Chapter 3

At twelve-thirty, as Cappy was hurrying up California Street to luncheon at the Commercial Club, he met Bill Peck limping down the sidewalk. The ex-soldier stopped him and handed him a card.

At twelve-thirty, Cappy was hurrying up California Street to lunch at the Commercial Club. He met Bill Peck limping down the sidewalk. The former soldier stopped Cappy and handed him a card.

"What do you think of that, sir?" he queried. "Isn't it a neat business card?"

"What do you think of that, sir?" he asked. "Isn't it a nice business card?"

Cappy read:

Cappy read:

Cappy Ricks ran a speculative thumb over Comrade Peck's business card. It was engraved. And copper plates or steel dies are not made in half an hour!

Cappy Ricks thoughtfully ran his thumb over Comrade Peck's business card. It was engraved. And copper plates or steel dies aren't made in half an hour!

"By the Twelve Ragged Apostles!" This was Cappy's most terrible oath and he never employed it unless rocked to his very foundations. "Bill, as one bandit to another--come clean. When did you first make up your mind to go to work for us?"

"By the Twelve Ragged Apostles!" This was Cappy's strongest oath. He used it only when he was shaken to his core. "Bill, as one bandit to another, tell me the truth. When did you first decide to come work for us?"

"A week ago," Comrade Peck replied blandly.

"A week ago," Comrade Peck replied without emotion.

"And what was your grade when Kaiser Bill went A.W.O.L.?"

"And what was your rank when Kaiser Bill went AWOL?"

"I was a buck."

"I was a private."

"I don't believe you. Didn't anybody ever offer you something better?"

"I don't believe you. Didn't anyone ever offer you something better?"

"Frequently. However, if I had accepted I would have had to resign the nicest job I ever had. There wasn't much money in it, but it was filled with excitement and interesting experiments. I used to disguise myself as a Christmas tree or a box car and pick off German sharp-shooters. I was known as Peck's Bad Boy. I was often tempted to quit, but whenever I'd reflect on the number of American lives I was saving daily, a commission was just a scrap of paper to me."

"Often. But if I had accepted, I would have had to leave the best job I ever had. It didn't pay much, but it was full of excitement and interesting experiments. I used to disguise myself as a Christmas tree or a boxcar and pick off German snipers. I was known as Peck's Bad Boy. I was often tempted to quit. But whenever I thought about how many American lives I was saving every day, a commission seemed like just a scrap of paper."

"If you'd ever started in any other branch of the service you'd have run John J. Pershing down to lance corporal. Bill, listen! Have you ever had any experience selling skunk spruce?"

"If you'd started in any other branch of the service, you'd have made John J. Pershing look like a lance corporal. Bill, listen! Have you ever sold skunk spruce?"

Comrade Peck was plainly puzzled. He shook his head. "What sort of stock is it?" he asked.

Comrade Peck was clearly confused. He shook his head. "What kind of stock is it?" he asked.

"Humboldt County, California, spruce, and it's coarse and stringy and wet and heavy and smells just like a skunk directly after using. I'm afraid Skinner's going to start you at the bottom--and skunk spruce is it.

"Humboldt County, California, spruce. It's coarse, stringy, wet, and heavy, and it smells just like a skunk right after it sprays. I'm afraid Skinner's going to start you at the bottom, and skunk spruce is it.

"Can you drive nails in it, Mr. Ricks?"

"Can you drive nails into it, Mr. Ricks?"

"Oh, yes."

"Oh, yes."

"Does anybody ever buy skunk spruce, sir?"

"Does anyone ever buy skunk spruce, sir?"

"Oh, occasionally one of our bright young men digs up a half-wit who's willing to try anything once. Otherwise, of course, we would not continue to manufacture it. Fortunately, Bill, we have very little of it, but whenever our woods boss runs across a good tree he hasn't the heart to leave it standing, and as a result, we always have enough skunk spruce on hand to keep our salesmen humble."

"Oh, once in a while, one of our bright young men finds a half-wit who's willing to try anything once. Otherwise, of course, we wouldn't keep making it. Fortunately, Bill, we don't have much of it. But whenever our woods boss comes across a good tree, he can't bring himself to leave it standing. As a result, we always have enough skunk spruce on hand to keep our salesmen humble."

"I can sell anything--at a price," Comrade Peck replied unconcernedly, and continued on his way back to the office.

"I can sell anything, at a price," Comrade Peck replied casually. He continued on his way back to the office.