Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1922-01-13
CHAPTER /.

had rounded HIlar POINT at sunset and
readed north. Captain Scraggs had
been steamboating too many unprofit-
able years on San Francisco bay, the
Suisun and San Pablo sloughs and
dogholes and the Sacramento river to
be deceived as to the character of
that fog, and he remarked as much to
Mr.. Gibney. "We'd better turn back
to Halfmoon bay and tie up at the
dock" he added.
Calamity bowler. :" retorted Mr..
Glbney and gave the wheel a spoke or
two. "Scraggsy, you're enough to
make real sailor sick at the
stomach"
"But l tell you she's a tule fog, Glib.
She rises up in the marshes Of the
Sacramento and San Joaquin, drifts
down to the bay and out the Golden
gate and just naturally blocks the
wheels Of commerce while she lasts.
Why, I've known the ferry boats be-
tween San Francisco and Oakland to
get lost for hours on their twenty min
ute run-and all along Of a blasted
tule fog"
81 don't doubt your word a mite,
Scraggsy. / never did see a ferry-boat
skipper that knew shucks about
sauorizing," the imperturbable Glbney
responded. me. I'll smell my way
nome in any tule fog"
"AIaybe you can an maybe you
can't, Glib, although far be It from me
to question your ability I'll take 1t
for granted. Nevertheless, I amt
a-goin' to run the risk O. you h8vin'
catarrh o. the nose an confusin' Your
smells tonight. You amt got nothin'
at stake but your job. whereas if
lose the Maggie lose my hull for
tune. Bring her about, Glib, an let's
hustle back"
Don't be an old woman" Mr. Glib
ney pleaded "Scraggs. you just amt
got enough works inside you to fill a
wrist watch"
81 amt a-goin' TO poke around In
the dark an tule fog, feelin' for
the Golden gate" Captain Scraggs
shrilled peevishly.
HIS bells an panther tracks!
I've got my old courses, an If l foller
them we can't help gettin' home"
Captain Scraggs laid his hand on
Mr.. Gibney's great arm and tried TO
smile paternally. "Gib, my dear boy"
he pleaded, control yourself. Don't
argue with me, Glib Pm master here
an you're mate. Dc / make myself
clear?"
you do, Scraggsy. But it won't
avail you nothin' You're only master
becuz of a gentleman's agreement be-
tween US two, all because I'm man
enough to figger there's certain rights
due you as owner o. the Maggie. But
don't you forget that accordin' to the
records o the inspectors office, Tn
master of the Maggie, an the way
fgger 1t, whenever there's any call to
show little real seamanship, that
gentleman's agreement don't stand"
But this amt one O. them times,
Glib"
You're whistlin' It is. If we run
from this here fog, It's skiffs to bat
Ueships we don't get into San Fran
cisco bay an discharged before six
o'clock tomorrow night. BY the tire
we've taken on coal an water an
What-all, it'll be eight or nine o'clock,
with me an McGuffey entitled to
mebbe three dollars overtime an
havin' 70 argue an scrap with you to
Git it-not to speak O. havin' to put to
sea the same night SOS to be back in
Halfmoon bay to load bright an early
next mornin' Seraggsy, I amt no
night bird an this run"
~ you mean to defy me, Gib?"
Captain Scraggs' little green eyes
cleaned balefully. Mr.. Gibney looked
down upon him with tolerance, as a
Great Dane gazes ppon a fox terrier.
l certainly do, Scraggsy, old pepper
pot" he replied calmly. "What're yOu
go'n' to do about itT' The ghost Of a
smile lighted his jovial countenance.
"Nothin'-now. I'm helpless" Cap
tain Scraggs answered with deadly
calm. "But the minute we hit the
dock you an me parts company"
Il don't know whether we will or
not Scraggsy. I amt heeled right
financially to hit the beach on such
short notice"
TN get the police to remove you,
you blistered pirate" Scraggs
screamed, now quite beside himself.
Yes? Well, the minute they let so
. me I'll come back to the S. S. Mag
gle and tear her apart just to see
what makes her 60" He leaned out
The pilot-house window and shifted.
lule fog, all right, Scraggs. Still.
mat amt no reason why the ships
company should fast, is it7 Quit bick-
erin With nae, little one. an see If you
es" : wrastle up some ham an eggs.
want my esss sunny side up"
Sensing the futility of further argu-
ueE;. Captain acraggs sought solace
stream OF adjectival opprobrium.