The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-11-08

softer, our hard resolution. We'll fool him Take all he gives us. but stand pat Bart"
 Bart nodded His was one of those sturdy natures that could always be depended upon to play the game, win, lose or draw.
 AS a preliminary move. Captain Scraggs declared in favor of a couple Of cocktails to whet their appetites for the French dinner, and according saloon and tucked three each under their belts-an at Captain Scraggs' expense. When he proposed fourth, MT. Gibney's perfect sportsmanship caused him to protest. and reluctantly Captain Scraggs permitted Gibney to buy. Scraggs decided to have a cigar. however. instead of another Martini. The ethics of the situation then indi- cated that McGuffey should 'set 'em up," which he did over Captain Scragg's protest-and again the wary Scraggs called for cigar. alleging as an excuse for his weakness that for years three cocktails before dinner had been his absolute 1init.> A fourth cock tail on an empty stomach, he declared, would kill the evening for him.
 But why descend to sordid and vul- gar details? Suffice that when the artful Seraggs, pretending to be over come by his potations and very i'll into the bargain. begged to be delivered back aboard the Magge, Messrs. Me Guffey and Gtbney loaded him into a taxicab and sent him there, while they continued their search for excite raent. Where and how they found it requires no e1uicidatfon here; 1t is sufficient to state that 1t was expen- sive, for when men of the Gibney and McQuffey type have once gotten fair start naught but financial dissolution can stop them.
 uey and McGuffey awoke in Scab Johnny's boarding house. MT. Gibney awoke first, by reason of the fact that his stomach hammered at the door of his soul and bade him be up and do ing. While his head ached slightly from the fierysusquebaugh of the Bow head saloon. he craved a return to solid diet. so for several minutes he lay supine, conjuring in his agile brain ways and means of supplying this need in the absence of ready cash. I'll have to hook my seXtant," was the conclusion at which he presently, arrived. Ten minutes later he took his sextant under his arm and depart ed for a pawnshop in lower Market street. From the pawnshop he re- turned to Scab Johnny's with. eight dollars in his pocket, routed out the contrite McGuffey, and carried the lat ter off to ham and eggs.
 They felt better after breakfast and for the space of an hour 1olled at the the past forty-eight hours. Well, there's one thing certain McGuffey concluded, "an' that thing is sure a cinch. Our strike has petered out. gie's dock an see how Scraggy's get tim along.'
 Forthwith they set out to interview Captain Scraggs. The owner of the Maggie greeted them cheerily, but aft CT discussing generalities for half an lures, whereupon MT. Gibney an nounced casually that >he guessed he and Mac would be on their way. Same here. boys" Captain Scraggs new engineer comin' aboard at ten o'clock an we sail at twelve.''
 Well, we'll see you occasionally" MT. Gibney said at parting.
 "Oh, sure. Don't be strangers. You're always welcome aboard the old Maggie" came the careless rejoinder.
 Somewhat crestfallen, the striking pair repaired to the Bowhead saloon to dscuss the situation over a glass of beer. However, MT. Gbney's spirits never dropped below zero while he had one nickel to rub against another; hence such a slight depression as he felt was due to a feeling that Captain scraggs had basely swindled him and McGuffey. He was disappointed in Scraggs and said as much. How ever, Bart" he concluded, we'll never say die while our money holds out. and in the meantime our luck
 
 around and try to locate some kind of a job; then when them new employees O Scraggsy quit or get f1red-whieh'll Il be after-about two voyages-an' the old man comes around holdin' out the olive branck O. peace, we'll give him the horselaugh."
 Three days of diligent search failed to uncover the coveted job for either, however, and on the morning of the fourth day MT. Gibney announced that it would he necessary fn Hr9iSe th9 wind.' if the pair would breakfast. They retired to the sidewalk to hold a caucus and MT. McGuffey located a dime which had dropped down inside the lining of his coat. That settles it, Gibney declared. We've skipped two meals but I'll be durned if we skip another. We'll ride out to the San Mateo county line on the trolley with that dime am then hoof 1t over the hills to Halfmoon bay Scraggs won't git away from the dock here un- til after twelve o'clock, so we know he'll lie at Halfmoon bay all night. If we start now we'll connect with him In time for supper. Eh, Bart?' "A twenty-mfle hike on a tee-totally empty stomach, with battle royal on our hands the minute we arrive, weak an destioote, ain't quite my idea O. enjoyment, Glib, but I'll go you if it kills me. Let's up hook an away. I'm for gittin' back to work an usin' moral persuasion to git that new boiler
 They took a hitch in their belts and started. From the point at which they left the trolley to their journeys end was a stiff six-hour jaunt, up hill and down dale, and long before the march was half completed the unaccustomed exercise had developed sundry gals and blisters on the Gibney heels, while the soles of poor McGuffey's feet were SO hot he voiced the apprehenson that they might burn to crisp at any mo- ment and drop off by the wayside.
 The crew of the Maggie had ceased working cargo for the day and Cap tain Scraggs was busy cooking supper | in the galley when the two prodiga1s, exhausted crippled and repentant came to the door and coughed propi- | tiously, but Captain Scraggs pretended not to hear, and went on with his task | of turning fried eggs and an artistic flip of the fryng pan. So MT. Gib- ney spoke. struggling bravely to ap- pear nonchalant. With his eyes on the fried eggs and his mouth threaten ing to slayer at the glorious sight, he said: