very, very hard to refuse."

"I am glad, for the sake of our selfish interests, my dear captain, to
find you so loyal to your owners' financial interests," the supercargo
replied heartily. "Now that you have decided to remain, I need not
point out to you the danger of a resignation at this time. It might
lead to some unlooked-for developments which might prejudice your
owners, although I think they have covered their tracks very
effectually. Nevertheless, it is not well to take the slightest
risk--"

"Without being well paid for it," Murphy interrupted sneeringly. "My
owners have been well paid for their risk, but where do I come in? I
haven't been promised double my usual salary, or a split on the
profits of the voyage; and I know if I were to command a vessel loaded
with munitions of war I would not be asked to take her into the North
Sea at the customary skipper's wages. I'd be offered a large bonus."

"You forget, my dear captain, that your charterers assume all the
risks. One of them was the risk that you might resign unless you
received adequate compensation. I came aboard prepared to insure that
risk," and he touched with his toe the Gladstone bag. "What do you say
to $5,000?"

Michael J. Murphy smiled. "It is pleasant, sir," he said, "to be paid
$5,000 for doing something one yearns to do for nothing. I am not a
hog. Five thousand dollars is sufficient. How do I get it--and when?"

"In gold coin of the United States, or gold certificates of the same
interesting country, my dear captain, and you may have it