The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-01-06
CHAPTER V-continued.
s.

Spoken like a mani do not think.
Scraggs, for once in my life l have
you where the hair is short. I'm
willin' to dig in an help out in a
pinch, but it's gettin' so me an Mac
can't trust you no more. We're that
leery of you we won't take your word
for nothin', since you fooled him on
the new boiler an me on the paint !;
consequently, we're off you an this
salvage job unless you give us clear
ance, in writin', Stain that we are
not an never was pirates, that were
good, law-abidin' citizens an aboard
the Maggie as your guests, takin' the
trip at our own risk. When you sign
such paper, with your crew for wit
nesses, I'll demonstrate how that bark
can be salvaged. My imagination's
better'n my reputation, Scraggsy, an
I amt workin' it for nOthin'!"
'Gib my dear boy. You're the most
sensitive man 1 ever sailed with.
Can't you take little joker
"Sure. l can take little joke. It's
the big ones that stick in my craw
an stif1e my friendship. Gimme a
fountain pen an leaf out O. the
log book an I'll draw up the affydavit
for your signature"
Scraggs complied precipitately with
this request, whereupon Mr.. Gibney
spread his great bulk over the chart
case and with many a twist and flip
Of his tongue on the up and down
strokes, produced this remarkable doc
ument:
"At Sea, Off Point Montara,
aboard S. S. Maggie,
"of San Francisco.
"June 4, 49,.
"This Is to certify that A. p. Gibney,
ESQ, and Bart McGuffey. Esq, is law
abidin' sitisens of the q. S. A. and
the CONSTRUCTION thereof, and in no
way pirates or such; and be 1t further
resolved that the said parties hereto
are aboard said American steamer
Maggie this date on the special invite
of Phineas P. Scraggs, owner, as his
guests and at their own risk.
"Witness my hand and SEAL"
Captain Scraggs signed without
reading and the new mate and Neils
Halvorsen appended their signatures
as witnesses. Mr. Gibney thereupon
folded this clearance paper into the
tiniest possible compact BAT, wrapped
1t in a piece Of tinfoil torn from a
package of tobacco, to protect it from
his saliva, tucked it in his cheek and
with sign for McGuffey to follow
him, started crawling over the cargo
aft. By this time the Maggie was
within a hundred yards of the dis
tressed bark and was ratching slowly
backward and forward before her.
'In all my born days. quoth Mr..
Gibney, speaking a trife thickly be-
cause of the document in his mouth,
81 never got such wallop as Scraggs
handed me an you last night. / don't
forget things like that in hurry.
Now that we got a vindieation o. the
charge o. piracy again us, I'm achin'
to get shet of the Maggie an her crew
so If you'll kindly peel off all of your
clothes with the exception, say, OF
your underdrawers, Wen swim off to
that bark an give Phineas p. Scraggs
an exhibition of real sailorizin' an
seamanship."
whats the big idee?' McGuffey
demanded cautiously.
"Why, we sail her in ourselves
me an you an glom all the salvage
for ourselves. Tell with Scraggs an
the Maggie an that new mate an
engineer. I'm off'n 'em for life"
Pop-eyed with excitement and inter-
est, B. McGuffey, Esquire. stood up,
and with single twist shed his cap
and coat. His shirts followed. Both
he. and Gibney were already minus
their shoes and socks. To slip out of
their faded dungarees was the work
Of an instant. Strapping their belts
around their waists to hold up their
drawers, the worthy pair stepped to
the rail of the Maggie.
"Hey, there? Where you goin', Glib?
give you that clearance paper on