The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-12-07
The Green Pea Pirates
 By Peter B. kyne

belt in the face. Mac, am you was too self-conceited to recognize 1t. Re member that, both of you two. For, tune hit you in the lace tooay ah you didn't know it.
 "Td ruther die poor, Gib." walled | McGuffey.
 The commodore shook hands cor dially and departed, followed by the | faithful Neils Ha1vorsen. The mo ment the door closed behind them Scraggs turned to the engineer
 Mac" he said earnestly, 'Gib's up to somethin'. He's got that imagina- 1 ton O his workin. I can tell it every | time; he gets foggy look in his eyes. We made a mistake kiddin' him today. Gib's a sensitive boy some ways an I reckon we hurt his feelin's without intendin' it.
 "He thrun a dead codfsh at me" protested McGufey- "I love old Gib things with mighty high hand"
 Well, I'll apologize to him." de clared Captain Scraggs and started for the door to follow MT. Gibney. McGuffey barred his way.
 You apologize without my con- sent an you gotto buy me out O the Victor. l won't be mo engineer with a skipper that lacks backbone"
 'Oh, very we'll, Mac" Captain Scraggs realized too well the value of McGuffey in the engine room. He knew he could never be happy with
 
 deal with the Victor. ship a crew, get down to business. am leave Glib to his codf1sh. An' let's pay our bill an get outer here. It's too high toned for mean expensive
 For two weeks Captain Scraggs and McGuffey saw no more of Mir. Gibney and Neils Halvorsen. In the mean time. they had commenced running ing business in opposition to the regular steamboat lines. While the Victor was running with light freights eight +S and aenseq consequently fdy ultimate business was very bright and Scraggs and McGuffey were not at all worried about the future.
 Judge at their surprise, therefore, pear at the door of Scraggs' cabin but
 'Mornin'. Gib." began scraggs cheerily. 1T spose you been rolled you're around 1ookin' for a job as mater"
 MT. Gibney ignored this yelled in suit. ''Not yet, Scraggsy. I got about tive hundred tonso' freight to send up to Dunnigan's landing an I want lump sum figger for doin' the job. We parted friends an for the sake O old times I thought I'd give you a chance to fgger on the business
 'Thanky, Glib. I'll be glad to. Where's your frieght an what does it consist of?'
 Agricultural stuff. It's crated, an I deliver it here on the steamers deck within reach O. her tackles. No heavy pieces. Two men can handle every piece easy"
 'Turnin' farmer, Gfb 9"
 '"Thinkin' about it a Httle." the commodore admitted. Whats your rate this freight? It ain't perish able, so get down to brass tacks.''
 "A dollar a ton," declared the greedy ScraRRS er f1IIlV forty cents higher than he would have been willing to accept. Five hundred dollars for the lot.''
 Suits me-" The commodore non chalantly handed Scraggs five hun dred dollars. Gimme a receipt" he said.
 So Captain scraggs gave him a re- ceipted freight bill and MT. Gibney departed. An hour later a barge was bunted alongside the Victor and Neils Halvorsen appeared in Scraggs' cabin to inform him that the five hundred tons of freight was ready to be taken aboard.
 "All right, Neils. I'll put a gang to work right off" He came out on deck, paused, tilted his nose, and sniffed. He was still sniffing when McGuffey bounced up out of the en- zine room.
 Holy Sailor!" he shouted. 'rwho uncorked that alter O. violets?'
 ''You-dog-gone squarehead" :" shriek- ed Captain Scraggs. You been mon- keyin' around that codfsh again.
 What Smells?" demanded the mate, poking his nose out of the room.
 That tainted wealth picked up at sea-" shouted a voice from the dock, and turning, Scraggs and McGuffey observed MT. Gibney standing on 9 stringer smiling al them.
 "Gib, my dear boy" quavered Cap tain Scraggs, ''you can't mean to say you've unloaded them gosh-awful codfish-''
 'No, not yet-but soon. scraggsy, old tarpot."
 Captain scraggs was on the verge of tears: But, Gib! My dear boy. This freightn foul the Victor up for a month O F'ridays-an' I just took | outa passenger Hcense!'' I'm sorry, Scraggsy. but business is business You've took my money ! an you got to perform You lied to me. You said 1t was agricultural stuff an thought it was | blows an harrers an sich-' It's fertilizer-an' if that ain't az ricultural stuff I hope my teeth may drop out an roll in the ocean. An it ago. I ain't deceived you. An if you don't like the scent O dead cod i fish on your decks, you can swab' em ] down with Florida water for a | m nonth.''
 Captain Scra ggs' mate came around the corner of the house and address ed himself to Captain Scraggs. l You can give me my time, sir | I'm a steanIb oat mate, not a grave digger or a coroner'S assistant, or an undertker, an can't stand to handle ] this here freight
 Mir. McGuffey tossed his silken en- gineer's cap over to Scraags. | Hop on that, Scraggsy. Your own hat is ground to powder. Amt it strange, Gib, what little imagaina- | ton Scraggy's got? He'll stand there | a-screamin' am a-cussin' an a pranc- l in'0Scraggsy! Amt you got no pride 1 maxim such a spectacle O. yourself |? l We don't have to handle this freight | O Gib's at all. We'll just hook onto l that barge an tow it up river'' l (COntinued Tomorrow) II "A1- 4 Ts~T