The Red Cloud chief., 1921-12-29

"Flaherty," he said, II think you're
n liar"
1.-THE same to you and many Of
them" F1aherty replied, not a bit
abashed. you said she was m eight
thousand.tOn tramp"
II never went so far as TO say I'd
been aboard her on trial trip, though
and did cut down her tonnage, show
in I got the fragments Of a con
science left" Hicks defended himself.
He closed the book with a sigh and
placed 1t back on the shelf. just as
the door opened to admit no less
parsonage than Bartholomew McGuf-
fey. late chief engineer. first assist
ant, second assistant, third assistant
wiper. oiler. water.tender and stoker
Of the s. s. Maggie. With a brief nod
to Jack Tlaherty Mr.. McGufrey ap-
preached Dan Hicks.
II been lookin' for You, captain" he
announced. "Say. I hear the chief O.
the Aphrodite's goin' to take a three
months layofr to get shet Of his rheu-
mntism. Is that straight7"
u belleve IL Is. McGuney."
swell, say. I'd like to have a chance
to substitoot for him. You know my
capabilities, Hicks. an II II would be
agreeable to you to have me for your
chief your recommendation would GO
a long way toward landin' me the Job.
I'd sure make them engines behave"
"What vessel have you been on late
lyT" Hicks demanded cautiously. for
he knew Mr.. McGuffey's reputation for
nOn-reliability around pay day.
~ heen with that freshwater scaven-
ger. S%crnggs, In the Maggie for most
a year"
"Dld you quit or did Scraggs fire
you?"
"He fred me-" McGuffey replied
honestly. "If he hadn't I'd have quit,
SO IT'S a toss-up. Comm in from
Halfmoon bay last night we got In the
fog an piled up on the beach ju,
below the Cliff house."
"This Is interesting" Jack Flaherty
murmured. "You say she walked
ashore on you, McGufrey? Well, I'll
be shot"
"She did. Scraggs blamed II on me,
Flaherty. He said I didn't obey the
signals from the bridge, one word led
to another, an he went dancin' mad
an ordered me off his ship. Well, It's
his shlp-Or II was his ship. for I'll
bet n dollar she's ground to powder
by nOw-so all I could do was obey.
hoped overheard an waded ashore.
suppose all my clothes an things Is
gone by now. left everything aboard
an had to borrow this outfit from
Scab Johnny" He grinned pathetical-
~. s l guess you understand. Cap
tain Hicks. just how bad I need that
job I spoke about a minute ago"
"I1l think 1t over, Mac. an let you
know" Hicks replied evasively.
Mr.. McGuifey, sensing his defeat
retired forthwith to hide his embar-
rassment and distress; as the door
closed behind him, Hicks and Flaherty
faced each other.
Jack" quoth Dan Hicks, "can two
towbOat men, holdln' down two hun
dred.dOllar jobs an presumed to have
been out o. their s%waddlin' clothes for
ut least thirty years, afford to be
laughed off the San Francisco water
frontf"
~ know one Of them that can't
Dan. At the same time, can a rat like
Phineas T.. Scraggs and a beachcOmb
er like his mate Gibney make a pail
OF star-spangled monkeys out of saiC
two towbOat men and get away will
it?"
"They did that last night. Still, Nv,
known monkeys that would fight an
was human enough to settle a grudge
Follow me. Jack"
Together they repaired to Jackson
street bulkhead. Sure enough, there
lay the Maggie, rubbing her blistere,
sides against the bulkhead. Captain
Scraggs was nowhere In sight, but Mr.
Glbney was at the winch, swinging
ashore the crates Of vegetables whicl
The Squarehead and three longshore
men loaded into the cargo net.
"We're Outnumbered." Jack Flahert,
whispered. Lets wait until she's III
iouh'u M 'iblSy uh oCIA6SS al
aboard alone"
. They retired without having a
tracted the attention OF Mr.. Gibney.
Promptly at twelve o'clock the lOnl
shoremen knocked or work for tn
1 lunch hour and Neiis Halvorse
drifted across the street TO cool HI
n parched throat with steam bee
n While waiting for Scraggs TO come u
u out Of the engine room, and take hi
s to luncheon, Mr.. Gibney sauntered n,
and was standing gazing reflectivel
upon n spot on the Maggie's stel
where the hawsers had chafed ava
the paint, when suddenly his for
e holdings of evil returned to him a tho
e sand fold stronger than they had bee
n since Scraggs' return to the little shl
d He glanced up and beheld gazlr
down upon him Captains Jack Fl
l. herty and Daniel Hicks. Battle W,
r imminent and the valiant Glbn,
y knew It; wherefore he determined I
lie stantly to meet II like a man.
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