Cheyenne Wells record., 1922-04-27

fifth DAY Captain Scraggs rainted
twice. On the twenty-sixth day NC
Guffey crawled into the shadow OF
stunted mimOsa bush and started to
pray!
It was the finish. The commodore
knew it, and sat with bowed head In
his gaunt arms, wondering. wondering.
Slowly his body began to sway; ne
muttered something, slid forward on
his face, and lay still. And as he lay
there on the threshold Of the unknown
he dreamed that the Maggie II came
into view around the headland. bone
In her teeth and every stitch Of canvas
flying. He saw her luff up into the
wind and hang there shivering; mo-
ment later her sails came down by the
run, and he saw little splash under
her port bow as her hook took bottom.
There was commotion on decks, and
then to Mr.. Gibney's dying ears came
family the shouts and songs OF the
black boys as a whalebOat shot into
the breakers and pulled swiftly toward
the beach. Mr.. GIbney dreamed that
white man sat In the stern sheets OF
this whaleboat. and as the boat
touched the beach 1t seemed to Mr.
Gibney that this man sprang ashore
and ran swiftly toward him. And
Mr.. Gibney twisted his suffering lips
into wry smile as he realized the
oddities Of this mirage-it seemed to
him that this visionary white man
bore a striking resemblance to Neils
Halvorsen. Neils Halvorsen, Of all
men! Old Neils, "the squarehead'
deckhand Of the green-pea trade! Dull,
bowlegged Neils. with his lost dog
smile and his
Mr.. Gibney rubbed his eyes feebly
and half staggered to his feet. What
was that? A shout? Without doubt
he had heard sound that was not the
moaning Of their remOrseless prison.
keeper, the sea. And
Hands off," shrieked Mr.. Glbney
and struck feebly ut the imaginary fig
ure rushing toward him. No use. He
felt himself swept Into strong arms
ana carried an Unreasonable distance
DIVA the beach. Then somebody
threw water In his face and pressed a
di nix of brandy and sweet water to
his parched lips. His swimming senses
rallied a moment, md he discovered
that he was lying In the bottom of a
w'aleboat. McGuffey lay beside him,
ard on thwart In front of him sat
good old Neils HalvOrsen with Captain
Scraggs' head on his knees. AS Mr..
Gibney looked at this strange tableau
Captain Scraggs opened his eyes.
glanced up at Neils Halvorsen, and
spoke:
"Why II It amt old squarehead
Neils," he muttered wondcringly. "If
1t amt Neils, I'll go to hades or some
other seaport" He closed his eyes
again and subsidized into sort Of leth-
nrgy, for he was content. He knew he
was saved.
Mr.. Gibney rolled over, and, strug-
Cling to his knees. leaned over Nc
Guffey and peered into his drawn face.
"Mac, old shipmnte! Mac, speak to
me. Are you allve?"
B. McGuffey. Esquire, opened pair
of glazed eyes and stared at the COM
modOre.
did we lick 'em?" he whispered.
'The last remember the king was
putin 1t all over Scraggsy. And that
Tabu boy-was-no slouch." McGuf-
fey paused, and glanced warily around
the boat, while dawning horror ap-
peared in his sunken eyes. go back.
Neils-go back-for Gods sake.
There's two niggers- -still-on the
island. Bring-'em some-water.
They're cannibals-Neils, but never
mind. Get them-aboard-the poor
devils-if they're living. wouldn't
leave a-crocodile on that-hell hole.
II l could-help It,"
An hour later the Robinson Crusoe
syndicate, including the man Friday
and the Cont, were safe aboard the
Maggie II, and Nells Halvorsen, with
the tears streaming down his bronzed
cheeks, was sparingly doing out to
them mixture OF brandy and water.
And when the syndicate was strong
enough to he allowed all the water 1t
wanted, Neils Halvorsen propped them
up on deck and told the story. When
he had finished, Captain Scraggs
turned to Mr.. Gibney.
"Gib, my dear boy" he said, "make
a notion"
II move" said the commodore, "that
we set Tabu-Tabu and the king down
on the first inhabited island we can
find. They've suffered enough. And
further move that we readjust the
ownership Of the Maggie II syndicate
and cut the best Swede on earth In on
quarter Of the profits"
Second the notion" said McGuffey.
Carried" said Captain Scraggs.