The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-05-02
Continued from last issue)


"Where do come in, Gb?" asked
Captain Scraggs modestly.
swell, SEEM as the Maggie 'has two
holes through her hull below the wa
terline, and is generally nScked to
pieces, you might quit askin' questions
and get back aboard and put the
humps on her. You're lucky II she
don't sink on you before we get to Des-
canso bay. If she sinks, don't worry.
I'll give you a job as my first mate
Mac, you're my engineer, but not at no
fancy Mexican price. I'll pay you the
union scale and not blasted cent
more or less. Is that fair?'
McGuffey said it was, and went be-
low to tune up his engine. MIR. Giohey
took the wheel of the guEboat. ana
sent Captain Scraggs back ABOARD 'ne
Maggie, and in a few minutes Dotil
vessels were bowling along toward
Descanso bay. They were off the Day
at midnight, and while with Mr.. CID
new in command of the federal gun
boat Captain Scraggs had nothing to
fear, the rapid rise Of water III the
hold Of the Maggie was sadly d'scoh-
certing. About daylight he made up
his mind that she would sink within
two hours, and without pausing 10
whine over his predicament, he
promptly beached her. She drove 1ar
I'D the beach, with the Slack water
breaking around her Scared stern, anu
when the tide ebbed she lay high and
dry. And the rebel soldiers came
trooplng down from the Megano
rancho and falling upon her carcass
like so many ants, quickly distributed
her cargo amongst them, and cisup-
peared.
Captain Scraggs sent his crew out
aboard the captured gunboat to assist
Mr.. Gibney in rowing his prisoners
ashore, and when finally he stood
alone beside the wreck of the brave
old Maggie, piled up at last in the port
of missing ships, something snapped
within his breast and the big tears
rolled in quick succession down his
sun-tanned cheeks. The old hulk
looked peculiarly pathetic as she lay
there, listed over on her beam ends.
She had served him well, but she had
finished her last voyage, and with some
vague idea Of saving her old bones
from vandal hands, Captain Scraggs,
sobbing audibly, scattered the contents
of half dozen cans of kerosene over
her decks and in the cabin, lighted
fires In three different sections Of the
wreck, and left her to the consuming
flames. Half an hour later he stood
on the battered decks Of the gunboat
beside Gibney and McGuffey and
watched the dense clouds Of smoke
that heralded the passing Of the Mag
gle.
"She was good old hulk" said
Mr.. Gibney. "And now, rs the spc-
cial envoy of the Liberal army Of Mex
leo, here's n draft on Los Angeles for
five thousand bucks, Scraggsy, which
constitutes the balance due you on
this here filbuster trip. OF course,
/ needn't remind you, Scraggsy, that
you'd never have earned this money If
1t hadn't been for Adelbert 2. Glbney
workln' his Imagination overtime.
I've made you chunk Of money, and
while I couldn't save your ship, did
save your life. AS reward for all
this, don't claim one cent Of the
money due you, as ! could II I wanted
to be rotten mean. I'm gOin' to keep
this fine little power schooner for my
share Of the loot. She's niCked up
some, but that only bears evidence to
what bully good shot am. and 1t
won't take much to fix her up all ship
shape again. Usin' high bursts
shrapnel uin't very destructive. All
them bumps an scratches can be
planned down. But we'll have to do
some mendin' on her canvas-I'll tell
the world. She's called the Rctna
Maria. but I'm going to ruin her to
Panama and change her name. She'll
be known as Maggie II. on of re-
spcct for the old girl That's burnin
up there on the beach,"
Captain Scraggs was so touched at
this delicate little tribute that he
turned away and burst into tears.
Jaw, shut up. Scraggsy. old hunks y
said McGuffey consolingly. "You
amt got nothin' to cry about. You're
rich man. Look at me. / amt
a-bawlin', am I? And don't get SC
much as bean out Of this miS-up
all on account of me bein' tied up
with lot of hounds that quits fight
in before they're half licked"
"That's So" said Captain Scrnggs
wiping his eyes with his grimy fists
! Il declare you're out in the cold, NC
Guffey, and it amt right. Glib. nj,
, boy, us three has had some stirrin
times together and we've had our dit
ferences, but I amt a-goin' to thin
of them past griefs. The sight O you
single-handed, meetin' and annihilati
the pride of the Mexican navy, cain
in tn moment O. despair, generous II
victory and delicate as blazes to :
: fallen shipmate. goin' to work an
namin' your vessel after him tina. way
=. 49, 49, F..
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