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COPYRIGHT 2001 Saturday Evening Post Society
There was something fishy about a cheapskate cutting rates to get a salvage job--and Annie put her life savings on the (tow) line to prove it.
It was a blustery spring day, with the white-flecked waters of the Puget Sound port of Secoma patterned by cold sunshine and the shadows of fast-moving rain clouds and the air alive with the high, wild piping of gulls. But in the private office of Alec Severn, the plump and amicable little owner of the Deep-Sea Towing and Salvage Company, the atmosphere was heavy as he sat behind his desk and stared morosely at the weather-beaten, mastiff face of his senior skipper, Tugboat Annie Brennan.
"Well, that's the jam I'm in," he said unhappily. "And there's not a cussed thing I can do without outside help."
"But, Alec, all yer tugs has been workin', an' fer months me own Narcissus was haulin' big supply barges up to them new arctic bases," Annie protested. "Gov'ment contracks pays good, an'--"
"That work has slacked off now!" he said irritably. "You know that! And as a result of being in constant service, my whole tug fleet needs a complete overhaul. But I just can't swing it."
"So along comes this San Francisco feller, Bulger--"
"Bolzer, Annie! B-o-l-z-e-r! And he'll finance me, yes--provided he approves our operation methods."
"Does he know the towboatin' business?"
"No, but he's a business administration expert. And since he tells me he has many contacts with shipping companies, he might steer some jobs our way."
"Ye check his financial standin'?"
"Naturally! I'm not a fool, Annie!" he snapped testily. "But I do wish I didn't have to leave tonight for that Sea Freight Carriers' Convention in New York. It's important, though, for business."
"Don't worry, Alec," said Annie, promptly reassuring. "I'll run things here for ye like I've allus done."
Severn looked uncomfortable. "Not--not this time, Annie, I'm afraid," he said placatingly. "You see, Bolzer insists on coming in to supervise while I'm gone. It'll give him a chance to study--"
"Ye mean ye're hirin' him?"
"I asked him about that, but he doesn't care one way or the other, as long as I give him authority to appoint himself in an emergency where he'd have to commit the company. So he'll come in as an adviser only, at present. But mind, Annie"--and Severn's tone hardened--"whatever he says here goes!"
"It won't work!" said Annie abruptly. "Unless his job's official, he could git us in a jam, then duck out an' leave you holdin' the sack. No, sir! Put him on the payroll. Then you're his boss."
"What's wrong with your thinking today, Annie?" he said impatiently. "A tugboat owner's always liable for the mistakes of his employees! But this way, if he was at fault, I could sue him! Anyway," he ended in sudden appeal, "quit arguing, will you? I need his money--and I need it soon!"
"O.K., ye ol' gafoozler," she replied quietly and stood up. "When's the financial blizzard takin' over?"
"Before I leave. I'll want you to meet him. So come back--"
"Can't," said Annie. "I got that tow fer Foss Harbor right away."
"That's right; I forgot. Well"--he held out his hand--"see you when I come back. And please don't tangle with Bolzer! I'm already committed for dockyard space and new supplies for overhauling the tugs, and if you foul me up with him, Annie, I'll be out of business and you'll be out of a job!"
"I won't let ye down, Alec," she assured him.
From Foss Harbor the Narcissus was dispatched to other jobs, so a few days elapsed before she was headed once more toward her homeport. Meanwhile, however, Fred, the office dispatcher, had kept Annie informed by radiophone of the radical and, to her, alarming changes which Mr. Bolzer swiftly had effected.
"I don't like it! Not wuth a cuss!" she exploded suddenly to Peter, the Narcissus's bovinely phlegmatic mate. "That Bulger character's replacin' all the serviceable gear what's on the tugs...
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