The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-11-11
fContinued from Yesterday.)

tContinued from Yesterday)
 While MT. Gibney questioned him and listened avidly to the horrible tale of privation and despair, Me Gufev appeared to report a brisk fire under the donkey and 70 promise steam in forty minutes; also that the Maggie was hove to 8. cable length distant. with her crew digging under the deckload of vegetables for the small boat. Help yourself to a be- layin' pin, Bart, an knock 'enl in the heads if they try to come aboard" Mir Gibney ordered nonchalantly.
 Do understand there is a steamer at hand, MT. Gibney?" she master of the Chesa apeake queried.
 little vegetable freighter Maggie. She'll never be able to tow you in, because she ain't got power enough, an if she had power enough she Scraggs, her owner, is a rotAen bad rtfcle am before he'll put g. rope aboard you he'll tie you up on a. con- tract for 0 fgger that'd make an an everything, me an McGuffey can sail her in for you at half the price,
 'I can't risk my ship in the hands swered. tMe meg shes e too va valuable 'sn and aa so Is her cargo. If this little steamer will tow me in I'll gladly give her my towline and let the court settle the bii.''
 'Not by milnon:"' MT. Gibney protested. 'Beg pardon, sir, but you don't know this here Scraggs like I do. couldn't think of lettin' him set foot on this deck"
 "You couldn't think of k? Well, when did you take command of my ship?"
 practically in the breakers. You're sick. an, for all know, delirious, so for the sake O. protectin' you, the sick seaman in the fo'castle an lhe owners, Pm taktn' command"
 The master of the Chesapeake | reached under his pillow and pro- duced a. pistol. Out of my cabin or III riddle you,'' he parked feeb1y. MT. Giblley departed without word | of protest and proceeded to make hss l arrangements, regardless of the mas ter's consent As he and. McGuffey busied themselves, laying the leading blocks along the deck, they glanced toward the Maggie and observed Cap 1 tain Scraggs hurling crates of vege- | tables overheard in an effort to get at the small boat quickly. Hell die when the freight claims come tn," MT. McGuffey chortled. Poor or 1 Scra ggsy!"
 When Captain scraggs came aboard, MT. Gibney escorted him | around to the masters cabin. intro- | duced him, and stood by while they | bargained. '"The tow will cost you five thousand. Captain,' Scraggs be-
 ''Me an McGuffey'n sail you in for four" Gihney declared.
 l "Three thousand" snarled Scrag ggs
 "salin's cheap as dirt at two thou sand. As a matter of fact. Scraggsy. me an Mac'n sail her in for nothin' | just to skin you out O the salvage. ."
 Two thousand dollars is my lowest 1 figure" Scraggs declared. "Take it
 or leave it. Captain. Under the cir | cumstances, bargaining is useless.
 Two thousand is my last bid"
 The figure Scraggs named was .l Fl 4T hot 1 of the Chesapeake knew a court
 would award nevertheless he shook | his head.
 ''It's a straight towing job. Captain. | and not salvage proposition at all. l A tug would tow me in for two hum ! dredand fifty, but I'll give you five | hundred"
 l Remembering the vegetab es he had jettisoned, Scraggs knew he could ! not afford to accept that price. I'm through he bluffed-and his bluff | worked.
 Taken, Captain Scraggs Write out an agreement and I'll sign it.'' | With the agreement in his pocket, | Scraggs, followed by Gibney. left the | cabin. "One hundred each to you
 an Mac if you'E stay aboard the | Maggie out with what sail you can get
 on her." Scraggs promised. l Take lons%running' jump at 1 best me an Mac'u do is to help you
 cock-bill the anchor. an that'll cost You ten bucks for each Of us-in ad- l vance," The artful fellow reaIified | that Scraggs knew nothing whatever | about a sailing ship and would have | to depend upon The Squarehead for
 the Information he required. | All right. Here's your money" l Scraggs replied aand handed Mr. Gib- | ney twenty dollars. He and Nels l Halvorsen then went forward, got out | he steel towing cable. and fastened
 ! light rope to the end of 1t. The | skin fioated off the ship at the end
 of the painter. so The SQuarehead shauled 1t in. climber down into the
 skif. and made the light rope fast te