Cheyenne Wells record., 1922-04-06

flIbustering trip the Colombian revolu'
tionists had risen and struck their
blow. After the fashion Of hot
headed and impetuous people, they hnd
entered the contest absolutely un-
trained. As a result, the war had last
ed Just two weeks. the leaders had
been incontinently shot, and the white
winged dove Of peace had once more
spread her piniOns along the borders
of the Gold coast.
Commodore Gibney was disgusted be-
yond measure, and Mt special meet
Ing of the syndicate, called In the
cabin of the Maggie II that same eve
ming, 1t was finally decided that they
should embark on an indefinite trad
ing cruise In the South seas. or until
such time rs 1t seemed their services
must be required to free a d0wntrOd-
den people from tyrant's yoke.
Captain Scraggs and McGutfey had
never been in the South seas. but they
had heard that n fair margin of profit
was to be wrupy from trade In coprn,
shell, coconuts. and kindred tropical
products. They so expressed them
selves. To this suggestion. however,
Commodore Gibney waved deprecat-
| ing paw.
Legitimate trndin', boys" he said,
as nice. sane. healthy business. but
the profits is slow. What we want is
quick profits. and while 1t amt set
down In black and white, one OF the
principal objects of this syndicate is
to lead IL life of wild adventure. In
tradin'. there ain't no adventure to
speak of. We ought 20 do little
bIack-birdin'. or raid some of those
Jap pearl fisheries on the northern
coast of Formosa"
"But we'll be chased by real gun
boats If we do that" objected Captain
Scragss. "Thosc Jap gunbonts shoot
to kill. Can't you think of sometlin'
else. Gib?"
WELL" said Mr.. Gibney. "for
starter, can. Suppose we just head
straight for Kandavu island In the FL
jis, and scheme around for cargo OF
black coral? rs only worth about fif-
ty dollars pound. Knndavu lays
somewhere In latitude % SOUTH Iongi.
tude ITS west. and when I was there
last 1t was fair reekin' with cannibal
savages. But there's tons OF black
coral there, and nobody's ever been
able to sneak In and get away with
1t. Every time boat used to land ut
Kandavu. the native niggers would
have a white-mnn 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, "I'm man of peace
and 81"
"Scraggsy. old stlck-in.the-
said Mr.. Gibney, laying an affectlonate
hand on the skipper's shoulder, you're
nothin' of the sort. You're a flghtin'
tnrnntnla, 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 McGu:fcy 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 eyelnsh.
Eli, McGuffey?"
McGulrey nodded; whereupon. Cap
tain Scraggs, making but poor ef
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 nt-
tend to some trifling 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 Tn only plain
captain, but I'll follow wherever you
lead. I'll go as far us the next man
and we'll glom that black coral II we
have to slaughter every man. woman
and child on the island. Only, when
we're sizzlin' in a pot don't you uI
and say l never warned you, because
I did. How dye propose intimidatin
the natives. Gib1"
"Scraggsy," said the commodore
solemnly, we've waged a private wa
ngin a friendly nation, licked 'en
and helped ourselves to their ship
We've changed her name and rig ant
her official number and letters an,
we're sailin' under bogus papers. Thu
makes US pirates. and thiN old Maggi
burgee floatin' at the fore ain't moth
In more nor less than the jolly Roger
All right! Let's be pirates. VIII
cares2 When We slip into M'gala
harbor we'll invite the king and hi
head men aboard for dinner. Wei
get 'em drunk. clap 'em In doubl
irons. and surrender 'em to their weep
In subjects when they've filed tn
hold Of the Maggie II with blacl
coral. II they refuse to come aboar,
we'll shell the bush with that Ion,
gun and the Maxim rapid-fire gun
we've got below decks. ThatIl scar,
EN- so they'll leave us alone and W,
can help ourselves to the coral"
SCrDpVS' pn1d bIna n,,o. i,