Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1921-11-03

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He closed the book with sigh ant
placed It back on the shelf, Just a.
the door opened TO admit no- less
parsonage than Bartholomew McGnf
fey, late chief engineer, first assist
ant, second assistant, third assistant
wiper, oiler. water-tender and stokel
Of the S. s.. Maggie. With brief nod
to Jack Flaherty Mr.. McGuffey ap,
preached Dan Hicks.
Il been lookin' for you, captain" he
4 announced. Say. hear the chief o.
the Aphrodite's goin' TO take d three
months layoff to get shet of his rheu-
matism. Is that straight?''
Il believe 1t is. McGuffey."
swell, say, I'd like tQhave chance
to substitoot for him. on know my
capabilities, Hicks. an if 1t would be
agreeable to you to have me for your
chief your recommendation would &c
long way toward landn' me the Job.
| I'd sure make chem engines behave"
what vessel have you been ON late
ly?" Hicks demanded cautiously. for
he knew Mr.. McGuffey's reputation for
non-reliability around pay day.
Il been with that freshwater scaven-
ger, Scraggs, In the Maggie for most
a year."
Did you quit or did Scraggs fire
your
HE fired me-" McGuffey replied
honestly. IF he hadn't I'd have quit,
so it's toss-up. Comm in from
Halfmoon bay last night we got in the
fog an piled up on the beach j,a
below the Cliff house"
"This is interesting" Jack Flaherty
murmured. "You say she walked
ashore on You, McGuffey? Well, ri
be shot -
"She did. Scraggs blamed 1t on me,
Flaherty. He said didn't obey the
signals from the bridge, one word led |!
to another, an he went dancin' mad |
an ordered me off his ship. Well, it's |
his ship-or 1t was his ship, for TN |
bet a dollar she's ground to powder
by now-so all could do was obey.
/ hoped overheard an waded ashore.
| suppose all my clothes an things Is
gone by now. left everything aboard
an had to borrow this outfit from
Scab Johnny" He grinned patheticaI-
~. so guess you understand, Cap
tain Hicks, just how bad I need that
job ! spoke about minute ago"
"I'll think it over, Mac, an let you
know" Hicks replied .evasively.
Mr.. McGuffey. sensing his defeat.
retired forthwith to hide his embar-
rassment and distress; as the door
closed behind him, Hicks and Flaherty
faced each other. Il
Jack" quoth Dan Hicks, "can two
towboat men, holdin' down two hun
dred-dollar jobs an presumed to have
been out o. their swaddIin' clothes for
at least thirty years, afford to be
laughed off tile San Francisco water
front?
Il know one of them that can't, ,
Dan. AT the same time, can rat like :
Phineas 7. Scraggs and beachcomb-
er like his mate Gibney make pair
OF star-spangled monkeys out Of said
two towboat men and get away with
IT."
They did that last night. Still, I've
known monkeys that would fight an
was human enough to settle grudge.
Follow me, Jack"
Together they repaired to Jackson
street bufkhead Sure enough. there
ay the Maggie, rubbing her blistered
sides against the bulkhead. Captain
Scraggs was nowhere in sight, but Mr..
ilbney was at the winch, swinging
ashore the crates of vegetables which
The Squarehead and three Iongshore-
men loaded into the cargo net.
Were outnumbered," Jack FIaherty
whispered. Lets wait until she's I'M
loaded an Gibney an Scraggs are
aboard alone"
They retired without having at
tracted the attention Of Mr.. Gibney.
Promptly ut twelve o'clock the long
shoremen knocked off work for the
lunch hour and Neils HaIyorsen
drifted across the street to cool his
parched throat with steam beer.
While waiting for Scraggs to come nm
out OF the engine room, and take him
to luncheon. Mr.. Gibney sauntered ar
and was standing gazing refiectivelv
upon spot on the Maggie's stern
where the hawsers had chafed away
the paint, when suddenly hts fore
Dodings OF evil returned to him thou.
sand fold stronger than they had been
since Scraggs' return to the little shin
he glanced up and beheld gazing
down upon him Captains Jack Fla.
herty and Daniel Hicks. Battle was
imminent and the valiant Gihnev