Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1921-10-14
CHAPTER l.

They had seen the fog rolling down
the coast shortly after the Maggie
mad rounded Pillar Point at sunset and
readed north. Captain Scraggs had
been steamhoating too many unproht-
able years on San Francisco bay, the
Sulsun and San Pablo sloughs and
dogholes and the Sacramento river to
be deceived as TO the character of
that fog. and he remarked ms much to
MIR, Gihney. "We'd better turn back
to Ha!fmoon bay and tie up at the
dock" he added,
calamity howlerw retortcd Mr..
Gibney and gave the wheel a spoke or
two "Scraggsy you're enough to
make a real sailor sick at the
stomach"
''But | tell you she's tule fog, Glib
She rises mp in the marshes Of the
Sacramento and San joaquin, drifts
down to the hay and out the Golden
gate and just naturally blocks the
wheels Of commerce while she lasts
Why, I've known the ferry boats he
tween San Francisco and Oakland to
get lost for hours on their twenty-min-
ute run-and all along of a blasted
tule fog"
81 don't doubt your word mite,
Scraggsy ! never did see ferry-boat
skipper that knew shucks about
salorizing," the lmperturbahle Gibney
responded, "Me, I'll smell my way
home in any tule fog"
"Mayhe yeu can an maybe you
can't. 9Th, although far be It from me
to question your ability, I'll take 1t
for granted Nevertheless, ! amt
a-go'n' to run the risk o. you havin'
catarrh O. the nose an cOnfusin your
smells tonight. You amt got nothin
at stake hut your Job, whereas If
lose the Maggie lose my hull for
tune Bring her about, Glib, an let's
hustle back"
Don't he an old woman" Mr. Glib
ney pleaded "Scraggs, You Just amt
got enough works inside you to fill a
wrist watch"
81 amt a-goin' TO poke around in
the dark an tule fog, feelin' for
the Golden gate" Captain Scraggs
shrilled peevishly.
"H-rs bells an panther tracks !
I've got my old courses, an If | fOller
them we can't help gettln' home
Captain Scraggs laid his hand on
Mr. Gibneys great arm and tried to
smile pHternally. Glib, my dear boy"
he pleaded, control Yourself Don't
argue with me, Glib. Pm master here
an you're mate. Do make myself
clear?"
you do, Scraggsy. But It won't
avail You nothin' You're only master
becuz of a gentlemans agreement he
tween us two, an because I'm man
enough 10 figger there's certain rights
due you as owner O the Maggie. But
don't YOU forget that accordln' to the
records o the inspectors office. I'm
master of the Maggie an the way
figger It, whenever there's any call to
show little real seamanShip, that
gentleman's agreement don't stand
"But this amt one O them times,
Glib"
you're whstlin' it is. If 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 tirae
we've taken on coal an water an
what-all, it'll be eight or nine O'Clock,
with me an McGuffey entitled to
mebhe three dollars overtime an
havln' to argue an scrap with You to
git it-not to speak O. havn' to put 10
sea the same night SOS to be back in
HalfnOon bay to load bright an early
next mornn'. Scraggsy | amt nc
night bird on this run
"Do you mean to defy me, CHIP
Captain Scraggs' little green eyes
cleaned balefully Mr.. Gihney looked
down upon him with tolerance, as a
Great Dane gazes upon fox terrier
81 certainly do, Scraggsy, old pepper
pot" he replied calmly. "What're you
goin' to do about III" The ghost Of Il
smile lighted his jovial countenance.
"Nothin-now. I'm helpless Cap
tain Scraggs answered with deadly
calm. "But the minute we hit the
dock you an me parts company
~ don't know whether we will OF
not Scraggsy, | amt heeled rghi
financially to hit the beach on sucl
short notice"
an get the police to remove you
You bistered pirate" Scraggi
screamed now quite beside himself.
Yes? Well, the minute they let e
o. me III come back TO the S. S. Mag
gle and tear her apart just to sci
what makes her 60" He leaned wi
the pllot-house window and shifted
"Tue fog, all right, Scraggs. Still
that nln't no reason why the ship
company should fast, IS it? Quit blck
erin with me, little one, an see If yol
can't wrastle up some ham an eggs
| want my eggs sunny side mp
Sensing the tutilty Of further argu
ment, Captain Scraggs sought solac
In stream of adiectiyal opprobrnm
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