Phoenix tribune., 1922-03-04

"My Maggie's Tail Is Shot Away"
mel. When the two vessels were less
than two miles apart the one-pounders
came into action. 1t was pretty shoot
ing and the wicked little shells ripped
through the old Maggie like buckshot
through a roll of butter Mr.. Gibney
slid fiat on the deck beside his gun
and Captain Scraggs sprawled beside
him.
"a feller," Mr.. Gibney announced.
has got to take a beatin' while lookin'
for an openin' to put over the knocs-
out blow. If the old Maggie holds to-
gether till we're within a cable length
O that schooner an we ain't ell killed
by that time, I bet I'll make them
skunks sing soft an low"
'HOw?" Captain Scraggs chattered.
with muzzle bursts" Mr.. Gibney
replied. "Tll set my fuse at zero, an
at point-blank range I'll just rake
everything off that schooner's decks.
Guess III get half dozen cartridges
set an ready for the big scene. Up
with you, Admiral Scraggs, an hold
the fuse setter steady"
I'm agin war;" Scraggs Quavered
"Gib, it's sure h-ll."
rats! It's invigoratin', Scraggsy.
There amt nothin' wrong with war,
Scraggsy, unless you happen to get
killed. Then it's like cholera. You
can cure every case except the first
one"
They had come inside the minimum
range of the Mexican's long gun now.
so that only the one-pounders con-
tinued to peck at the Maggie. Evil
IDENTIFY the Mexican was as eager to
get to close quarters as Mr.. Gibney,
for he held steadily on his course.
'Well. it's time to put over the big
stuff" Mr.. Gibney remarked presently.
Here's hopin' they don't pot me with
rife fire while I'm extendin' my COM
pliments."
As the first muzzle burst raked the
Mexican Captain Scraggs saw that
most of the terrible blast of lead had
gone too high. Nevertheless. it was
effective, for to a man the crews of
the one-pounders deserted their posts
and tumbled below; seeing which the
individual in command lost his nerve.
He was satisfied now that the internal
Maggie purposed ramming him; he had
marveled that the filibuster should
use shrapnel, after she had ranged
with shell Che did not know it was
percussion shrapneD and in sudden
panic he decided that the Maggie, NOR
tally wounded, purposed getting close
enough TO sink him with shell-fire if
she failed to ram him; whereupon the
yellow streak came through and he
waved his arms frantically above his
head in token Of surrender.
"She's hauled down her lag.
shrieked Scraggs. BE merciful, Glib.
There's men dyin' on that boat"
LAY alongside that craft" Mr. Glib
ney shouted to the helmsman. The
schooner had hove to and when the
Maggie also hove TO some thirty yards
to windward Of her Mr. Gibney in
formed the Mexican, in'atrocious Span
ish well mixed with English, that II
the latter so much as lifted his little
finger he might expect to be sunk Ike
a dog. "Down below, everybody but
the helmsman, or I'll sweep your
decks with another muzzle burst" he
Numbered.
The Mexican obeyed and Captain
Scraggs went up in the pilot house and
laid the terribly battered Maggie
alongside the schooner. The instant
she touched, Mr.. Gibney sprang
aboard, quickly followed by Captain
Scraggs, who had relinquished the
helm to his first mate.
Suddenly Captain Scraggs shouted.
"Look, Glib, for the love of the Lord,
lookl'' and pointed with his finger. At
the head of the little iron-railed com
panion-way leading down into the en-
gine room a man was standing. He
had a monkey wrench iu one hand and
a greasy rag In the other.
Mr. Gibney turned and looked at the
man.
"McGuffey. for a thousandl" he bel.
Continued Next Issue)