“Don'no' about that, sir. The Bee line wasn't none too strong financially, I'm told--a lot of little fellers who put in what they could scrape and borrowed the rest. Depends on insurance and their courage what they do after this.” He offered another observation after he had tamped down a load in his black pipe. “Men will do 'most anything for money--enough money.” “Seems as if I'd heard that statement before,” was Mayo's curt rejoinder. “Oh, I know it ain't in any ways new. But the more I think over what has happened to the _Conomo_, the pickeder seems the point to that remark. And whilst I was standing off and on, waiting for you, I run close enough to that steamer to make out a few faces aboard her.” Mayo glanced at him without comment. “F'r instance, I saw Art Simpson. You know him, don't you?” “He was captain of Mr. Marston's yacht once.” “Why did he leave her?” “I heard he had been discharged. That was what the broker said when he hired me.” “Yes, that's what Simpson said. He made a business of going around and swearing about it. Seemed to want to have everybody 'longcoast hear him swear about it. When I see a man make too much of a business of swearing about another man I get suspicious. After Art Simpson worked his cards so as to get the job of second officer on board the new _Conomo_ I got _more_ suspicious. Now that I have seen how that steamer has been plunked fair and square on Razee, I'm _almighty_ suspicious. I'm suspicious enough to believe that she banged during Art Simpson's watch.” “What are you driving at, Captain Candage? Are you hinting that anybody would plant a man for a job of that kind?” “Exactly what I'm hinting,” drawled the skipper. “But putting a steamer on the rocks at this time of year!” “No passengers--and plenty of life-boats for the crew, sir. I have been hearing a lot of talk about steamboat conditions since I have been carrying in fish.” “I've found out a little something in that line myself,” admitted Mayo. “There's one thing to be said about Blackbeard and Cap'n Teach and old Cap Kidd--they went out on the sea and tended to their own pirating; they didn't stay behind a desk and send out understrappers.” Mayo, in spite of his bitter memories of Julius Mar-ston's attitude, felt impelled to palliate in some degree the apparent enormities of the steamboat magnates. “I don't believe the big fellows know all that's done, Captain Candage. As responsible parties they wouldn't dare to have those things done. The understrappers, as you say, are anxious to make good and to earn their money, and when the word is passed on down to 'em they go at the job recklessly. I think it will be pretty hard to fix anything on the real principals. That's why I am out in the cold with my hands tied, just now.”