Middletown transcript., 1922-01-07

Those guns are sighted up to 1900
yards"
"Kill 'em ALL" raved McGuffey, kill
all the blasted nlggers."
When Mr.. Gibney fell under the i'm
pact Of the earthenware pot he was
only partially stunned. As he tried to
struggle to his feet half dozen hands
were laid on him and in trice he was
lifted and carried back Of the wari to
clear space where dozen heavy
teakwOOd posts stood In a row about
four feet apart. Mr.. Glbney was quick
ly stripped Of his clothing and bound
hand and foot to one Of these posts.
Three minutes later another delega-
tion Of cannibals arrived, bearing the
limp, naked body Of Captain Scraggs,
whom they bound in similar fashion to
the post beside Mr.. Gibney. Scraggs
was very white and bloody, but con-
scious, and his pale-blue eyes were
flickering like snakes.
"What's-what's-t meanin' OF
this, Glb?" he gasped.
ut MEANS" replied the commodore,
that it's all off but the shouting with
me and you, Scraggsy. This fellow
Tabu-Tabu is id traitor, and his
people are stnl cannibals. He's the
decoy to get white men ashore. They
schemed to treat us nice and be friend
ly until they could get the whole crew
ashore. or enough Of them to leave the
ship helpless, and then-O Gawd,
Scraggsy, old man, can you ever for
give me for gettin' you into this?"
Captain Scraggs hung his head and
4uivered like hooked fish.
"Will they-eat-us" he Quavered,
finally.
| Mr.. Gibney did not answer. only
Captain Scraggs looked into his hor-
rif1ed eyes and read the verdict
"Die game, Scraggsy," was all Mr..
Gibney could say. Don't show the
white feather"
"D'ye think McGuffey could hear us
from here If we was to yell for help?'
inquired Captain Scraggs hopefully.
"Don't yelp. for Gawd's sake" i'm
plored Mr.. Gibney. 1--WE got ourselves
into this, so let's pay the fiddler our
selves. If we let out one zip and Nc
Guffey hears 1t, he'll come ashore with
his crew and tackle this outfit, even II
he knows he'll get killed. And that's
just what will happen to him If he
comes. Let poor Mac stay aboard
When we don't come back, he'll know
it's all off, and If he has time to think
over 1t he'll realize 1t would be foolish
to try to do anything. But right now
Macs mad as wet hen, and If We
holler for help-Scraggsy, please dom
holler. Die game"
Captain Scraggs turned his terrified
glance on Mr.. Gibney's tortured face
Scraggs was certainly n coward a
heart. but there was something in Mr.
Gibneys unselfshness that touched ,
spot in his hard nature-a somethn,
he never knew he possessed. HI
bowed his head and two big tears stol'
down his weatherbeaten face.
"God bless you, Glib. my dear boy,
he said brokenly. you're man."
At this juncture the king came ri
and thoughtfully felt of Captain
Scraggs in the short ribs, while Tabu
Tabu calculated the precise amour
Of luscious tissue on Mr.. Glbney's well
upholstered frame.
"Bimeby we eat white man." sal
Tabu-Tabu cheerfully.
"If you eat me, you bloody-hande
beggar," snapped Captain Scragg.
"Tll pizen you. I've chawed tobacc
all my life, and my meats as bitter a
, wormwoOd."
1t was too funny to hear Scragg
, jesting with death. Mr.. Glbpey forge
his own mental agony and roared wit
=, laughter in Tabu-Tabu's face. TIL
cannibal stood off few feet an
> looked searchingly in the commodore
! eyes. He was not used to the bran
of white man who could laugh unde
r such circumstances, and he suspecte
;, treachery of some kind. He hurrie
over to join the king and the two hel
a hurried conversation. AS result
4 their conference, huge savage WI
| called over and given some instru
| tions. Tabu-Tabu handed him a ws
| club and Mr.. Gibney, rightly conjectu
ing that this was the official exec
toner, bowed his head and waited II
the blow.
n 1t came sooner than he expecte
d The earth seemed to rise up and smi
\ Adelbert P. Glbney across the fac
There was roar, as of an explosic
In his ears, and he fell forward on h
face. He had confused notion th'
: when he fell the post came with him
II For nearly a minute he lay ther
u semi-conscious, and then somethiI
warm, dripping across his face. roust
him. He moved, and found that h
feet were free, though his hands we
still bound to the post, which lay e
! tended along his back. He rolled ov
m and glanced up. Captain Scraggs W
n shrieklng. By degrees the bells qu
ringing in the commodore's ears, al
n this is what he heard Captain Scrag
|r yelling:
i "Oh, you McGuffey. Oh. you bul
4 Irish terrier. Soak 1t to 'em, Mac. X
y the beggars. You've got a dozen
'em already. Plug away, you good Q
J hunk of Irish bacon"
Mr.. Gibney was now himself on
more. He struggled to his feet, al
as he did, something burst ten fe
away and little fleecy cloud Of smo
r obscured his vision for momel
r Then he understood. McGuffey had
rapid-fre gun trained on the wari, a
~ A. ,o,,c,n ,rftt, fri1htf,,l yolIc VIC