"He is too fresh. I'd like to punch him," growled Tunis, to the girl's secret delight. It sounded boyish, but real. "I don't know that I can stand him aboard the Seamew much longer. He attends to everybody's business but his own."
"He means you no good, Captain Latham," she said frankly. "To-night he was repeating that silly story about the Seamew being haunted."
"Cat's-foot!" ejaculated Tunis. "I wish I'd fired old Horry Newbegin for starting that."
"But 'Rion keeps it up."
"If he believed she was hoodoed, you wouldn't get him aboard with a wire cable," growled Tunis.
"It would be better for you and for the success of your business, Captain Latham, if 'Rion was really afraid of going aboard the Seamew," she said with confidence.
"Well, I don't see how I can fire him. He's my cousin—in a way. And there is enough ill feeling in the family now. Gran'ther Peleg left all his money to me, and it made Orion and his folks as sore as can be."
"You are inclined to be too kind. I am not sure it is always wise to be too easy."
"Like chopping off the dog's tail an inch at a time, so's not to hurt him so much, eh?" he chuckled.
"Something like that."