The Owosso times., 1922-04-21

chunk Of glory for ham and eggs,
Phineas Scraggs? Not on your life. II
1t hadn't been for you buttin' in with
your blasted, rotten hulk of fresh
water skiff, I'd"
Mr.. Gibney paused ominously and
savagely bit the end of his cigar AS
for Captain Scraggs, every drop Of
blood In his body was boiling in de-
fense of the ship he loved.
you're a, pirate" he shrilled.
"And you're just as big hornet as
always buzzin' around where you
amt wanted. But still, what's the use
of bawlin' over split milkf Well drop
into San Diego for couple Of hours
| and take on COAL and about sunset
Wen pull out and make the run down
to Descanso bay In the dark. We
might as well forget the past and put
this thing through as per program.
Only / saw visions Of schooner all
my own, Scraggsy, and-well, what's
the use? What's the use? Scraggsy,
you're q natural-born mar-plOt. AL
ways buttin' in, buttin' In, fit for moth
in but the green-pea trade. However,
| l guess l can turn into my old berth
and get some sleep. Put the old girl
under slow bell and save your coal.
Well have to fool away four or five
hours in San Diego anyhow and there
amt no sense in crOwdn' the old hulk"
"Gib," said Captain Scraggs twas
that really your lay-tO steal the
| cargo, dOuble-crOss the insurrectO
junta, and sell out to furrin' cQun-
try?'
"Of course 1t was," said Mr.. Glib
ney pettshly. "They all do such
things in the banana republics. Why
should be an exception? There's half
dozen different gangs fightin' each
other and the government in Mexico.
and If don't deliver these arms, just
see all the lives I'll be savin'. And after
l got the cargo into Colombia and
sold It, l could have peached on the
rebels there, and got reward for 1t,
and saved lot more lives, and come
away rich and respected"
"By the Lord Harry" said Captain
tion, Glib. I'll swear to that. Glib, I
take off my hat to you. You're all
tight and shipshape and no loose ends
bobbin' around you. Don't tell me tn
schemes got T. fall through, Glib. Great
snakes, don't tell me that. Amt there
some way o. gettin' around It? There
must be. Why, Glib, my dear boy,
never heard of such grand lay in my
life. It's absolute winner. Don't
give up. Glib. Oil up your imagination
and find a way out. Let's get to-
gether. Glib, and make little money.
Dang 1t all, Glib, I been lonesome ever
since l seen you last"
"Well," replied Mr.. Gibney, "Ill turn
in and try TO scheme a way out, but I
don't hold out no hope. Not ray OF
it. I'm afraid, Scraggsy, we've got to
be honest"
Saying which, Mr. Gibney hoped up
into his berth, stretched his huge legs,
and fell asleep with his clothes on.
Captain Scraggs looked him over with
the closest approach to affection that
had ever lightened his cold gray eye.
and signing heavily, presently went on
deck. AS he passed up the companion
way the first mate heard him murmur:
"Gibs fine lad. I'll be dad burned
if he amt"
At six o'clock next morning the
Maggie was rounding Point Iona,
heading in for San Diego bav, and
Captain Scraggs went below and
awakened Mr.. Gibney.
"Whats for breakfast, Scraggsy, old
kidY" asked Mr.. Gibney.
"Fried eggs,' said Captain Scraggs.
remembering Mr.. Gibney's partiality
for that form of nutriment in the van
ished days of the green-pea trade.
"Hayn an fried eggs an a sizzlin' pot
o. coffee. Thought way out O. our
mess. Gib?"
mot yet" replied Mr.. Gibney as he
rolled out of bed, "but eggs Is always
stimuatin', and don't give up hope
on a full stomach"
An hour later they were tied up un-
der the coal bunkers, and, at Mr.. Glib
ney's suggestion some twenty tons Of
fo'castle head and on the main deck
ford, in case Of emergency. They lay
In the harbor all day until about four
o'clock, when Mr.. Gibney, by virtue of
his authority as supercargo, ordered
the lines cast off and the Maggie
steamed out Of the harbor. Off Point
Iona they veered to the south, leav-
ing the Coronado islands on the star
board quarter. ten miles to the west
Mr.. Gibney was below with Captain
Scraggs, battling with the problem
that confronted them, when the mate
stuck his head down the companion
way to report large power schooner
coming out from the lee Of the Coro-
nados and standing off on a course cal
culated to intercept the Maggie In an
hour or two.
Captain Scraggs and Mr.. Gibney
sprang up on the bridge at once, the
latter with Scraggs' long glass up to
his eye.
r"She was hove to under the Ice of