wreck out on Razee. We're going to finance that job. And in case we don't come to terms with you tonight we shall use our club to keep you out of our business after this. You know what the club is.”
Marston was too busily engaged with Captain Wass to pay heed to his daughter. She went close to Mayo and whispered.