The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1921-11-25
CHAPTER II-continued.

the rigging and caused 1t to rattle like
buckshots in q pan. A terrible ayy-
such a cry, indeed, as might burst
from the lips of mother seeing her
only child run down by the Limited
burst from poor Captain Scraggs. MY |
ship! My ship" he howled. MY |
darling little Maggie! They've killed
you, they've killed you'll The dirty
iubbers!"
The succeeding wave lifted the Mag
gle of the beach, carried her in some
fifty feet further, and deposited her
gently on the sand. She heeled over
to port a little and rested there IS If
she was very, very weary, nor could
all the threshing of her screw In re-
verse haul her off again. The surf.
dashing in under her fantail, had p,ore
power than McGuffey's engines, and,
foot by foot, the Maggie proceeded to
dig herself in. Mr.. Gibney listened
for Ave minutes to the uproar that
rose from the bowels of the little
steamer before he whlstled up Mr..
McGuffey.
xiii her, kill her." he ordered.
HYour wheel will bite into the sand
first thing you know. and tear the
stern Off her. You're shakin' the old
girl to pieces"
McGuffey killed his engine, banked
his fires, and came up on deck, wlping
his anxious face with fearfully filthy
sweat rag. At the same time Scraggs
and NeIls Halvorsen came crawling
aft over the deckload and when they
reached the clear space around the
pilot house, Captain Scraggs threw his
brown derby on the deck and leaped
upon It until, his rage abating It'll
mately, no power on earth. in the air
or under the sea, could possibly have
rehabilitated 1t and rendered 1t fit for
further wear, even by Captain Scrrggs
This petulant practice Of jumping or
his hat was a habit with Scraggs
whenever anything annoyed him par
ticularly and was always infallible evi
dence that a simple declarative sen
tence had stuck in his throat.
"Well, old whirling dervish," Mr.
Gibney demanded calmly when Scragg
paused for lack Of breath to continue
his dance, "what about It? We're VI
Salt Greek without a paddle; the devi
to pay and no pitch hot"
"McGuffey's firedl" Captain Scragg
screeched.
"Come, come, Scraggsy, old tarpot.
Mr.. Gibney soothed. "This amt n
time for fghtin'. Thinkin' an actir
q all that saves the Maggie now"
But Captain Scraggs was beyon
reason. "McGuftey's fired! McGu
tey's flred!" he reiterated. "The dirt
rotten wharf rat! Call yourself a
engineer7' he continued witheringl,
.As an engineer you're bowling SUI
.ess at shoemakin', you slob. I'll Fl
your clock for you, my hearty. L
have your ticket took away from 10
an that's no Chlnaman's dream
auther."
"Irs all my fault runnin' by des
reckonin'," the honest Gibney pr
tested. "Mac amt to fault. The e
zine room telegraph busted an he g
The wrong signal"
"It's his business to see to 1t On
he's got an engine room telegraph tn
won't bust"
"You dog!" McGuffey roared al
sprang at the skipper, who leap
aimbly up the little ladder to tho Z
" the pilot house and stood prepar
to kick Mr.. McGuffey In the ia
should that worthy venture up ar
him. II can't persuade you to git
nothin' that ought to have. I'm tir
workin' with Junk an scraps an C
per wire and pieces o string.
through
you're right--you're through
cause you're fired!" Scraggs Shrek
in insane rage. "Get Off my ship
maritime impostor, or I'll take a pis
70 YOU. Overheard with you,
greasy, Anticipated bounder! You
rotten, understand? Rotten! Rottt
Rotten"
"You owe me eight dollars an
bits, Scraggs," Mr.. McGuffey remiht
his owner calmly. "Chuck down
vpondulicks an I'll get off your Sill
Captain Scraggs was beyond reas
10 ne tossed the money down &c
engineer. "Now git" he command
without further ado, Mr.. McGui
started across the deckload 10
fo'castle head. 6craggs could nos
him but he >culd hear him--so
pelted the er tneer with potatoes,
bage heads md onions, the vegetAl
descending about the honest McGu
IN a yeritable barrAge. Even In
darkness several Of these missiles
effect. !.
Upon reaching the very apex OF
Aorv Mo(yuf1oV TUT