“There is no necessity for a fight, Mr. Ricks. It all rests with me whether this is a salvage job or just a plain towing job at the customary rates.”
Cappy looked at his ex-skipper keenly.
“Matt,” he charged, “you've got a scheme. You want something.”
“I do; I want to save you a lot of fuss and worry and expense. In return I want you to do something for me.”
“I'll do it, Matt. What is the program?”
“Give me that twenty thousand dollars you justly owe me—twenty thousand dollars I have to my credit on your books, which you are withholding just because you have the power to withhold it.”
“And in return—”
“I'll tear up the deadly document I extorted from Murphy and report a mere towage job to my owners.”
Cappy pressed the push-button and a boy appeared.
“Tell Mr. Skinner I want to see him,” he ordered, and an instant later Mr. Skinner entered. “Skinner,” said Cappy, “draw a check for twenty thousand in favor of Matt Peasley, and charge it to his account.”