The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-12-29
CHAPTER I.

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They had seen the fog rolling down
the coast shortly after the Maggie
had rounded Pillar Point at sunset and
readed north. Captain Scraggs had
been steamboating too many unprofit-
able years on San Francisco bay, the
Sufsun and San Pablo sloughs and
dogholes and the Sacramento river to
be deceived as to the character of
that fog, and he remarked as much to
Mr., Gibney. "We'd better turn back
to Halfmoon bay and tie up at the
dock" he added.
Calamity howleri" retorted Mr..
Glbney and gave the wheel a spoke or
two. "Scraggsy, you're enough to
make real sailor sick at the
stomach"
But tell you she's tule fog. Glib.
She rises up In the marshes OF the
Sacramento and San Joaquin, drifts
down to the bay and out the Golden
gate and just naturally blocks the
wheels OF commerce while she lasts.
Why, I've known the ferry boats be-
tween San Francisco and Oakland to
get lost for hours on their twenty-mIn-
ute run-and all along OF blasted
tule fog"
81 don't doubt your word a mite.
Scraggsy. ! never did see ferry-boat
skipper that knew shucks about
saiIorzing," the imperturbable Glbney
responded. "Me, I'll smell my way
home IN any tule fog"
Maybe you can an maybe you
can't. Glib, although far be Il from me
to question your ability. I'll take II
for granted. Nevertheless, amt
n-goin' to run the risk o. you havin'
catarrh o. the nose an confnsin' your
smells tonight. You aln't got nothin'
at stake but your job. whereas II
lose the Maggie | lose my hull for
tune. Bring her about, Glib, an let's
hustle back"
Don't he an old woman" Mr.. Glib
ney pleaded "Scraggs. you just amt
got enough works inside you TO Ill
wrist watch"
81 amt a-goln' TO poke around In
the dark an a tule fog. feelin' for
the Golden gate" Captain Scraggs
shrilled peevlshly.
"H-l's bells an panther tracks
I've got my old courses, an n ! foler
them we can't help gettln home"
Captain Scraggs laid his hGnd on
Mr.. Glbney's great arm and tried to
smile paternally. "Glb, my dear boy"
he pleaded. control yourself, Don't
an you're mate. Do I make myself
clear?"
"You do. Scraggsy. But II won't
avail you nothin'. You're only master
becuz OF gentleman's agreement he
tween us. two, an because I'm man
enough to figger there's certain rights
due you as owner o. the Maggie. But
don't you forget that accordn' TO the
records o. the inspectors office, I'm
master OF the Maggie. an the way
fgger It. whenever there's any call to
show n little real seamanship. that
gentleman's agreement don't stand"
"But' this ain't one o. them times.
Glib"
You're whistlln' II Is. If we run
from this here fog. It's sklfrs to bat
tleships we don't get into San Fran
cisco bay an discharged before six
o'clock tomorrow night. BY the tlIre
we've taken on coal an water an
what-all. It'll be eight or nine o'clock,
with me an McGuffey entitled to
mebbe three dollars overtime an
havin' TO argue an scrap with you to
git it--not to speak o. havin' 10 put to
sea the same night SOS to he back In
Halfmoon bay to load bright an early
next mornin'. Scraggsy, amt no
night bird on this run
do you mean TO defy me, Gib7"
Captain Scraggs' little green eyes
cleaned balefully. Mr.. GIbney looked
down upon him with tolerance, as Il
Great Dane gazes upon fox terrier.
81 certainly do, Scraggsy, old pepper
pot" he replied calmly. "What're you
goin'. 10 do about It?" The ghost OF n
smile lighted his jovla countenance.
"Nothln'-now. I'm helpless" Cap
tain Scraggs answered with deadly
calm. "But the minute we hit the
dock you an me parts company"
II don't know whether we will or
not Scraggsy. l amt heeled right
financially to hit the beach on such
short notice"
"Ill get the police to remove you,
you bllstered pirate" Scraggs
screamed, nov quite beside himself.
"Yes? Well, the minute they let go
o. me I'll come back 10 the S. S. Mag
gle and tear her apart just to see
what makes her co." He leaned out
the pilot-house window and shifted.
"Tule fog, all right, Scraggs. Stll.
that aln't no reason why the ships
company should fast, Is II? Quit bick-
erin with me, little one, an see II you
can't wrasrle up some ham an eggs.
-. .r..... s..as cid IN.