“But can't you sign a check?”
“Y-e-s; but Mr. Morrow generally attends to all financial details.”
“Well, we'll excuse him from attending to this detail,” Matt replied. “I want a check and I want it now, because it is a week overdue; the vessel is nearly loaded and about to go to sea, and if I do not get my money—”
“Well, suppose I give you half of it now and the other half in a day or two?” Kelton suggested.
He looked worried and unhappy, and Matt felt sorry for him; for, indeed, Kelton was a likable chap and perfectly trustworthy, and Matt sensed some of the worry that was falling on the manager in his desperate efforts to run a business on short capital. However, Matt's own financial shoestring was too short for him to afford any sentiment, though, for the reason that he was naturally kind-hearted and considerate, he consented to accept a check for half the amount due and left Kelton to the society of the many devils which seemed to be tormenting him.
On the sidewalk he paused suddenly. So Morrow was on the verge of nervous prostration, eh? That was bad. It had been Matt's experience that, as a usual thing, but two things conduce to bring about nervous prostration—overwork and worry; and in Morrow's case it must be worry, for Kelton did all the work! Kelton, too, looked haggard and drawn.
“I must be very careful,” Matt told himself, “for if that concern should go broke while the Tillicum is en route to Panama my charter to Morrow & Company may be considered to have terminated automatically; and if they go under owing me from ten to twenty thousand dollars, I'm still responsible to Cappy Ricks for my charter of the Tillicum until I can bring her back to her home port and turn her back to him. Thank God for that clause in the charter which gives me the privilege of terminating my charter with Cappy in case Morrow & Company terminate their charter with me! It will be all right if they terminate it while the vessel is in San Francisco; but if she's very far from home I'll most certainly be eaten alive while I'm getting her back to Cappy!”
He returned to his office and went into a long executive session with himself, from which he aroused presently and went down to the dock where the cargo was pouring into the hold of the Tillicum. Here he consulted with the captain and the purser, and obtained a list of all persons, firms or corporations which had furnished supplies of any kind to the deck department of the steamer. From the chief engineer he procured a similar list of those who had furnished supplies to the engine department; and, armed with this information, he returned to his office and dictated the following form letter:
Gentlemen:—Please take notice that we as charterers of the
steamer Tillicum from the Blue Star Navigation Company, and as
recharterers to Messrs. G. H. Morrow & Company, will not be
responsible for the payment to you of any bills for supplies or
stores, of any nature whatsoever, furnished to the said steamer
Tillicum since she has been under charter to said G. H. Morrow
& Company. Any bills contracted with you by G. H. Morrow &
Company for account of the Tillicum must be paid to you by
G. H. Morrow & Company. This notice is hereby given you in order
that we may go on record as disclaiming any responsibility as
charterers prior to the departure of the said steamer Tillicum
on her next voyage.
Yours very truly,
PACIFIC SHIPPING COMPANY,
By Matthew Peasley, President.
A copy of this letter Matt sent by registered mail, with a request for a return registry receipt, to each of the creditors of the Tillicum of whom he could get track. He had all the receipts in hand by the last mail delivery the next day, and at eight o'clock that night the Tillicum, having cleared the customs the same afternoon, departed for Panama. Two days later Matt again called on Morrow & Company for the money due him and, after much argument, succeeded in getting it. He hastened at once to the bank on which it was drawn and asked the paying teller to certify it. This the latter declined to do—neither would he cash the check; so Matt took it back to Kelton.