Mr. Keedy gave over leaning back in his chair. He sat on the edge of it, and leaned forward.
“It’s right at this point that we go into this thing clear to the necks, my friend. I have studied men a lot in my life. I can see about what kind of a fellow you are. If another fellow opens up to you in honest fashion you are with him—and if you can’t stay with him you are not going off and squeal and hurt him. There’s nothing half-way between Holstrom, here, and myself. We’re partners. We’re in together, whole hog. I’ll spread the cards for you just as they are spread for the captain and myself. He and I have been having a run of good luck to date in our partnership. We’ll have some more firsthand evidence. Rask, how was it you got the inside clinch in the Zizania matter?”
“For the benefit of a man from the East, where they ain’t as shrewd as the Yankees think they be,” stated Captain Holstrom in his husky voice, “I will say that we’ve got a devilish good close combine on the waterfront—we fellows have been on the job for a long time. When the Government auctions off anything we get together and fix the top price at which any bid shall go, and then we cut the cards to settle who shall pick the plum at that price. It means that the lucky man will pick a bargain, don’t forget that. Price can’t be budged above that bid—and it’s a blamed measly price.” He smacked his lips. “So that is how I have got hold of the old __Zizania__, Government lighthouse-tender and buoy steamer, side-wheeler, one hundred and seventy feet long, new derricks, boilers in fair shape, and engine fresh overhauled. I’ve cut the cards for eleven years, and this has been my first look-in. But it’s worth waiting for. I could junk her and make four times what I pay for her.”
“What we pay for her,” corrected Mr. Keedy. “Remember that I’m your partner. Now I’ll take the stand myself. Holstrom here sold his tugboat the minute he struck luck on the Zizania. He pulled what money he had in the bank. He lacked half the price, at that. He was going to borrow on a bill of sale. ‘No,’ says I to him. ‘Bring along your cash to the place where I’m dealing faro. I’ll go in partner with you and double your pot.’ Holstrom knew that when I talked that way with him I was square. Some men would have double-crossed him and pulled the pickings for the bank. I ain’t that kind,” declared Mr. Keedy, pulling himself up virtuously and giving the girl a side-glance. “I know who my friends are, and who I’d like to help. And I can deal faro! Don’t worry about that! Captain Holstrom walked out with his pot doubled. The money goes down on the Zizania to-morrow morning, making up the balance after the forfeit money was paid. That’s the way Holstrom and I do business after we have come to an agreement.” He gave the girl a look which he intended to be melting. “I said I’d do it, and I did it.”
“I’m ashamed of my father,” she said, crisply.
“I don’t much blame you, Kama,” stammered Captain Holstrom, missing the point of her rebuke. “For me to go and do what I done after scooping in that money was a fool performance, and I ask the pardon of all concerned. But I reckon my head was turned by having all that good luck come in a bunch. I just went into the air, that’s what I done. But I’m back on earth to stay now.”
“Let us hope so, partner,” chided Kir. Keedy. “That crazy Beason and our new friend here made such a racket chasing you through the Coast that I heard of it, and started out on the chase myself. It has turned out lucky, but that’s no credit to you.”
The girl stood up. “I have listened, and now I understand. If you want to keep my respect, father, you’ll hand back the part of that money which is stolen, and borrow enough to make your payment.”
“Hold on, Miss Kama!” cried Keedy. “That money wasn’t stolen. A man who tackles a faro-bank isn’t stealing if he wins.”
“I heard what you said a few minutes ago, Mr. Keedy.”