Middletown transcript., 1921-12-31
ever sus-'
[nged. I no.
etters and num-
q beam is F-CP
!e F to e, and the

r. A handy man
lEisel can do lots OF
In change those mines to
4 I've to six, and the seven
he. I've seen it done before.
we'll rig a foretopmast and a
1nnaker boom on her. and bend
lsherman's staysail. Nothing like it
when you're sailing little off the
wind. Scraggs. you have the papers
Of the cid Maggie, and we all have
our licenses regular enough. Dig up
the old papers, Scraggsy, and I'll doctor
'em up to f1t the Maggie II. AS for
our armament we'll dismount the
guns and stow 'em away in the hold
until we get down on the Colombian
coast, and while we're lying In PAN
anna repairing the holes where my
shots went through her, and putin
new planks in her decks where the
old plankin' has been scored by shrap-
mel. those paraQueets will think we're
as peaceful as chipmunks. Better look
over your supplies, McGuffey, and see
If there's any paint aboard. I'd just
as lief give the old girl q different
dress before we. drop anchor in Pan
anna"
"Gib," said Captain Scraggs, earnest
ly, "Tll keel-haul and shull-drag the
man that says you amt got great
head"
by the lord" supplemented McGuf-
fey, you have"
The commodore smiled and tapped
his frontal bone with his forefnger
Imagination. my lads, Imagination
he said, and reached for the last Of the
punch.
Exactly three weeks from the date OF
the naval battle which took place OF
the Coronado islands, and whereby Mr.
Gibney became commodore and man
aging owner Of the erstwhile Mexican
coast patrol schooner Reina Maria, thai
vessel sailed out Of the harbor Of Pan
anna completely rejuvenated. Not $
scar on her shapely lines gave evi
dence Of the sanguinary engagement,
through which she had passed.
Mr.. Gibney had her painted a cream.
white with a dark blue wateriine. Sht
had had her bottom cleaned ant
scraped and the copper sheathing over
hauled and patched up. Her sail
had been overhauled, inspected, ant
repaired wherever necessary, and II
order to be on the safe side, Mr.. Glib
ney,. upon motion duly made by hin
and seconded by McGuffey Ito WHOM
the seconding Of the Gibney motion
had developed into habit), purchased
an extra suit Of new sails. The en-
gines were overhauled by the faith
full McGuffey and large store Of dis
tillate stored in the hold. Captain
Scraggs, with his old-time aversion t
expense, made a melton (Which wa
seconded by McGuffey before he ha,
taken time to consider its import) pre-
viding for the abolition Of the ofic
OF chief engineer while the Maggie !
was under sail, at which time tn
chief ex-oflcfo was to hold himsel
under the orders Of the commodore an
be transferred to the deck department
If necessary. Mr.. Gibney approved tn
measure and It went into effect. Onl
Qp entering or leaving port, or i
case Of chase by an enemy, were tn
engines to be used, and McGuffey wa
warned to be extremely saving Of hi
distillate.
Mr.. Gibney made splendid job Z
changing the vessels name, and q
she chugged lazily out Of Panama ba
and lifted to the long ground-sweH {
the Pacific, it is doubtful IL even be
late Mexican commander would hav
recognized her. She was indeed
beautiful craft, and Commodore Gil
ney's heart swelled with pride as b
stood aft, coming the man at ii
wheel, and looked her over. It SCENE
like a sacrilege now, when he reflecte
how he had trained the gun Of the ol
Maggie on her that day OF the Cor
nados, and it seemed to him. now eve
q greater sacrilege to have brazenl
planned to enter her as a privateer
the struggles Of the republic Of Colon
bia. The past tense Is used advisedl
for that project was now entirely ol
much to the secret delight Of CAPITAL
Scraggs, who, II the hero Of one nav,
engagement, was not anxious to tai
part in another. In Panama the fre
hooters Of the Maggie II learned th,
during Mr.. Gibney's absence on h
flibustering trip the Colombian revol
tionists had risen and struck the
blow. After the fashion OF ho
headed and impetuous people. they hi
entered the contest absolutely q
trained As q result, the war had las
ed ~ weeks. the leaders b.
l1li ently shot, and the whit
0f peace had once mo
ions along the borde