The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-02-09

|
spice t tn grand openin', I'm willin'
to bet again my own best judgment
an lay you even money, Scraggsy,
that it amt ginseng, but Oriental
| goods"
"rll go you FIVE dellars, Just fr
ducks" responded Captain Scraggs
heartily. "McGufrey to hold the stakes
an decide the bet"
"Done," replied Mr.. Gibney. The
money was placed In McGuffey's
hands, and a moment later, with
mighty effort, Mr.. Gibney pried off
the lid of the crate. Captain Scraggs
had his head inside the box fifth of
second later.
"Sealed zinc box inside" he an
nounced. "Get a can opener. Glib, my
boy"
Ginseng, for thousand" mourned
Mr.. Gibney. "Scraggsy, you're five
dollars of my money to the good. Gin
seng always comes packed in alr-tlght
boxes"
He produced a can opener from the
cabin locker and fell to his work on
corner Of the Theoretically sealed box.
AS he drove In the point Of the can
opener. he paused. hammer In hand,
and gazed solemnly at Scraggs and
McGufey.
"Gentlemen." (sgain McGuffey
nodded approvingly) do you know
what vacuum isT
II know" replied the imperturbable
McGuffey. "a vacuum is an empty
hole that aint got nothin' In IT,"
Correct" said Mr.. Gibney. my
head is a vacuum. Me talkin' about
ginseng rootl Why. must have wa
ter on the brain! Ginseng be dog
gonedi It's opium!"
| Captain Scraggs was forced to grab
the seat of his chair In order to keep
himself from jumping up and clasp
ing Mr.. Gibney around the neck.
Forty dollars pound" he gasped.
"Gib-GiL. my dear boy-you've made
us wealthy"
Quickly Mr.. Gibney ran the can
opener around the edges of one corner
of the zinc box, inserted the claws Of
the hammer into the opening. and
with quick, melodramatic twist, bent
back the angle thus formed.
Mr.. Gibney was the first to get a
peep inside.
"Great snakes!" he yelled. and fell
back against the cabin wall. A hoarse
scream of rage and horror broke from
Captain Scraggs. In his eagerness he
had driven his head so deep into the
box that he came within an inch of
kissing what the box contained-which
happened to be nothing more nor less
than a dead Chinaman Mr.. McGuf-
fey, always slow and unimaginative,
shouldered the skipper aside, and
calmly surveyed the CHASTITY apparl-
tion.
"Twig the yellow beggar, will you,
Gibf" said McGuffey; zone eye half
open for all the world like he was
winkin' at us an epjoyin' tn joke"
Not a muscle twitched in McGuf-
feys Hibernian countenance. He
scratched his head for a moment, as
a sort IF frst aid to memory, then
turned and handed Mr.. Gibney ten dol
lars.
"You win, Glib. It's Oriental goods
sure enough"
"Robber I" shrieked Captain Scraggs,
and flew at Mr.. Gibney's throat. The
sight reminded McGuffey Of a terrier
worrying a mastiff. Nevertheless, Mr.
Gibney was still so unnerved at the
discovery Of the horrible contents OF
the box that, despite his gigantic pro
portions. he was well-nlgh helpless.
"McGuffey, you swab," he yelled
"Pluck this maritime outlaw of my
neck. He's tearin' my windplpe out
by tn roots"
, McGunfey choked Captain Scragg,
until he reluctantly let go Mr.. Gibney
whereupon all three fed from the cab
, In as from pestilence, and gathered
an angry and disappointed group. Out
, on deck.
! "Opium" |" jeered Captain Scraggs
, with tears of rage In his voice. "Gin
! seng! You and your imagination, yor
j swine, you'll Get of my ship, you lout
or I'll murder you"
, Mr.. Gibney hung his head.
"Scraggsy-an' you. too, McGuffey--
! got to admit that this here is one or
' Adelbert p. Gibney. IL"
] "Oh, hear him." shrilled Captain
Scraggs. "One on him It's two OF
' you, you bloody-handed rngpIcker.
8 suppose that other case contains
: opium. too! II there amt anothel
e dead corpse In No. 2 case I hope IN.
b teeth may drop overheard"
I "Shut up" beloved Mr.. Gibney. II
Z towering rage. what howl hav,
: you got comm? They're my China
J. men. ain't theyf paid for 'em lik'
n man, didn't II All right, then. II
9 keep them two Chlnamen. You tw,
amt out a cent yet. an as for thi
J. five wins on you, Scraggs, It's bloc,
money; that's what n is, an hereb.
1 gives II back to you. Now. quit ye
, whinin'. or by the tail o. the Grea
s Sacred Bull. I'll lock you UP all nigh
- - A.A