Phoenix tribune., 1922-01-14
CHAPTER v.

disturb the routine of life aboard the
Maggie, until Bartholomew McGuffey,
having heard certain waterfront whis-
pers, considered it the part of pru-
dence to lay his information before
Scraggs and Mr.. Gibney.
Look here, Scraggs," he began
briskly. TITS all fine an dandy to
promise me a new boiler but when do
l git it?"
"Why, jes' as soon as we can get
this glut O. freight behind us, Bart,
my boy. You've managed with the old
boiler this long, so it pears to me you
might be patient an bear with it a
mite longer, Bart"
'Oh, amt tryin' to be disagreeable,
Scraggs, only it sort o. worries me to
have to so along without bein' able to
use our whistle"
"We1l fix it when business slacks
up" Scraggs decided with finality. He
glanced at his watch. "Sufferin'
sailorl" he cried in simulated dis
tress. ''Here it's one o'clock an 1 amt
collected dollar O. the freight money
from the last voyage l must beat it."
When Captain Scraggs had "beaten
it." Gibney and McGuffey exchanged
expressive glances. Hes runnin' out
on us,' McGuffey complained.
"Even so, Bart. even so. Therefore,
the thing for us to do is to run out
on him. In other words, we1l work
month, save our money, an then. with
out a word O. complaint or argument,
we'll walk out"
"Oh, I amt exactly broke, Glib. 1
got eighty-five dollars"
"Then," quoth Gibney decisively,
well go on strike tonight. Scraggsyll
be stuck in port a week before he can
get another engineer an another navi-
gatin' officer, me an you bein' the
only two natural-born fools in San
Francisco an ports adjacent an be-
fore three Gays have passed he'll be
huntin' us up to compromise"
81 don't want no compromise. What
l want is a new boiler"
you'll git it. Wen make him order
the paint an the boiler an pay for
both in advance before Wen agree to
go back to work."
The engineer nodded his approval
and after sealing their pact with
hearty handshake, they turned to and
commenced discharging the Maggie
When Captain Scraggs returned to
the little steamer shortly after five
o'clock, to his great amazement, he
discovered Mr.. Gibney and McGuffey
dressed in their other suits-including
celluloid collars and cuffs.
''The cargo's out, Scraggsy, my son,
the decks has been washed down an
everything in my department is ship
shape" Thus Mr.. Gibney.
Likewise in mine," McGuffey
added.
Consequently" Mr.. Gibney con-
cluded, we're quittin' the Maggie an
if it's all the same to you Wen have
our time"
"My dear Glib. Why, whateyer's
come over you two boys?"
"Stow your chatter, Scraggs. Shell
out the cash. You've fooled us once
in the matter o. that new boiler an
the paintin', an we're not goin' to
give you a second chance. Come
through-or take the consequences.
Wen sail no more with a liar an a
fraud"
''Them's hard words, Mr.. Gibney."
'The truth is alters bitter" McGuf-
fey opined.
Captain Scraggs paused to consider
the serious predicament which con-
fronted him. 1t was Saturday night
He knew Mr.. McGuffey to be the pos
SCISSOR of more money than usual and
if he could assure himself that this
reserve should be dssipated before
Monday morning he was aware, from
experience, that the strike would be
broken by Tuesday at the latest And
he could afford that delay. He re-
solved, therefore, on diplomacy.
well, I'm sorry" he answered with
every appearance of contrition. you
fellers got me in the nine-hole an
can't help myself. At the same time.
I appreciate fully your pint of view,
while realizin' that l can't convince
you o. mine. So we won't have no
hard feelin's at partin', boys, an to
show you I'm a sport I'll treat to a
French dinner an a motion picture
show afterward. Further, I shall re-
gard refusal of said invite as a
pers'nal affront"
by golly, you're gittin' sporty in
your old age" the engineer declared.
"Tll go you, Scraggs. How about you,
Gib?"
81 accept with thanks, Scraggsy, old
tarpot. Personally, maintain that
seamen should leave their troubles
aboard ship"
''That's the sperrit 1 appreciate,
boys. Come to the cabin an I'll pay
you off. Then wait a coupler min
utes till 1 shift into my glad rags an
away Wen go, like Paddy Ford's goat
-on our. own hook"
'Old Scraggsy's as cunnin' as pet
fox, amt he?' the new navigating Off
Ger whisnered as Scra ggS deDarted