Middletown transcript., 1921-12-17

"She was hove to under the lee of
the island, and the minute we came
out Of the harbor and turned south
she come nosin' after u.s." said the
mate.
Hum !" muttered Mr.. Gibney. "Gaso-
line schooner. Two masts and bald
headed. About hundred and twenty
ton, should say, and showln' a pretty
pair Of heels. There's somethin' up
ford-yes-let me see-ye-es, there's
two more-holy sailor it's a gunboat! /!
One Of those doggoned gasoline coast
patrol boats, and there's the federal
flag flying at the fore"
Lets put back to San Diego bay"
quavered Captain Scraggs. "I'I be
burned If relish the idee O. losin' the
Maggie"
"Too late" said the philosophical
Gibner. "We're in Mexican waters
now, and she can cut us off from the
bay. The only thing we can do is to
run for it and try to lose her after
dark. Tell the engineer to crowd her
to the limit. There amt much wind to
speak of, so guess we can manage
to hold our own for while. Never
theless, I've got hunch that we'll be
overhauled. OF course, you amt got
no papers to show, Scraggs, and they'll
search the cargo, and confiscate us,
and shoot the whole bloomin' crowd
Of US. I bet dollar to doughnut
that fellow Lopez sold us out, after
the fashion of the country. can't help
thinkin' that that gunboat was there
just a-waitin' for us to show up"
For several minutes Mr.. Gibney con-
tinued to study the gunboat until
there could no longer be any doubt
that she intended to overhaul them.
He made out that she had long gun
ford, with battery Of two one-pound-
ers on top Of her house and something
on her port quarter that looked like
Maxim rapid-fire gun. About twenty
men, dressed in white cloth, could be
seen on her decks.
Presently Mr.. Gibney was inter-
rupted by Captain Scraggs pulling at
his sleeve.
"You was a gunner once, wasn't you,
Gib?" said Captain Scraggs In
trembling voice.
"You bet I was" replied Mr.. Gibney.
my shootin' won the trophy three
times in succession when I was on
the old Kearsarge. If I had one good
gun and half-decent crew, I'd knock
that gunboat silly before she knew
what had hit her"
"Gib, I've got an idee," said Captain
Scraggs.
"Out with it," said Mr.. Gibney cheer
fully.
There was four little cannon low
cred into the hold the last thing before
we put on the main hatch, and the am
munition to load 'em with is slowed in
the after hold and very easy to get
at"
| Mr.. Gibney turned q beaming face to
the skipper, reached out his arms, and
folded Captain Scraggs in an embrace
that would have done credit to a
grizzly bear. There were genuine tears
of admiration in his eyes and in his
voice when he could master his emo
tions sufficiently to speak.
"Scraggsy, old tarpot, you've been a
long time comm through on the imagi-
nation, but you've sure arrived with
oil sail set. I always thought you had
about as much nerve as an oyster, but
/ take it all back. Well get out them
two little jackass guns and fight a
naval battle, and If don't sink that
Mexican gunboat, and save the Mag
gle, feed me to the sharks, for won't
be worthy of the blood that's in me.
Pipe all hands and lift oil that main
hatch. Reeve a block and tackle
through that cargo gaff and stand by
to heave out the guns"
But Captain Scraggs had repented
Of his rash suggestion almost the mo-
ment he made it. Only the dire neces-
sity of desperate measures to save the
Maggie had prompted him to put the
idea into Mr.. Gibney's head, and when
he saw the avidity with which the lat
ter set to work clearing for action, his
terror knew no bounds.
"Oh, Gib," he walled, I'm afraid we
better not try to lick that gunboat aft
er all. They might sink us with all
hands,"
"Rats!" said Mr.. Gibney, as he
leaped into the hold. Bear light
here until can root out the wheels of
these guns. Here they are, labeled
cream separator Stand by with that
sling to"
"But. Glib, my dear boy" protested
Captain Scraggs, "this is insanity"
II know it," said Mr.. Gibney calmly.
'4Scraggsy, you're perfectly right. But
I'd sooner die fightin' than let them
stand me up agin wall in Ensenada.
We're filibusters, Scraggsy, and we're
caught with the goods. I, for one, am
goin' down with the steamer Maggie,
but I'm goin' down fightin' like q
bear"
"Maybe-maybe we can -outrun her,
Gib," half sobbed Captain Scraggs.
mo hope" replied Mr.. Gibney.
Flight and die Is the last resort.
She's eight miles astern and gainin'
every minute, and when she's within
two miles she'll open fire. OF course,
we won't be hit unless they've got 8
Yankee gunner aboard"
Lets run up the Stars and Stripes
and dare 'em to fire on u.s." said Cap.
tain Scraggs.
NO." said Mr.. Gibney firmly, "my
old man died for the flag an I've
sailed under 1t too long to hide be.