, 1921-12-17
CHAPTER XIII.

NNhfh
Neils Halvorsen often wondered
what had become Of the Maggie and
Captain Scrnggs. Mr.. Gibney and Bar
tholomow McGuffey he knew had
turned their eun-tanned faces toward
deep water some years before Captain
Scrnggs and the Maggie disappeared
from the environs of San Francisco
bay, and Neils Halvorsen was wise
enough to waste no time wondering
what had become OF them. These two
WORTHLESS might be anywhere, and
every conceivable thing under the sun
might have happened to them; hence,
In his idle moments. Neus Halvorsen
did not disturb his gray matter spec
ulating on their whereabouts and their
then condition OF seryitude.
But h continued absence Of Cap
tain Scrnggs from his old haunts ere
nted quite a little gossip along the
waterfront. and in the course OF time
rumors Of his demise by sundry and
devious routes came to the ears of
Neils Haivorsen.
Hence The S~quarehead- was puz-
zled. In fact. to such an extent was
Neiis puzzled, that one perfectly calm.
clear night. while beating down San
Pablo bay in his bay scow. the Willie
and Annie, he so far forgot hlmself
and his own affairs as to concentrate
all his attention on the problem OF the
ultimate finish OF Captain Scraggs.
So ~engrossed was Neils in this vain
speculation hat he neglected to OBJ
serve toward the rules of the ocean
highways that nicely Of attention
which is highly requisite, even In the
skipper OF a bay scow. If the fulsome
title OF captain is TO be retained for
any definite period. As a result, Neiis
became confused regarding the exact
number Of blasts from the siren OF q
river tenmer desiring to pass him to
port. Consequently the wnnIe and
Annie received such a severe butting
from the river steamer in question as
to cause her to cnreen and fill. Being,
unfortunately, loaded with gravel on
this particular trip. she subsidized In
~continently to the bottom of San Pablo
bay. while Neils inc his crew of two
men sought refuge on a plank.
Without attempting to go further
into the details of the misfortunes of
Neiis Hnivorsen. be 1t known that the
destruction of the Willie and Annie
proved to be such a sevsre shock to
Neils' reputation as 4 safe and sane
bay scow skipper that he was ulti-
mately forced to seek other and more
virgin fields With the fragments Of
his meager fortune, the ambitious
Swede purchased a course in a local
nautical school from which he duly
managed to emerge with sufficient
courage to appear before the United
States local inspectors Of hulls and
boilers and take his examination for
a second mates certificate. To his I'M
utterable surprise the license was
granted; w~hereupon he shipped rs
Qunrtermaster or the steamer Ala
media, running to Honolulu. and what
with the lesson taught him In the loss
OF tho Willie and Annie and the ex-
acting duties Of his ONCE aboard the
liner, he forgot that he had Ever
known Captain Scraggs.
Judge of Nells Halvorsen's surprise.
therefore. upon the occasion Of his
first trip to Honolulu. when he saw
something which brought the whole
matter back to mind. They were
standing In toward Diamond head and
the Alameda lay hove to taking on the
pilot. 1t was early morning and the
purple mists hung over the entrance
to the harbor. Neiis Halvorsen stood
at the gangway enjoying the sunrise
over the Punch-bowl. and glnncing
~longingiy toward the vivid green OF
the hills beyond the city. when he was
aware Of a "put." 'put," put" to
starboard OF the Alameda. Neils
turned at the sound Just In time to
see a beautiful gasoline schooner OF
about a hundred and thirty tons head
ing in toward the bay. She was so
close that Neils IVES enabled to make
out thst her name was Maggie II.
"yell, aye be dam" muttered Neils.
and scratched his head, for the name
revived old memories. An hour later.
when the Alameda ioafed into her
berth at Brewers dock. Neils noticed
that the schooner lay at anchor of the
o~uarantira ztaAaa.