, 1921-10-22
CHATTER !.

They had seen the fog rolling down
the coast shortly after the Maggie
had rounded Pillar Point at sunset and
readed north. Captain Scrnggs Ind
been steamboating too many unproft-
able years on San Francisco bay, the
Su'sun and San Pablo sloughs and
doghoies and the Sacramento river to
be deceived rs to the character of
that fog. n he remarked as much to
Mr.. Gibney. lived better turn back
to Halfmoon bay and tie up at the
dock" he added.
Calamity howleri" retorted Mr..
Gibney and gave the wheel a spoke or
two. "scrnggsy. you're enough TO
.anke a real sailor sick at the
stomach"
but ! tell you she's a 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 twcnty-min.
ute run-and all along OF a blasted
tuIe fog"
~ don't doubt your word a mite.
Scraggsy. l never did see a ferry-boat
skipper that knew shucks abo1t
saiiorizing," the imperturbable GIbney
responded. Me. I'll smell my why
home in any tulc fog"
Maybe you can an maybe you
can't. Glib. although far be 1. from me
to question your ability. I'll take II
for granted. Nevertheless. I amt
a-goin' to run the risk o. you havin'
cntarrh o. the hose an confusin' your
smells tonight You mint got nothin'
ut stake but your job. whereas II ]
lose the Maggie I lose my hull for
tune. Bring her nhout. Glib. an let's
hustle back"
Don't be an old woman" Mr.. Glib
ney pleaded. "Scraggs. you. Just amt
got enough works inside you to fill a
wrist watch"
II amt a-goln' TO poke around in
the dark nm n tule fog. feelin' for
the Golden gate" Captain Scraggs
shrfIled peevishiy..
Ills bells an panther tracks,
I've got my old courses. an II / foiier
them we can't help gettin' home"
Captain Scraggs laid his hand on
Mr.. Gibney's great arm and tried, to
smile paternally. "Gib, my lear boy"
he pleaded, control yourself. Don't
argue with me. Glib. I'm master here
an you're mate. Do 1 make myself
clearT"
You do. ~scrnggsy. But II won't
avail you nothin'. You're only master
becuz Of a gentleman's agreement be-
tween Us two, an because I'm man
enough to fgger there's certain rights
due You as owner o. the Maggie. But
don't you forget that accordin' to the
records o. the inspectors office. I'm
master Of the Maggie. an the way ]
fgger II. whenever there's any call to
show a little real -seamanship, that
gentleman's agreement don't stand"
But this amt one O. them times,
Glib"
You're whistlin' It is. II we run
from this here fog. It's skirs to bat
tleships we don't get into San Fran
cisco bay an discharged before six
o'clock tomorrow night. By the time
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 IN
havin' to argue an scrap with you TO
git it-not to speak O. has,n' to put to
sea the same night SOS to be back IN
Halfmoon bay to load bright an early
next mornin'. Scraggsy, l amt no
night bird on this run"
do you near to defy me, Gib?-
Captain Scraggs' little green eyes
cleaned balefully. Mr.. Gibney looked
down upo him with tolerance, as n
Great Dane gazes upon a fox terrier.
II certainly do, Scrnggsy. old pepper
pot" he replied calmly. "what're you
goin' to do about it?- The ghost OF a
smile lighted his jovial c~ountenance.
"Nothin-now. I'm helpless" Cap
tain scrasgs answered with deadly
calm. but the minute we hit the
dock you an me parts company"
II don't know whetherswe VIII or
not Scraggsy. I amt heeled right
financially to hit the beach on such
short notice.
"rll get the police to remove you,
you bllstsred pirate" Scraggs
screamed. now quite beside himself.
"Yes7 Well. the minute they let 20
O. me I'll come back TO the S. s. Mag
gle and tear her apart Just to see
what makes her co." He leaned out
the ~r,Iot-house window and shifted.
"Tule fog, all right. Scraggs. Still.
that amt no reason why the ships
company should fast, is lit Quit bick-
eril' with me. little one. an see II you
can't wrastle up some ham a n eggs.
! wan my eggs sunny side up"
Sensing the futility of further argu-
ment. Captain scraggs sought solace
In a stream of ~adjectivai opprobrium,
plainly mea for Afr. Gibney but de-