The Go-Getter

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The Go-Getter

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Title: The Go-Getter
Author: Peter B. Kyne
Release Date: May 4, 2004 [EBook #12257]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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The Go-Getter
A Story That Tells You How to be One
By Peter B. Kyne
* * * * *
DEDICATION
THIS LITTLE BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF MY DEAD CHIEF,
BRIGADIER-GENERAL LEROY S. LYON, SOMETIME COMMANDER OF THE
65TH FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE, 40TH DIVISION, UNITED STATES ARMY.
HE PRACTICED AND PREACHED A RELIGION OF LOYALTY TO THE

COUNTRY AND THE APPOINTED TASK, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
* * * * *
I
Mr. Alden P. Ricks, known in Pacific Coast wholesale lumber and shipping circles as
Cappy Ricks, had more troubles than a hen with ducklings. He remarked as much to Mr.
Skinner, president and general manager of the Ricks Logging & Lumbering Company,
the corporate entity which represented Cappy's vast lumber interests; and he fairly barked
the information at Captain Matt Peasley, his son-in-law and also president and manager
of the Blue Star Navigation Company, another corporate entity which represented the
Ricks interest in the American mercantile marine.
Mr. Skinner received this information in silence. He was not related to Cappy Ricks. But
Matt Peasley sat down, crossed his legs and matched glares with his mercurial
father-in-law.
"You have troubles!" he jeered, with emphasis on the pronoun. "Have you got a misery in
your back, or is Herbert Hoover the wrong man for Secretary of Commerce?"
"Stow your sarcasm, young feller," Cappy shrilled. "You know dad-blamed well it isn't a
question of health or politics. It's the fact that in my old age I find myself totally
surrounded by the choicest aggregation of mental duds since Ajax defied the lightning."
"Meaning whom?"
"You and Skinner."
"Why, what have we done?"
"You argued me into taking on the management of twenty-five of those infernal Shipping
Board freighters, and no sooner do we have them allocated to us than a near panic hits the
country, freight rates go to glory, marine engineers go on strike and every infernal young
whelp we send out to take charge of one of our offices in the Orient promptly gets the
swelled head and thinks he's divinely ordained to drink up all the synthetic Scotch
whiskey manufactured in Japan for the benefit of thirsty Americans. In my old age you
two have forced us into the position of having to fire folks by cable. Why? Because we're
breaking into a game that can't be played on the home grounds. A lot of our business is so
far away we can't control it."
Matt Peasley leveled an accusing finger at Cappy Ricks. "We never argued you into
taking over the management of those Shipping Board boats. We argued me into it. I'm the
goat. You have nothing to do with it. You retired ten years ago. All the troubles in the
marine end of this shop belong on my capable shoulders, old settler."
"Theoretically--yes. Actually--no. I hope you do not expect me to abandon mental as well
as physical effort. Great Wampus Cats! Am I to be denied a sentimental interest in

matters where I have a controlling financial interest? I admit you two boys are running
my affairs and ordinarily you run them rather well, but--but--ahem! Harumph-h-h!
What's the matter with you, Matt? And you, also, Skinner? If Matt makes a mistake, it's
your job to remind him of it before the results manifest themselves, is it not? And vice
versa. Have you two boobs lost your ability to judge men or did you ever have such
ability?"
"You're referring to Henderson, of the Shanghai office, I dare say," Mr. Skinner cut in.
"I am, Skinner. And I'm here to remind you that if we'd stuck to our own game, which is
coast-wise shipping, and had left the trans-Pacific field with its general cargoes to others,
we wouldn't have any Shanghai office at this moment and we would not be pestered by
the Hendersons of this world."
"He's the best lumber salesman we've ever had," Mr. Skinner defended. "I had every hope
that he would send us orders for many a cargo for Asiatic delivery."
"And he had gone through every job in this office, from office boy to