The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1921-12-16

NAey ouo 10 promise steam IN
forty minutes; also that the Maggie
was hove to cable length distant,
with her crew digging under the deck
load Of vegetables for the small boat
Help yourself to a belayin' pin, Bart,
an knock 'em on the heads II they
try to come aboard" Mr.. Gibney or
dered nonchalantly.
do understand there is a steamer
at hand. Mr.. Gibneyf" the master Of
the Chesapeake queried.
There's an excuse for one, sir. The
little vegetable freighter Maggie. She'll
never be able to tow you In, because
she amt got power enough, an II
she had power enough she amt got
coal enough. Besides. Scraggs, her
owner, Is a rotten bad article an be-
fore he'll put rope aboard you he'll
tie you up on q contract for a figger
thatd make an angel weep. The way
your ship lies an everything, me an
McGuffey can sail her In for you at
half the price"
Il can't risk my ship In the hands
OF two men," the sick captain an
swered. "She's too valuable and SO Is
her cargo. If this little steamer will
tow me in I'll gladly give her my tow
line and let the court settle the BILL"
Not by a million" Mr.. Gibney pro-
tested. beg pardon, sir, but you don't
know this here Scraggs like / do.
couldn't think Of lettin' him set foot
on this deck"
you couldn't think Of it7 Well,
when did you take command Of my
ship"
You're fotsam an jetsam, sir, an
practically in the breakers. You're
sick. an, for all I know. delirious, so
for the sake O. protectin' you, the
sick seaman In the focastle an the
owners, I'm takin' command"
The master Of the Chesapeake
reached under his pillow and produced
pistol. "Out of my cabin or I'll riddle
you.' he barked feebly.
Mr.. Gibney departed without word
Of protest and proceeded to make his
arrangements, regardless of the mas
ter's consent. AS he and McGuffey
busied themselves, laying the leading
blocks along the deck. they glanced
toward the Maggie and observed Cap
tain Scraggs hurting crates Of vege-
tables overheard In an effort to get at
the small boat quickly. Hell die
when the freight claims come in" Mr..
McGufrey chortled. Poor OIL Scrag-
gsy"
When Captain Scraggs came aboard,
Mr.. Gibney escorted him around to the
masters cabin, introduced him, and
stood by while they bargained. 1.-THE
tow will cost you five thousand, Cap
tain," Scraggs began pompously.
me an McGuffeyll sail you In for
four" Gibney declared.
"Three thousand" snarled Scraggs.
"Sailin's cheap as dirt at two thous-
and. AS matter Of fact, Scraggsy,
me an Mac'll sail her in for nothin'
just to skin you out O. the salvage"
1.-Two thousand dollars is my lowest
figure" Scraggs declared. Take 1t
or leave it, Captain. Under the cir
cumstances, bargaining Is useless. Two
thousand is my last bid"
The figure Scraggs named was prob
ably one fifth Of what the master of
the Chesapeake knew a court would
award; nevertheless he shook his head
Its a straight towing Job, Captain
and not a salvage proposition at all
A tug would tow me in for two hun,
dred and fifty, but I'll give you Ave
hundred"
Remembering the vegetables he had
jettisoned, Scraggs knew he could not
afford to accept that price. I'm
through" he bluffed-and his bluff
worked.
Taken, Captain Scraggs. Write out
an agreement and I'll sign it."
With the agreement in his pocket
Scraggs, followed by Gibney, left the
cabin. Zone hundred each to you an
Mac If you'll stay aboard the Chesa.
peake, steer her, an help the Maggie
out with what sail you can get or
her." Scraggs promised.
Take long, runnin' jump at your.
self, Scraggsy, old sorrowful. The best
me an Mac'll do is to help you cock.
bill the anchor, an that'll cost you
ten bucks for each Of us-in advance V
The artful fellow realized that Scraggs
knew nothing whatever about sailing
ship and would have to depend upon
The Squarehead for the information
he required.
"All right. Here's your money
Scraggs replied and handed Mr.. Glib
ney twenty dollars. He and Neils
Halvorsen then went forward. got GU,
the steel towing cable, and fastened q
light rope to the end Of it. The skif
floated off the ship at the end of the
painter, SO The Squarehead hauled II
In, climbed down into the skiff, and
made the light rope fast to thwart
then, with Captain Scraggs paying ou'
the hawser, Neils bent manfully to the
oars and started to tow the steel cable
back to the Maggie. Half way there
the weight Of the cable dragging be
hind slowed The SQuarehead up ant
eventually stopped him. Exertlng al
his strength he pulled and pulled, bu
10 Al 80 l. t. A