Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1921-12-28

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with her crew digging under the deck
load of vegetables for the small boat
Help yourself 10 a belayin' pin. Bart.
an knock 'em on the heads II they
try 10 come aboard" Mr.. Glbney or
dered nonchalantly.
do understand there is a steamer
at hand. Mr. GIbneyg" the master Of
the Chesapeake queried.
There's an excuse for one, sir. The
little vegetable freighter Maggie She'll
never be able TO tow you I'm. because
she Amt got power enough. an II
she had power enough she amt got
coal enough. Besides. Scraggs. her
owner, is a rotten bad article an be
fore he'll put rope aboard you he'll
tie you up on contract for a figger
thatd make an angel weep. The way
your ship lies an everything. me an
McGuffey can sail her In for you at
half the price"
Il can't risk my ship in the hands
OF two men," the sick captain an
severed. "She's too valuable and so &
her cargo. II this little steamer will
tow me In I'll gladly give her my tow
line and let the court settle the hill. !"
"Not by a Million" Mr.. Gibney pro-
tested. Beg pardon. sir. but you don't
know this here Scraggs like do.
couldn't think OF lettin' him set foot
on this deck"
'YOu couldn't think Of it7 Well
when did you take command OF my
shipT"
you're fiotsam an jetsam, sir. an
practically In the breakers. You're
sick. an, for all know. deliriouS. SO
for the sake O. protectln' you. the
sick seaman In the fo'castle an' the
owners. I'm takin' command"
The master OF the Chesapeake
reached under his pillow and produced
a pistol. "out OF my cabin or I'll riddle
you" he barked feebly.
Mr.. Glbney departed without a word
OF protest and proceeded TO make his
arrangements. regardless Of the mas
ter's consent. As he and McGufey
busted themselves. laying the leading
blocks along the deck. they glanced
toward the Maggie and observed Cap
tain Scraggs hurting crates OF vege-
tables overheard in an effort TO get al
the small boat quickly. Hell die
when the freight claims come in" Mr..
McGufrey chortled. Poor oil Scrag-
gsy!'
When Captain Scraggs came aboard,
Mr.. Gibney escorted him around TO the
masters cabin. introduced him. and
stood by while they bargalned. "l'he
tow will cost you FIVE thousand. Cap
tain" Scraggs began pOmpOusly.
me an McGuneyll sail you In for
four" Gibney declared.
Three thousand" snarled Scraggs.
"Sallin's cheap as dirt at two thous-
and. As n matter OF fact, Scraggsy,
me an Mac'll sail her In for nOthin
jus. 20 skin you ont o. the salvage"
Two thousand dollars is my lowest
figure" Scraggs declared. Take II
or leave II. Captain. Under the cir
cumStances. bargaining Is useless. Two
thousand is my last bid"
The figure Scraggs named was prob
the Chesapeake knew a court would
award nevertheless he shook his head.
"Its a straight towing job. Captain.
and not a salvage proposition at ALL
A tug would tow me In for two hun
dred and fifty. but I'll give you Eve
hundred"
Remembering the vegetables he had
jettlsoned, Scraggs knew he could not
afford 70 accept that price. TN
through" he bluhred-and his blum
worked
Taken, Captain Seraggs. Write out
an agreement and I'll sign t."
With the agreement In his pocket,
Scraggs. followed by Gibney, left the
cabin. zone hundred each 10 you an
Mae II you'll stay aboard the Chesa-
peake. steer her, an help the Maggie
out with what sail you can get on
her" Scraggs promised.
flake o long. runnin' jump az your
self, Scraggsy. old sorrowful. The best
me an Macll do is TO help you cock
bin the anchor. an thatll cost you
ten bucks for each Of us-in advance
The artful fellow realized that Scraggs
knew nothing whatever about a smiling
ship and would have TO depend upon
The Squarehead for the Information
he required.
"AIl right. Here's your money"
scraggs replied and handed Mr.. Glib
ney twenty dollars. He and Neils
Halvorsen then vent forward. got out
the steel towing cable. and fastened
light rope 10 the end OF IL. The skin
aoated OF the ship at the end OF the
painter. so The Squarehead hauled 1t
in. climbed down into the skin. and
made the light rope fast 10 a thwart;
then. with Captain Scraggs paying out
the hawser, Neils bent manfully to the
oars and started 20 tow the steel cable
back 10 the Maggie. Half way there,
the weight OF the cable dragging be-