The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-04-06

6fth day Captain scraggs tainted
twice. On the twenty-sixth day Nc
Guffey crawled into the shadow OF q
prayl
II was the finish. The commodore
knew II, and sat with bowed head In
his gaunt arms. wondering, wondering.
Slowly his body began TO sway; he
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, a bone
In her teeth and every stitch Of canvas
flying. He saw her luff up into the
wind and hang there shivering; a mo-
ment later her sails came down by the
run, and he saw O little splash under
her port bow as her hook took bottom.
There was a commotl0n on decks. and
then TO Mr.. Gibney's dying ears came
faintly the shouts and songs OF the
black boys as a whaleboat shot into
the breakers and pulled swiftly toward
the beach. Mr.. Glbney dreamed that
this whaleboat, and as the boat
touched the beach Il 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 mlrage-it seemed to
him that this visionary white man
bore striking resemblance to Neils
Halvorsen. Neils Halvorsen. of all
meni Old Nells, "the squarehead"
deckhand OF the green-pea trade Dull.
bowlegged Neils, with his lost dog
smile and his
Mr.. Glbney rubbed his eyes feebly
and half staggered to his feet. What
was that7 A shout7 Without doubt
he had heard a sound that was not the
moaning of their remorseless prison
keeper. the sea. And
Hands off," shrleked Mr.. Gibney
and struck feebly at the imaginary fig
ure rushing toward him. No use. He
felt himself swept into strong arms
and carried an Unreasonable distance
down the beach. Then somebody
threw water In his face and pressed a
drink Of brandy and sweet water to
his parched lips. His swimming senses
rallied moment. and he discovered
that be was lying in the bottom Of a
whaleboat. McGuffey lay beside him,
and on a thwart In front Of him sat |
good old Neiis Halvorsen with Captain |
Scraggs' head on his knees. As Mr.. |
Gibney looked at this strange tableau
Captain Scraggs opened his eyes. |
glanced up at Nells Halvorsen, and
spoke:
why II It amt old squarehead
Neils," he muttered wonderingly. "If |
II amt Nells, I'll go to hades or some
other seaport" He closed his eyes
again and subsidized into a sort OF leth-
argy. 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 shipmatel Mac, speak to
me. Are you alIveT
II. McGuffey. Esquire. opened pair
Of glazed eyes and stared at the CON-
modore.
"Did we lick 'emf" he whispered.
'The last ! remember the king was
putin II all over Scraggsy. And that
Tabu boy-was-no slouch." McGuf-
Fey paused, and glanced warily around
the boat, while dawnlng 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 cannlhals-Nells, but never
mind. Get them-aboard-the poor
levils-if they're living. I-wouldn't
cave a-crocodile on that--hell hole,
4 could--help IT,"
An hour later the Robinson Crusoe
syndicate, including the man Friday
md the Goat, were safe aboard the
Maggie II, and Nells Halvorsen with
he tears streaming down his bronzed
'heeks, was sparingly doling out to
hem mixture of brandy and water.
And when the syndicate was strong
,nough TO be allowed all the water II
wanted. Neils Halvorsen propped them
ip on deck and told the story. When
ie had finished. Captain Scraggs
urned 10 Mr.. Glbney.
"Gib, 10y dear boy" he said, make
/ motion"
Il move said the commodore. "that
We set TabI-Tabu and the king down
m the first Inhabited island we can
ind. They've suffered enough. And
urther move that We readjust the
ownership Of the Maggie II syndicate
nd cut the best Swede on earth In on
quarter Of the profits"
Second the notion" said McGuffey.
Carried" said Captain Scraggs