The Oklahoma miner. [volume] (Krebs, Okla.) 1912-192?, 1921-11-24

starter across lne OeCklOOu 10 lne
fo'castlc head Scraggs could not see
him but he could hear him-sO he
pelted the engineer with potatoes, cab
bage heads and onions, the vegetables
descending about the honest McGuffey
in verituhle barrage. Even In the
darkness several Of these missiles took
effect
Upon reaching the very apex Of the
Maggie's bow, Mr.. McGuffey turned
and hurled a promise into the dark
ness: "If we ever meet again,
Scraggs, I'll make Mrs Scraggs a wild
ow. Paste that in your hat-when
you get a new one"
The Maggie was resting easily on
the beach, with the broken water from
the long lazy combers surging well
up above her water line. At most,
six feet of water awaited the engineer,
who stood, peering shoreward and lis
tening intently, Oblivious to the stray
missiles which whizzed past. Present
ly, from out of the fog, he heard a
grinding, metallic sound and through
a sudden rift in the fog caught
brief glimpse Of blue flame with sparks
! radiating family from it.
That settled matters for BarthOlo-
new McGuffey. The metallic sound
was the protest from the wheels of
| Cliff house trolley car rounding a
curve; the blue flame was an electric
| manifestation due to the Intermittent
! contact of her trolley with the wire,
wet with fog McGuffey knew the
exact position of the Maggie now, so
! he poised a moment on her bow; as
wave swept past him, he leaped
overheard, scrambled ashore, made
his way up the beach to the great
highway which flanks the shore line
between the Cliff house and Ingleside,
sought a rOadhouse, and warmed his
interior with four fingers of whisky
neat. Then, feeling quite content with
himself, even in his wet garments, he
boarded a Cty-bound trolley car and
departed for the warmth and hospital
ity of Scab JOhnny's sailor boarding
house in Oregon street.
Captain Scraggs sat down on the
half-emptied crate of vegetables and
cause of rage and half because he re-
garded himself a pauper. Already
he had a vision of himself securing
the waterfront in search of a job
mo use bOo-hOoin' over split milk,
Scraggsy." Always philosophical, the
author of the owners woe sought to
carry the disaster off lightly. Don't
add your salt tears to a saltier sea
until you're certain you're a total loss
an no insurance. l got you into this
and | suppose it's up to me to get you
Off, so / guess I'll commence opera.
tions." Suiting the action to the word
Mr.. Gibney grasped the whistle cord
and a strange, sad, sneezing, wheezy
moan resembling the expiring protest
of a lusty pig and gradually increasing
into long-drawn but respectable
whistle rewarded his efforts. For
once, ne could afford to be prOdigaI
with the steam, and while it lasted
there could be no mstaking the fact
that here was a steamer in dire dis
tress
The weird call for help brought
SCraggs around to a fuller realization
of the enormity of the disaster which
had overtaken him. In his agony he
forgot to curse his navigating officer
for the latter's stubbornness in refusing
to turn back when the fog threatened
He clutched Mr. Glbney by the right
arm, thereby interrupting for an in
stant the dismal outburst from the
Maggle's siren.
Glib" he moaned. "Tm ruined
man. How're we ever to get the ole
sweetheart off whole? Answer me
that, Glib. Answer me, I say. How're
we to get my Maggie off the beachT
Mr.. Gibney shook himself loose from
, that frantic grip and continued hi!
pull on the whistle until the Maggie
taking ii false note, quavered, mOaned
spat steam minute and subsidized witt
, what might be termed a nautical sob
"Now, see what you've doneT ht
, bawled you've made me bust th'
, whistle"
ANSWER my question, Glib"
"Well never get her Off II you dom
quit interferin' an give me time t.
- think. I'll admit there amt much o
= a chance, because it's dead low water
, now en' just as soon as the tide is a
! the flood she'll drive further up thu
, beach an fall apart"
o Perhaps McGuffey Will have hear
I enough to telephone into the city fo
tug
y "'Tain't scarcely probable, Scraggsy
A You abused him vile an threw a 10