The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-02-17

ming, it was finally decided that they
should embark on an indefinite trad
ing cruise in the South seas, or until
such time as 1t seemed their services
must be required to free downtrod-
den people from q tyrant's yoke.
Captain Scraggs and McGuffey had
never been in the South seas, but they
had heard that fair margin of profit
was to be wrung from trade in copra,
shell, coconuts, and kindred tropical
products. They so expressed them
selves. To this suggestion, however,
ing paw.
Legitimate tradin, boys" he said,
"is a nice, sane, healthy business. but
the profits is slow. What we want is
quick profits, and while it amt set
down in black and white, one of the
principal objects Of this syndicate is
to lead a life of wild adventure. In
tradin', there amt no adventure to
speak of. We ought to do little
black-birdin', or raid some of those
Jap pearl fisheries off the northern
coast Of Formosa."
But Wen be chased by real gun
boats if we do that" objected Captain
Scraggs. 'Those Jap gunboats shoot
to kill. Can't you think of somethin'
else, Gib?"
"Well," said Mr.. Gibney, "for a
starter, can. Suppose we just head
straight for Kandavu island in the FL
jis, and scheme around for a cargo of
black coral? It's only worth about fiji
ty dollars pound. Kandavu lays
somewhere in latitude % south, longi-
tude 17S west, and when l was there
last it was fair reekin' with cannibal
sayages. But there's tons of black
coral there, and nobodys ever been
able to sneak in and get away with
it. Every time boat used to land at
Kandavu, the native niggers would
have a white-man stew down on the
beach, and it's got so that shippers
give the island wide BERTH"
"Gib, my dear boy" chartered Cap
tain Scraggs, "Tm a man of peace
and IL"
"Scraggsy, old stick-in-the-mud,"
said Mr.. Gibney, laying an affectionate
hand on the shippers shoulder, you're
nothin' of the sort You're a fightin'
tarantula, and nobody knows 1t bet
tern Adelbert P. Gibney. I've seen
you in action, Scraggsy. Remember
that. It's all right for you to say
you're man of peace and advise me
and McGuffey to keep out of the track
of trouble, but we know that away
down low you're goin' around lookin'
for blood, and that once you're up agin
the enemy, you never bat an eyelash.
Eth, McGuffey?"
McGuffey nodded; whereupon, Cap
tain Scraggs, making but a poor eff
fort to conceal the pleasure which Mr..
Gibney's rude compliment afforded
him, turned to the rail, glanced sea-
ward, and started to walk away to at
tend to some trifiing detail connected
with the boat falls.
"All right, Glib, my lad" he said,
affecting to resign himself to the inev-
liable, ''have it your own way. You're
commodore and I'm only a plain
captain, but I'll follow wherever you
lead. I'll go as far as the next man
and We'll glom that black coral if we
have to slaughter every man, woman
and child on the island. Only, when
were sizzlin' in pot don't you UP
and say never warned you, because
| did. How dye propose intimidatin'
the natives. Gib?"
''Scraggsy," said the commodore,
solemnly, we've waged private war
agin a friendly nation, licked em
and helped ourselves to their ship.
We've changed her name and rig and
her official number and letters and
we're sailin' under bogus papers. That
makes us pirates, and that old Maggie
burgee fioatin' at the fore amt moth
in more nor less than the Jolly Roger.
All right! Let's be pirates. Who
cares? When we slip into M'galao
harbor We'll invite the king and his
head men aboard for dinner. Well
get 'em drunk, clap 'em in double
irons, and surrender 'em to their weep.
in subjects when they've filled the
hold of the Maggie II with black
coral. If they refuse to come aboard
We'll shell the bush with that long
gun and the Maxim rapid-f1re guns
we've got below decks. That'll scare
EN- so they'll leave us alone and we
can help ourselves to the coral"
Scraggs' cold blue eyes glistened
Lord. Glib" he murmured, you've
got a head"
Like playin' post-office," was Nc.
Guffey's comment.
The commodore smiled. II thought
YOU boys would see it that way Now
tomorrow I'm going ashore to buy three
divin' outfits and lay in a big stock
of provisions for the voyage. In the
meantime, while the carpenters are
gettin' the ship into shape, we'll leave
the first mate in charge while we 90
ashore and have good time. I've
seen worse places than Panama"
As result of this conference Mr.
tiibney'S suggestions were acted uD.
on. and they cOntrived to make their
brief stay in Panama very agreeable
They inspected the work on the canal
maryeled at the stupendous engineer
ing in the Culebra Cut, drank a little
gambled little. McGuffey whipped
bartender. He was ordered arrested
and six spiggoty little policemen. sent
to arrest him, were also thrashed. The
reserves were called out and a riot
ensued. Mr.. Gibney, following the
motto of the syndicate, /. e.,
4