Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1921-10-20

WIZ
who figured with the stub Ut a pencil
on the pilot house wnii. wngged bis
head. and appeared satisfied Better
go ford" he ordered. "an' help The
Squarehead on the lookout. AT eight
O'clock we ought to be right under the
lee O. Point San Pedro; when whistle
we ought to catch the echo thrown
back by the cliff. Listen for it,
Promptly at eight o'clock Mr.. Nc
Guffey was Mortified to see his steam
gauge drop half pound az the Mag
gie's siren sounded. Mr.. Gibney stuck
his ingenious head out Of the pilot
house and listened, hut no answering
echo reached his ears. "Hear any
thing?" he bawled.
Heard the Maggie's SIREN" Captain
Scraggs retorted venomously.
Mr.. Gibney leaped ont on deck, Sc
lected small head Of cabbage from a
broken crate and hurled II forward.
Then he sprang hack into the pilot
house and Strengthened the Maggie on
her course again. He leaned over the
pinnacle. with the cuff of his watch
coat wiping away the moisture on the
glass, and studied the instrument care
fully. II don't trust the DANCED thing"
he muttered "Guess I'll haul her of
a coupler points an try the whistle
again." i
He did. Still no echo He was In
clincd to believe that Captain Scraggs
had not read the taffrail log correctly,
and when at eight-thirty he tried the
whistle again he was still without re-
suits IN the way of an echo from the
cliff, albeit the engine room bowler
brought him several If a nrofsise char
acter from the perspiring McGuffey.
"We've passed Pedro" Mr.. Gibney
decided. He ground his cud and NUT
tered ugly things to himself. for his
dead reckoning had gone astray and
he was worried. The fog. II anything.
was thicker than ever.
Time passed. Suddenly Mr.. Gibney.
thrilled electrically to shrill zip from
Captain Scraggs.
whats thatY' Mr.. Gibney hnwied.
II dunno. Sounds like the surf.
Glib"
Saint you been on this run long
enough to know that the surf dent
sound like nothin' else in life but
breakers2" Gibney retorted wrathfuiIy.-
Il amt certain. Glib"
Instantly Chimney signaled McGuffey
for half. speed ahead.
aBreakers on the starboard bow"
yelled Captain Scraggs.
.'Port bow" The Squarehead cor
rected him.
"Oh, my great patiencel" Mr.. Glib
lney gruaned. They're on both bows
Ian we're headed straight for the
beach. Here's where we all 60 to the
devil together" and he yanked wildly
| iii the signal wire that led to the
engine room. with the Intention of
giving McGuffey four bells the signal
aboard the Maggie for full speed
asfern. AT the second jerk the wire
broke. but not until two bells had
sounded In the engine r0om--the signal
for full speed ahead. The efficient
McGuffey promptly kicked her wide
open, and the Fates decreed that.
having done so. Mr.. McGuffey should
| forthwith climb the ladder and thrust
his head out on deck for breath Of
fresh air. Instantly chofIs. &C,
shrieks up ON the fo'castle head at
| tracted his attention to such degree
| that he failed to hear the engine room
howler as Mr.. Gibney blew frantlcoliy
lintc IT,
Presently, out ~of the hnhbuh for
ward. Mr.. McGnffey heard Captain
Scraggs wall frantically: Stop herl
For the love of heaven. stop ner!" In
stantly the engineer dropped back into
| the engine room md set the Maggie
full speed astern; then he grasped the
bowler and held 1t to his ear.
STOP herr he hehrd Gibney shrek.
why in hlazes don't you stop herr"
"She's set astern, Glib. She'll ease
| up In minute"
"You know itin Gibney answered
Significantly.
The Maggie climbed laZily TO the
crest Of long oily roller. slid reck-
iessly down the other side. and took
the following sea- over her taffiail.
She still had some head on, hut very
little-not quite sufficient to give her
decent steerage way. as Mr.. Chimney
discovered when. having at length CON-
municated his desires TO McGuffey.
he spun the wheel frantlcaIiy In be-
lated effort to swing the Maggie's dirty
nose ont to sea.
Nothing doin'," he snarled. "She1l
have TIC come to complete stop before
she begins to walk backward and get
| Sfanrnnc ,t,A. fr, min Shall hfinn