Cheyenne Wells record., 1922-04-06
like playln'. post-ofice," was Nc

Like playin'. post-office,' was NC
| Guffey's comment.
The commodore smiled. Il thouSht
YOU boys would see it that way. no"
tomorrow I'm going ashore to buy three
diyin' outfits and lay In Dig stoch
of provisions for the voyage. In tiie
meantime, while the carpenters are
gettin' the ship into shape, well lea'e
the first mate In charge while we 90
ashore and have a good time. I've
| seen worse places than Panama.
AS A result of this conference MT.
GIbney's suggestions were acteo up
on, and they contrived to make the'r
brief stay In Panama very agreeable.
They inspected the work on the canal.
MIR, eled at the stupendous engineer
ing In the Culebra Cut, drank a little.
gumbled a little. McGuffey whipped
bartender. He was ordered arrested
and six spiggoty little policemen. sent
to arrest him, were also thrashed. Inc
reserves were called out and riot
ensued. Mr.. Gibney. following the
motto of the syndicate, l. e..
All for one and one for all,
United we stand, divided we fall.
mixed In the conflict and presently
found himself In durance vile. Cap
tain Scrnggs, luckily, forgot the mot
to and escaped. but inasmuch as ne
was Oh hand next morning to pay
fine of thirty pesos levied against each
of the culprits, he was instantly for
given. Mr.. Gibney vowed that II u
United States cruiser didn't happen
to be lying in the roadstead. he would
have shelled the town In retaliation.
But eventually the days passed. and
the Maggie II, well found and ready
for sea, shook out her sails to fair
breeze and sailed away for kandavu.
She kept well to the southwest until
she struck the southeast trades, when
she swung around on her course, head
ed straight for her destination. II
WAS pleasant voyage. devoid of In
cident, and the health Of all hands
was excellent. Mr.. Gibncy took daily
observations, and was particular to
make daily entries In his log when
he, Scraggs, and McGuffey were not
playing cribbage. game of which all
three were passionntely fond.
On the afternoon of the twenty-ninth
day after leaving Panama the lookout
reported land. Through his glasses
Mr.. Gibney made out cluster of tall
palms ut the southerly end OF the Is
land. and as the schooner held laZily
on her course he could discern the
white breakers foamlng over the reefs
that guarded the entrance to the har-
Dor.
That's Knndavu. all right" nn-
nounced the commodore. 81 was there
in 80 with Bill McGinty In the schoon-
er Dashin' Wave. There's the entrance
to the harbor, with the Esk reefs to
the north and the Pearl reefs to the
south. The channels very narrow
not more than three cables, II It's that,
but there's plenty of water and
good muddy bottom that'll hold. Nc
Guffcy, lad, better run below and tune
up your engines. It's too dangerous
al DussNSc VII all eDD-lluc IL sulllu
vessel. SO we'll run In under the pow
er. Scrnggsy, stand by and when ]
give the word have your crew shorten
sail"
Within few minutes long white
streak opened up In the wake OF the
announcing that McGuffey's
engines were doing duty, and nice
breeze springing up two points aft
the beam, the Maggie heeled over and
fairly flew through the water. Mr.. Glib
ney smiled an ecstatlc smile as he
took the wheel and guided the schoon-
er through the channel, He rounded
her ur In twelve fathoms, and within
five minutes every stitch Of canvas
was clewed down hard and fast. The
sun was setting as they dropped an.
chor. and Mr.. Gibney had lanterns