The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-12-30

cold. Git out. Two can play at q
dirty game an every dog must have
his day. This is my day, Glib. Scat"
Personally" McGuffey announced
quietly, II prefer to die aboard the
Maggie, if I have to. This amt NOV
in day with B. McGuffey. Esquire"
'Them's my sentiments. too,
Scraggsy."
Then defend yourselves. Come on,
these muckers overheard" The
Squarehead hung back, having no in
tention of waging war upon his late
comrades. but the engineer and the
new navigating officer stepped briskly
forward, for they were about to fight
for their jobs. Mr.. Gibney halted the
advance by lifting both great hands
in deprecatory manner.
"For heavens sake, Scraggsy, have
a heart. Don't force US to murder
you. If we're peaceable, what's to
prevent you from givin' US passage
back to San Francisco, where we're
known an where wen have at least
| a fightin' chance to git somethin' to
eat occasionally"
you know mighty well what's to
prevent me, Glib. l amt got no pas
senger license, an I'll be keel-hauled
an skull-dragged If / fall for your
cute little game, my son. / amt layin'
myself liable to fine from the inspec-
tors an maybe have my ticket book
| took away to boot"
Enough of this gab," Mr.. Gibney
roared. MY patience is exhausted.
I'm dog-tired an I'm goin' to have
peace if have to fight for it. Me an
Bart stays aboard the steamer Maggie
until she gets back to Frisco town or
! until we're hove overheard in the in
term by the weight of numbers. An
if any man, or set o. male bipeds that
! calls themselves men, is so foolish as
to try to evict US from this packet,
then all / got to say is that they're
trifiin' with death. got my arms left,
even if my feet is on the fritz,
Scraggs," he continued, SAN if you
start anything I'll hug you an your
crew to death. I'm a rip-roarin' griz-
Fly bear once I'm started an there's
such a thing as drivin' a man to des-
peration."
The bluff worked! Captain Scraggs
turned to his retainers and with a
condescending and paternal smile,
said: Boys, let's give the dumb
fools their own way. If they insist
upon takin' forcible possession o. my
ship on the high seas, there's only one
name for the crime-an' that's piracy,
punishable by hangin' from the yard
arm Wen just let 'em stay aboard
an turn 'em over to the police when
we git back to the city"
He started for his cabin and the
crew, vastly relieved, followed him.
The pirates once more sat down and
permitted their hot feet to loll over
board.
About ten o'clock next morning the
little vessel completed taking on her
cargo, the lines were cast off, and the
homeward voyage was begun. Messrs
Gibney and McGuffey were seated on
the stern bits as the Maggie came
abreast the Point Montara fog signal
station, when Mr.. Gibney observed a
long telescope poking out the side win
dow of the pilot house, and following
the direction in which the telescope
was pointing he made out large bark
standing in dangerously close to the
beach. In fact, the breakers were tum-
bling in a long white streak over the
reefs less than quarter of a mile
from her.
In an instant all was excitement
aboard the Maggie. "That looks like
an elegant little pickup. She's plumb
deserted" Scraggs shouted to his nayi-
eating officer. 81 don't see any distress
signals flynn an yet she's got an
anchor out while her canvas is hangin'
$685."
IF she had any hands aboard, you'd
think they'd have sense enough to
clew up her courses" the mate an
swered.
AT this juncture, Mr.. Gibney and
McGuffey, unable to restrain their GU
riosity, and forgetful of the fact that
they were pirates with very sore feet,