Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1921-11-24

two tunes. III III DF HI '"h w 10 b't
home without that tow"
Jump on that. Scraggsy," quoth Nc
Guffey softly and cast his silken en-
gineer's cap on the deck at Scraggs'
feet. The latters face was ashen as
he turned 10 the skipper Of the Chesa-
peake "rm through he guiped. I'll
have to cast off. Your ships drlvin'
on the beach now"
"Oh, say not so, Scraggsy," said
Mr.. Gibney softly. and with n blow
of the hammer knocked out the stop
per on the windlass and let the anchor
go down by the run. "Not this voy-
age. at least" The Chesapeake
rounded with a jerk and Mr.. Gibney
took Captain Scraggs gently by the
arm. "Into the small boat, old ruin"
he whispered. 'and TIL row you an
The Squarchead back 10 the Maggie.
IL she drifts ashore with that load
O. garden truck, you might rs well
drown yourself"
Captain Scraggs was beyond words.
He suffered himself 10 be taken back
TO the Maggie, after which kindly
action Mr.. Gibney returned 10 the
Chesapeake, climbed aboard, and with
the assistance OF McGufey. hauled
the work boat up on the deck.
snow" Mr. Gibney inquired APP
preaching the skipper OF the Chesa-
peake, "what'll you give me an Mac,
sir. TO sail Won IMP"
zone thousand dollars" the skipper
answered weakly.
you refused TO let us do 1t for a
hundred. Now It'll cost you two thous-
and, an I'm lettln' you off cheap at
that. OF course. you can take chance
an walt until word o. your predlca-
ment Sits into San Francisco an a
tug comes out for you, but In the mean
time the wind may increase an with
the tide at the food how do you know
your anchor won't drag an pile you
up on them rocks 10 leeward?'
"1'll pay two thousand, Mr.. Gibney."
Without further ado. Mr.. Gibney
went to the masters cabin, wrote out
an agreement, carried the skipper aft
and got his signature to the contract.
Then he tucked the skipper into bed
and came dashing out on deck.
"Come here till ] introduce you to
the jlb halyards," he bawled to Nc
Guffey, and they went forward.
With the aid of the winch, they
braced the foreyard; then McGuffey
q. nj IL ln Nrhn wi r
Gibnoy scuttled forward, eased up the
compressor on the windlass, and per-
mitted the anchor chain to pay out
rapidly. With the hammer, he knocked
ont the pin ut the forty-fye fathom
shackle and leaving the anchor to go
by the board, for it worried him no
longer, the bark Chesapeake moved
gently off on a west-sou west course
that would keep her three points off
the land She had sufficient head sail
on now to hold her up.
Mr.. Gibney fell upon the main to-
gallan'-sI leads like a demon, carried
them through the leading block TO the
winch head, turned over the winch and
sheeted home the main-to -gallan'-sl.
The Chesapeake gathered speed and
Mr.. Gihney went aft and stood beside
Mr. McGuffey, the while he looked
aloft and thrilled to the whine of the
breeze through the rigging. This IS
Sailorizn'," he declared. ut sure
beats bumboatin. Here blast you.
Bart. You're spillin' the wind out O.
that iib. First thing you know We'll
have her in irons an then the fat will
be in the fire"
He took the wheel from McGuffey.
When he was two miles off the beach
he brought her up into the wind and
made the wheel fast, a spoke TO lee
ward. sheet home the fore-to'gal-
lan'-sl," he howled and dashed for
ward. Lego them buntlines an
clewlines, my hearties, an haul home
that sheet"
The ship lay in the wind, shivering.
Mr.. Gibney was here, there, every
where. One minute he was dashing
along the deck with leading line, the
next he was laying out aloft. He or
dered himself to do thing and then,
with the pent-up energy Of thousand
devils, he did it. The years of degra-
dalton as navigating officer OF the Mag
gle fell away from him, as he sprang,
agile and half-naked, into the shrouds
a great, hairy demigod or sea-goblin
he lay out along the yards and sprang
from place to place with the old exul-
tant thrill of youth and JOY in his
work. A word, a gesture, from Mr.
Gibney, and McGuffey would pounce
on rope like a bulldog. With the
fore-royal SET Mr.. Gibney ran back 70
the wheel and put it hard over. There
being no after sail set the bark swung
off readily on to her course, slipping
through the water at a nice eight-knot
speed. Ten miles off the coast, Mr.
Gibney hung her up in the wind again
braced his yards with the aid of the
winch and McGuffey, came about and
headed north. At three o'clock she
cleared the lightship and wore around
TO cOme In over the bar, steering east
by south. half-south, for Point Bonita
She drew the full advantage of the
wind now and over the bar she came
ramBing full through the Gate with