Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1921-11-17
CHAPTER V.

4 week had elapsed and nothing OF
an eventful nature had trauSpircd to
disturb the routine Of life aboard The
Maggie, until bartholomew McGu'fey,
having heard certain waterfront wills
pcrs, considered il the part of pru-
dence TO lay his information before
Scraggs and Mr.. Gibney.
Look here, Scraggs." he began
hriskly. It's all fine an dandy TO
promise me- q new boiler, but when DO
] Sit III"
why, jes' as soon as We can get
tiis glut o. freight behind us Bart.
my boy You've managed with the Old
boiler his long, SO it pears to me you
might be patient an bear with it a
mite longer, Bart"
'Oh. amt tryin' 10 be disagrceable.
Scraggs, only it sort o worries me to
have to 20 along without bein' abe TO
use our whistle"
Wen fix it when business Stacks
mp" Scraggs decided with Gnality. He
glanced ut his watch. "SufTerin'
sailor" lie cried in simulated dis
4
collected n dollar o the freight money
from the last voyage. l must beat it,
When Captain Scraggs had "boaten
it," Gibney ana McGufiey exchanged
expressive elances Hes runnln out
on rs" McGuley complained.
Even so. Bart. even SO Therefore,
the thing for US 10 DO is 10 run out
on him. In other words. Wen work
month, save our money. an then. With
out word o. complaint or argument.
we'll walk out"
"Oh, amt exactly broke Glib. ]
got eighty-five dollars"
Then" quoth Gibncy decislycly.
well 90 on strike tonight Scraggsy'H
Be stuck in port a week before ne can
get another engineer an another nayi-
gatln' officer. me an you bein the
only two natural-born fools i'm San
Francisco an ports adjacent. an be-
fore three days have passed he'll be
huntin' rs up TO compromise
Il don't want no compromise. What
want is new boiler"
you'll Kit it. Wen make him order
the paint an the boiler an pay for
both in advance before Wen agree To
20 back TO work"
The engineer nodded his approval
and after sealing their pact with
hearty handshake. they turned 10 and
commenced discharging the Maggie.
When Captain Scraggs returned to
cItA liz
o'clock, TO his great amazomcnt. he
discovered Mr. Chimney and McGuffcy
dressed in their other its-includinc
colluloid collars and cuffs.
"The cargo's out, Scraggsy, my son,
The decks has been washed down an
everything in my department is ship
shape" Thus Mr.. Gibney.
Likewise in mine McGuircy
added.
Consequently" Mr.. Gibney con
cluded, we're quittin' the Maggie an
IL it's all the same TO you Wen have
our time"
MY dear Glib. Why, wbatevers
come over you two boys?"
STOW your chatter, ScraggS. Shell
out the cash. You've fooled ne once
i'm the matter O. that new boiler an
the palntin', an we're not goin' to
give YOU "A second chance. Come
fhrough--or take the consequences.
Wen sail no more with liar an
fraud"
"Them's hard words, Mr.. Gibney'
THE truth is alters bitter McGuf-
fey .oplned.
Captain Scraggs paused To consider
the serious predicament which con
fronted him. 1t was Saturday night.
lie knew Mr.. McGuffey 10 be the pos
SCISSOR of more money than usual and
IL he could assure himself that this
reserve should be dissipated before
Monday morning he was aware, from
experience. that the strike woAd be
broken By Tuesday at the latest. Ana
he could afford that delay. lie re-
solved. therefore. on diplomacy.
We'll I'm sorry" he answered with
every appearance Of contrltion. You
fellers got me in the nine-hole an