The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1922-02-24
CHAPTER x.

pleasant, amt itr' said Mr.. Gibney,
and spat on the deck of the Maggie II.
"Right-o." replied Captain Scraggs
cheerily, though when was young
Teller and first went to sea. 1t wasn't
considered no pleasantly to spit on a
nice clean deck. You might cut that
out, Glib. It's vulgar"
''Passin' over the fact, Scrnggs. that
you aln't got no call to jerk me up on
sea ettycat. more particular since I'm
the master and managin' owner Of this
here schooner, I'm free to confess,
Scraggsy, that your observation does
you credit. just did that to see IL
you was goin' to take as big an Inter-
est In the new Maggie rs you did In
the old Maggie, and the fact that you
object to Inc expectOratin' on the deck
proves to me that you're leavin' behind
you all them bay scow tendencies of
the green-pea trade. 1t leads me to be-
lieve that you'll rise to high rank and
distinction In the Colombian navy.
Your fin, Scraggsy. Expectoratin' on
the decks is barred, and the Maggie III
goes under navy discipline from now
on. Am right?"
Fright as right whale" said Cap
tain Scraggs. "And now that you've
given that old mate Of mine the course,
and we've temporarily plugged up the
holes in this here Mexican gunboat.
and everything points to a safe and
profitable voyage from now on, sup
pose you delegate me as committee
of one to brew scuttle of grog, after
which the syndicate holds q mettin'
and lays out a course for its future
conduct. There's few questions or
rank and privileges that ought to be
settled once and for all, so there can't
be no comeback"
"The point is well taken and II Is
Sc ordered" said Mr.. Gibney, who had
once held office in Harbor 10, Master
and Pilots Association of America. and
knew a fragment or two of parlia-
mentary law. "Rustle up the grog, call
McGuffey up out of the engine room,
and Wen hold the meetin'."
Twenty minutes later Scraggs came
connection Of kettle of whisky punch !;
whereupon the three Adventures went
below and sat down at the cabin table
for conference.
81 move that Glib be appointed presi-
dent Of the syndicate" said Captain
Scraggs.
Second the notion" rumbled Nc
Guffey.
"The notions carried" said Mr.. Glib
ney. and banged the table with his
horny fist. "The meetin' will please
come to order. The chair hereby APP
points Phineas Scraggs secretary Of
the syndicate, to keep record Of this
and all future meetin's OF the board
7 will now entertain propositions of
any and all natures, and invite the
members of the board to knock the
stopper out of their jaw tackle and
go to It,"
Il move" said Captain Scraggs, shat
r. McGulfey, Esquire, be, and he is
hereby appointed, chief engineer of the
Maggie III at salary not to exceed
the wage schedule of the Marine En-
gineers' Association of the Pacific
coast and that he be voted a
one-fourth interest in the vessel and
all subsequent profits"
Second the notion said Mr.. Glib
ney, "and not to hamper the business
of the meetin'. Wen just consider that
motion carried unanimous"
b. McGuffey, Esquire, rose, bowed
his thanks and sat down again, APP
parently very much confused. It was
evident that he had something to say,
but was having difficulty framing his
thoughts in parliamentary language.
"Heave away, Mac" said Mr.. Glib
ney.
Cast Off your lines, McGufrey,"
chirped Scraggs.
Thus encouraged, McGuffey rose,
bowed his thanks once more, moistened
his larnyx with gulp of the punch,
and spoke:
'Feller members and brothers of the
syndicate: In the management of the
deck department of this new craft of
ourn. my previous knowledge of the
worthy president and the unworthy
secretary leads me to believe that
there's goin' to be trouble. A ship
divided agin herself must surely go
on her beam ends. Now, Scraggsy
here has been master so long that the
juice of authority has sorter soaked
into his marrer bones. For twenty
years It's been Howdy do, Captain
Scraggs,' Have drink, Captain
Scraggs' Captain Scraggs this an
Captain Scraggs that don't mean
no ofrense. gentlemen, when 1 state
that you can't teach an old dog new
tricks. No man that's ever been a
master makes good mate. On the
other hand, Icreallze that Glib here
has been a-pantin' and a-bellyachin'
all his life to get a ship Of his own
an have folks call him Captain Glib
ney.' Now that he's gone an. done
1t. l say he's entitled to It But the
fact OF the whole thing is, GIBBS the
natural lender of the expedition or
whatever It's goin' to he. and he can't
have his peace of mind wrecked and
his plans disturbed a-chasin' sailors