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he couldn't hear. He'd start screaming in Harry Maule's ear and Harry would try to quiet him down. I still remember that we used to fall on the floor laughing at McFee and Harry Maule. What a combination this was. He was a nice man--McFee--an old sea captain. Unfortunately he drifted off and lost his popularity, but he did write three fine books: Casuals of the Sea, Captain Macedoine's Daughter, and Command. I think they're as good as Conrad's Sea Tales.

Was Mr. Maule broken at all by what had happened at Doubleday?

When he came to us and all his authors followed him, Harry was in the highest flower of his career. Now he knew what a power he was. They wanted Harry Maule. He was the most painstaking editor in the world.

Of course, we kept every one of them, except Sheehan, who later on drifted off. We turned down a couple of his books. I think that Vincent Sheehan lost some of his marbles. He had done Personal History before he came to us, but we published a couple of great sellers of his thatwere Book-of-the-Month choices.

A few years ago, “Ted” Maule, Harry's wife, came in and said that she knew he was worrying because he was gradually losing his energy. I said that Harry Maule would stay with us at his full salary until the day that he retired. “Nothing will ever be done to Harry Maule. I promise you