The daily Alaskan., 1921-11-15

craft. Despite his "tIcket there was none SO foolish as to trust blm with one-a condition of affairs which had tended to sour a disposition not nat urauy sweet. The yearning to com mand \ steamboat gradually had de- yeloped Into an obsessiOn. Result the fast and cOmmodIOus S. s. Mag gle" as the United States marshal had had the audacity 10 advertise her.
 In the beginning, Captain Scraggs had planned to do bay and river tow ing with the Maggie. Alasl The first time the unfortunate Scraggs at- tempted to tow a heavily laden barge up river, a light fog had come down, neCessltating the frequent blowing Of the whistle. Following the sixth long blast, Mir. McGuffey had whistled Scraggs on the enGiae-rOOm bowler; swearing horribly, he had demanded to be informed why in this and that the skipper didn't leave that dod-gast- ed whistle alone. Ii was using up his steam faster than he could manufac- ture 1t. Thereafter, SCraggs had used a patent fOghOrn, and when the hon. est McGuffey had once more succeed ed In conserving sufficient steam to crawl up river, the tide had turned and the Maggie could not buck the ebb. MCGuffey declared few new tubes In the boiler would do the trick, but on the other hand. Mir. GIbney pointed out that the old craft was practically punk aft and a stiff tow would jerk the tall off the old girl. In despair. therefore Captain Scraggs had abandoned bay and river towing and was prepared to jump overheard and end all. when an opportunity of fered for the freightng Of garden truck and dairy produce from Half moon bay to San Francisco.
 But now Q difficulty arose. The new run was an "outSide" Oue-salt water all the way. Under the ruling of the inspectors. the Maggie would be run ming coastwlse the instant she en- gagged in the Creen-pea and string-bean trade. and Captain ScraEgs' license provided for no such contingency. Ills ticket entitled him to act as master on the waters of San Francisco bay and the waters tributary thereto, and although Scraggs argued that the Pa clfc ocean constituted waters "trihu- tary thereto" If he understood the English language, the inspectors were ohdurate. What If the distance was less than twenty-five miles? they nointed out. The voyage was unde- niably coastwise and carried with it all the risk of wind and wave. And In order to Impress upon Captain Scraggs the weight of their authority, the inspectors suspended for six months Captain ScraCgs' bay and river license for having dared to ne g0tlate two coastwIse voyages without consulting them. Furthermore, they warned him that the next time he did It they would condemn the fast and COmmodious Maggie.
 In this extremity. Fate had sent 10 Captain Scraggs a large, imposing, capable, but socially indifferent per son who responded 10 the name Of Adelbert ?. Glbncy. Mir GIhney had spent part Of an adventurous life in the United States navy, where he had applied himself and acquired a fair smattCring Of navigation. Prior to en- tering the navy he had been a fore mast hand in clipper ships and had held a second mates berth. Follow ing his discharge from the navy he had SufIed coastwiSe on steam schoon- CTS. and after attending a navigation school for two months. had procured a license as chief mate Of steam, any ocean and my tonra~a.