Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1921-10-20

swearing horribly, he had demanded
10 be Informed why in this and that
the skipper didn't leave that dod-gast-
ed whistle alone. II was using up his
steam faster than he could manufac-
a patent foghorIi, and when the hon
est McGuffey had once more succeed
ed I'm conserving sufficient steam TO
crawl up river, the tide had turned
and the Maggie could not buck the
ebb. McGufrey declared few new
tubes i'm the boiler would do the trick,
but on the other hand, Mr.. Gibney
pointed out that the old craft was
practically punk aft and a stiff tow
would jerk the tail off the old girl. In
despair therefore Captain Scraggs
had abandoned bay and river towing
and crd all. when an opportunity Of
fered for the frcighting OF garden
truck ane dairy produce from Half
mbon bay TO San Francisco.
But now a difficulty arose. The new
run was an "outside" one-salt water
all the way. Under the ruling Of the
inspectors, the Maggie would be run
ming coastwise the instant she en-
gagged in the grccn-pea and string-bean
trade. and Captain Scraggs license
provided for no such contingency. His
ticket entitled him TO act as master
on the waters Of San Francisco bay
and the waters tributary thereto, and
although Scraggs argued that the Pa
cific ocean constituted waters "trihu-
tary thereto" if he understood the
English language, the inspectors were
obdurate. What If the distance was
less than twenty-five miles? they
pointed out The voyage was unde-
niably coastwise and carried with IT
all the risk Of wind and wave. And
in order 10 Impress upon Captain
Scraggs the weight OF their authority,
the inspectors suspended for six
months Captain Scraggs' bay and
river license for having dared to ne
gotiate two coastwise voyages without
consulting them. Furthermore. they
warned him that the next time he did
1t they would condemn the fast and
commodious Maggie
in this extreQlty. Fate had sent to
Captain Ssraggs large imposing,
capable, but socially Indifferent per-
son who responded TO the name OF
Adelbert =. Gibney. Mr.. Gibney had
spent part of an adventurous life in
the United States navy. where he had
applied himself and acquired fair
smatterlng Of navigation. Prior 10 en-
tering the navy he had been a fore
mast hand in clipper ships and had
held a second mates berth. Follow
Ing his discharge from the navy he
had sailed coastwiSe on steam schoon-
ers, ana after attending n navigation
school for two months, had procured
a license as chief mate Of steam, any
ocean and any tonnage.
Unfortunately for Mr.. Gibney, he
had q failing. Most Of us have. The
most genial fellow In the world, he
was cursed with too much brains and
imagination and a thirst which re-
quired quenching around pay day
Also, he had that beastly habit OF
command which is inseparable from a
born leader; when he held a first
mates berth. he was won't 10 try to
run the ship" and on occasions,
ladle ont suggestions to his skp~er.
Thus, In time, he acquired a reputa-
ton for being unreliable and a wind
bag. with the result that shippers
were chary Of engaging him. Not TO
be too proliX, at the time Captain
Scraggs made the dsheartenng dis
covery that he had to have a skipper
for the Maggie. Mr.. Gibney found
himself reduced 10 the alternative OF
longshore work or n fo'castle berth In
windiammer bound for blue water.
With alacrity, therefore, Mr.. Glib
ney had accepted Scraggs' offer of
seyenty-five dollars month-"and
found'-to skipper the Maggie on her
coastwise run. AS a first mate Of
steam he had no difficulty inducing
the inspectors to grant him Il license
to skipper such an abandoned craft
as the Maggie. and. accordingly he
hung up his ticket in her pilot house
and was registered rs her master. al
belt under n gentleman's agreement
with Scraggs he was not 10 claim the
title of captain and was known TO
the world rs the Magee's first mate.
second mate, third nate, quartermas-
ter, purser and freight clerk. One
Neils Halvorson, n solemn Swede with
q placid, bovine disposition, consti-
tuted the fo'cas'le hands. while Bart
McGuiley. a wastrel of the Gibney
type but slowcr-witted, reigned SUI
preme IN the engine room. Also his
case resembled that of Mr.. Gbney IN
that McGuffey's job on the Maggie
was the first he had had I'm six months
and he treasured II accordingly. For
this reason he and Gibney had been
inclined 10 take considerable slack
from Captain Scraggs until McGuffey
discovered that, In all probability. no
engineer in the world except him
self. would have the courage TO trust
himself within range Of the Maggie's
boilers, md. consequently. he had
Captain Scraggs moro or less M his
mercy. Upon imnartiug this suspicion
70 Mr.. Glbney. the latter decided TIE.