The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-03-17
CHAPTER xlV-continued.


McGuffey was plainly disappointed.
81 hadn't thought O. that at all Glib.
been cherishin' the thought O. lammin'
the whey out'n that mate. but if you
say so I'll give up the idee. But if
bringin' the Maggie II into home wa
tiers is invitin' death, what in blue
blazes're we goin' to do with her?"
Mr.. Gibney smiled-an arch, cunning
smile. wen give her to that MUIR
derin' mate, free gratis"
Captain Scraggs bounded out of his
chair, struck the hot deck with his
bare feet, cursed, and hoped back
into the chair again. McGuffey stared
incredulously. "Gib, my dear boy"
quavered Scraggs. SAY that agin."
Yes" continued the commodore
placidly, well Just get shet O. her
peaceable like by givin' her to this
mate. Don't forget, Scraggsy, old tar
pot, that this mates been passin' him.
self off for you in Honolulu, an If
there's ever an investigation, the trail
leads to the Maggie II. This mates
admitted being Captain Scraggs, an If
he's found with the schooner In his
possession it'll take heap o. evidence
for him to prove that he amt Captain
Scraggs. Well just keep this here mate
in the brig while we're disposing of
our black coral, pearl, shell and copra
In Honolulu, an then, when we've
cleaned up, an got our passages
booked for San Francisco"
'But who says we're goin' back to
San Francisco?" cut In McGuffey.
why, where else would men with
money in their pockets head for, you
ofl-soaked piece of ignorance? Amt
you had enough adventure to do you a
spell" demanded Captain Scraggs.
"Me an GIBBS for goin' back to San
Francisco, So shut up. II you got any
objection, you're outvoted two to one
In the syndicate"
McGuffey subsidized, growing, and
Mr.. Gibney continued:
when we're ready to leave Homo
lulu, We'll bring this mate on deck.
make him kind Christian talk an
give him the Maggie II with the COM
pliments o the syndicate. He'll think
our sufferin's on that island has
touched US with religion an he'll be so
tickled he'll keep his mouth shut.
Then, with all three of US safe an out
o. the mess, an the evidence off our
hands. We'll clear out for Gawd's coun-
try an look around for some sort Of a
profitable investment
The commodore sighed. "She's a
love Of boat an IT breaks my heart
to give up the only command I've ever
had, but the fact is, Mac, her possess
sion by US is dangerous, an we don't
need her, an we can't sell her because
her records got blurs on it. We can't
convey a clean an satisfactory title.
Anyhow. she didn't cost US a cent an
there amt no real financial loss if we
give her to this mate He'd be glad to
get her If she had yellow jack aboard,
an if he's caught with her he'll have
70 do the explainin'. When you're
caught with the goods in your posses
sion. Mac, it makes the explainin' all
the harder. Besides, we're three to
one, an If 1t comes to a showdown
later we can outswear the mate"
Captain Scraggs picked his snaggIe
teeth with the little blade of his Jack
knife and cogitated a minute.
well" he announced presently, star
be it from me to fly in the face o. a
felon's death. I've made a heap o.
money, follerin' GIBBS advice. an bust
my bob-stay if don't stay put on this.
Glib. it's your lsad."
well, I'll follow suit. GIBBS got an
the trumps," geqGiesced the engineer
"We got plenty O. dough an no board
bills comm die, so Wen loaf along
shore until Glib digs up sometain'
good"
"How about Neils?' queried CaptaIn
Scraggs. DO we continue to let that
ex-deckhand in on our fortunesr
"If Neils Halvorsen had asked vou
that question when he come to rescue
you the day you lay a-dyin' o. thirst
on that desert island, wouldn't you
have said yes?-
"Sure pop
Then don't ask no questions that's
unworthy Of you," said Mr.. Gibney Sc
verely. II don't want TO see none o.
them green-pea trade ethics croppin'
up in you, Scraggsy. II 1t wasn't for
that Swede the sea-gulls'd be pickin'
our bones now. Neils Harvorsen is in
cluded in this syndicate for good"
Amen" This from the honest Nc
Guffey.
-Meetin's adjourned" said Captain
Scraggs icily.
Under the direction Of the crafty
commodore, the valuable cargo of the
Maggie II was disposed OF In Homo
lulu. During the period while the
schooner lay at the dock dischargfng.
Captain Scraggs and McGuffey pru-
IDENTIFY remained In the cabin with the
perfdious mate, IN order that. should
an Investigation be undertaken later
by the Treasury department. no man
might swear that the real Phineas
Scraggs, flibuster, had been I'm Homo
lulu on certain date. The Kanaka
crew OF the schooner Mr.. Gibney man.
aged to ship with an old shipmaster
friend bound for New Guinea. so their
testimony was out Of the way for a
while. at least.
When the Maggie II was finally dis
charged and the proceeds OF her rich
cargo nestled, in crisp bills of large
denomination In q money hoIt undor
Mr.. Gbney's armpits and next his ras-
cally skin, he purchased ticsets und
assumed names for himself. scragga,