Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1921-12-29

L
sailed under it too long IL hide be-
hind II when I'm in Dutch. Wen
fight. II YOU was ever nayigatln' of
hcer on u Colombian gunboat, Scraggs
you'd realize what 1t means to run
from Mexican"
Captain Scraggs said nothing fur
ther Perhaps he was little ashamed
of himself IN the face of Mr. Glib
ney's simple faith in his own ability;
F perhaps in his veins, all unknown
there flowed n faint OF the heroic
blood oe s0mc forgotten sea-dog BE
ihat as il may something did swell
ia his breast when AR Gibney spoke
of the flag and his scorning to hide
behind IL. and Scraegs' snaggle teeth
came together with snap.
"All right Glib. NY boa" lie said
solemulT I'm with you. Mrs. Scraees
has Slipped her cable and there amt
nobody Go mourn for mo. Eut II We
can't fight under The Stars and stripes,
hy the tail OF The Great Sacred Bun.
ven have q flag of our OVID and
leaving a.r. Gibney and the crew 10
get the guns on deck, Captain Scraggs
ran below. lie appeared on dock pres
entity with long blue burgec on which
was cmbIazoncd in white letters the
single word Maggie. II was his own
hous2hag. and with trembling hands
Ike ran it to the fore and east its
Wrinhled folds 20 the breeze of heaven.
GOOD old dishcloth" shricked Nj.
Gibnev. "She never comes down"
I'D if She does" said Captain
scrag-, proianely.
While an this was going on. deck
hand had reeyca a block and tackle
through the end OF the cargo gaff
and passed it 10 the winch. The two
gums came ont of the hold in iig time,
ana While Scrages and one deckhand
opened lAe after hold and got ON am
muuit.on for tile guns, Mr.. Gibney, as
sisted by the other deckhand, pro-
cccaed u put one Of the guns to-
gcaor lie was shrewd enough to
realize that hc would have Ia. do prac-
tically AN oC thc work Of serving the
gum himself. in view of which condi-
tion one gun would have TO defend
the Maggie. Iie had never seen
mountain gun before. but he did not
find ID difficult 10 put the simple me-
chanism together.
"Now, then, Scragssy." he an
uomcod cheerfuliy when the gun was
analiv assembled ON the carriage
.cot e'veaiJe timhor am snil.c !. to
.he center - Inc deck I'M RIM the
trail sua1a nm AGAINST tbot clear nm
nn.u ro.n +6o roco1 from lpttin' the
ann "a Backward clean throuch the
onres,te rain and overheard Gimme
"a connier Gallons a. disfllste nm soma
va.+e. sonesodv This cosmo,ine's
.o. "a, Comm. out -, thn fo,o ,,,, ont .,
thp lreach mechanism before we aom-
menc, shooIn'o
f,ta ,seuv hal onnrooobed v,thin
+rraa milo. bv ,ho limo tba ni.co v.os
..s,r l., ....ao r-nlar Mr. cihna,..
irafraoiiou. Canaan Scraoas hald the
, set.- in case il shmd5 he nee.
esarv 10 adjust NTH shro,mcl ,lr
,,linau inserted his siahtS and took :,
DIIINIH1rt eruinr " liffio differ
g rom aun-pointin' IN the navy but
about the anne prmciplo.o lie declared.
A. the army believe they call this
l.ind o. slootin' direct fire. because
you sicht direct an the target" lie
scratched Iis Ingenious head and OK
ammel tic ammunition. "Not n high
explosive she'll ln The lot.r he mournod
"rl havo to use percussion fire 10 get
IL iah.e. then NH drop back Il lift!c
au pray her with shrapnel. Seem,
81 pity to smash up fine schoonc.
l,c .Uat one with percussion fire. I'll
rather tickle 'em up a bit with
shurnel AM scare EN- into runnln'
uay.'
Ilo cot out tle LANYARD. slipoea a
cartridge fin the hreech. paused AM
scfatcnod his head again. His calm
aeibcraiion was driving Scparns
crazy Tie reminded Mr.. Cibnav with
some asnority that thoy wore nor ar
toi.linc strawberry festival and for
the love of heaven TO acr busv
"rn osfimofin tho romeo ro,,