Middletown transcript., 1921-10-22
CHAPTER I.

had rounded Pillar Point at sunset and
readed north. Captain Scraggs had
been steamboating too many unprofit-
able years on San Francisco bay, the
Suisun and San Pablo sloughs and
dogholes and the Sacramento river to
be deceived as to the character OF
that fog, and he remarked as much to
MIR. Gibney. "Wed better turn back
TO Halfmoon bay and tie up at the
dock" he added.
'Calamity howfer!' feterted Mr..
Gibney and gave the wheel a spoke OF
Two. "Scraggsy, you're enough to
make real sailor sick at the
stomach"
"But tell you she's tule fog, Glib.
She rises up in the marshes Of the
Sacramento and San Joaquin. drifts
down to the bay and out the Golden
gate and just naturally blocks the
wheels Of commerce while she lasts.
Why, I've known the ferry boats be-
tween San Francisco and Oakland to
get lost for hours on their twenty-lnln-
ute run-and all along Of blasted
tule fog"
II don't doubt your word q mite,
Scraggsy. l never did see a ferry-boat
skipper that knew shucks about
sailorizing," the imperturbable Gibney
responded. "Me, I'll smell my way
home in any tule fog"
Maybe YOU can an maybe you
can't, Glib, although far be it from me
to question your ability. I'll take il
for granted. Nevertheless, l amt
a-goin' to run the risk O you havin
catarrh O. the nose an confIlsin' youl
smells tonight. You amt got nothin
at stake but your job, whereas if
lose the Maggie 1 lose my hull for
tune. Bring her about, Glib, an lets
hustle back"
Don't be an old woman" Mr.. Glib
ney pleaded. "Scraggs, you just ain'i
got enough works inside you to fill 4
wrist watch"
Il amt a-goin' to poke around il
the dark an tule fog. feelin' fol
the Golden gate" Captain Scraggs
shrilled peevishly.
"H-l's bells an panther tracks
I've got my old courses. an if foller
them we can't help gettin' home.'
Captain Scraggs laid his hand or
Mr.. Gibney's great arm and tried t6
smile paternally. "Gib, my dear boy
he pleaded, control yourself. Don't
argue with me, Glib. I'm master here
an you're mate. Do I make myself
clear"
"You do, Scraggsy. But it won't
avail you nothin' You're only master
becuz of gentleman's agreement be
tween us two, an because I'm man
enough to figger there's certain rights
due you as owner O the Maggie. But
don't you forget that accordin' to the
records o the inspectors office, I'm
master of the Maggie, an the way
flgger it, whenever there's any call to
show little real seamanShip, thai
gentleman's agreement don't stand.'
"But this amt one O. them times
Glib"
you're whistlin' it is. If we run
from this here fog, it's skiffs to bat
tleships we don't get into San Fran
cisco bay an discharged before six
o'clock tomorrow night. BY the time
we've taken on coal an water an
vhat-all, it'll be eight or nine o'clock
with me an McGuffey entitled tc
mebbe three dollars overtime an
hayin' to argue an scrap with you tt
cit it-not to speak O. havin' to put to
sea the same night SOS to be back il
Halfmoon bay to load bright an earl!
next mornin'. Scraggsy, l amt NJ
night bird on this run"
"Do you mean to defy me, Glib?
Captain Scraggs' little green eye:
cleaned balefully. Mr.. Gibney looked
down upon him with tolerance, as {
Great Dane gazes upon a fox terrier
81 certainly do. Scraggsy. old pepper
not" he replied calmly. ''Whatre vol
goin' to do about it?' The ghost of ;
smile lighted his jovial countenance.
"Nothin'-now. I'm helpless" Cap
tain Scraggs answered with deadl!
calm. "But the minute we hit th'
dock you an me parts company"
81 don't know whether we will o.
not Scraggsy. I amt heeled righ
financially to hit the beach on sucl
short notice"
"Tll get the police to remove you
Won blistered pirate" Scragg
screamed, now quite beside himself.
"Yes? Well, the minute they let g
q, me I'll come back to the S. S. Mag
rie and tear her apart just to Sc
what makes her CO." He leaned ou
the pilot-house window and shifted
.aTule fog, all right, Scraggs. Still
that amt no reason why the ship
company should fast, is it? Quit bick
erin with me, little one, an see if yo1
can't wrastle up some ham an eggs
want my eggs sunny side up
Sensing the futility Of further argu
ment. Captain Scraggs sought solac
In a stream of adjectival opprobriun
MAINLY meant for Mr.. !Gibney but dc
Iiyered, nevertheless, impersonaily. II
closed the pilot-house door furiousl
behind him and started for the galley
"Some bright day I'm goin' to gi
tired O, hearin' you cuss my proxy
Mr.. Gibney bawled after him, al
when that fatal time arrives TN seal
fer can o. Kill-Flea over you an tn
shippin' world'll know you no more.
"Oh 20 to-glory. you pig-iron po
isher,' Captain Scraggs tossed nae
at him over his shoulder-and mono
was satisfied. In the lee Of the pile
house Captain Scraggs paused. set n
Infamous old brown derby hat on Tn