The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-04-29
awakened Mr.. Gibney.
"What's for breakfast, Scraggsy, old
kidp" asked Mr.. Gibney.

klus uShcu MI. "lUhSSs
"Fried eggs" said Captain Scraggs,
remembering Mr.. Gibney's Partially
for, thar form of nutriment in the van
ished days of the green-pea trade.
"Ham an fried eggs an sizzliA' pot
O. coffee. Thought way out O. our
mess. Gtb?"
mot vet" replied Mr.. Gibney as he
rolled out Of bed, 'but eggs is always
stimulatin', and don't give up hope
on full stomach"
An hour later they were tied up I'M
der the coal bunkers, and at Mr.. Glib
ney's suggestion some twenty tons OF
sacked coal were piled on top Of the
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
IFS authority as supercargo, ordered
the lines cast off and the Maggie
steamed out Of the: harbOr. or 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 Il large power schooner
coming out from the lee of the Coro-
nados and standing off on course CAL
culated to intercept the Maggie In an
hour or two.
Captain Scraggs and Mr.. Gibney
sprang up on the bridge ut once, the
latter with Scraggs' long glass up to
his eye.
"She was hove to under the lee OF
the island, and the minute we came
out of the harbor and turned south
she come nOsin' after u.s." said the
mate.
. "Hum muttered Mr.. Gibney. ''Gaso-
line schooner. Two maSts and bald
headed. About a hundred and twenty
ton, I should say, and shown pretty
pair Of heels. There's somethin'. up
for'd-yes-let me see-ye-es, there's
two more-holy, sailor it's a gunboat
One of those 1oggoned gasoline coast
patrol boats, and there's the federal
flag flying Mt the fore"
LETS put back to San Diego bay"
quavercd Captain Scraggs. "Tll be
burned II relish the idee o losin' the
Maggie" ..s,e.. .'- ~,
200 ratt.s sdla:.t,,e philosophical
Cibner. "Wc're IN .Mexican waters
now, and size cam cut: us off from the
|. bay The only thing we can do is to
run for IT. and try to- lose. her after
dark. IGllzthel engineer 10 crowd her
to the limit. There ain't malcl, wind to
speak OH 50 I4aspessss I'VE can manage
to hold our own for: a while. Never
theless,, I've got u bunch that Wen be
overloaded, OF course yo,h amt got
no papers to- show, sscra ggs, and they'll
search sttes cargo, and esconfiscate US
and shoot the awheae bloomln' crowd
of us. l bet a. dollar to a. doughnu,
that fellow Lopez sold Us OUT after
the fashion of the country. can't help
thinkin' that that g,lhboat was there IS
just awaitin' for us to show up"
For several minutes Airsiihney con-
tnucd to study the gunboat until
there could no, longer he any doubt
that she intended to; Qyerhaul them
He made out TN she had long gun
ford. with a battery Of two one-p0und'
ers on top of hes. hoa,se and something
on her port quarter that looked like a
Maxim rnpid-fl,:e gum. About twenty
men, dressed in white, cloth, could be
seen on her decks ~E,N-as
Presently Mr., ,Gibney was inter
rupted by Captain Scragss pulling at
his sleeve. $TA
'You was n gunner once, wasn't you
Gib?" said Captain Scraggs In q
trembling voice.
"You bet was," replied Mr.. Gibney
"My shootin' won the trophy three
times in succession when I was on
the old Kearsarge. If had one good
gun and a lmlf-decent crew, Id knock
that gunboat silly before she knew
what had hit her." 49,.
'Glb, I've got an idec. i" said Captain
Scraggs. T.,
"Out with it," said! AlrAGibney cheer
fully. 1rF "a
There was four little cannon low
cred into the hold the last thing before
we put on the main hatch, and the am
munition to load 'emr with slowed IL
the after hold and very easy to get
at y " he
Mr.. GibneY turne1a beamang face to
the skipper, reached out his arms, and
folded Capt,tin Scrs,ggs In an embrace
thnt would have done creslit to q
grizzly bean There were genuine tear
of admiration in his eyes anp In 'his
voice when he could master his emo
tons sufficiently to, speak. s'-s.N'
"Scraggsy, old tarpot, you've been q
long time. comm through on the 1magl
nation, but You've sure arrived Will
all sail SET always thought you had
about as Ip uch neEve MS an oyster, blt
take 1t q II back. Well get out then
two little. jackass guns md fight q
naval battle. and II I don't sink that
Mexicap- gunhoat. and save the MAG MAG;