Phoenix tribune., 1922-02-04

Guffey. "They are consigned to q
Chinaman, an besides, that's what 1t
says on the cases, don't it, Gib7 Orr
entail goods, Scraggs, is silks an satins,
rice, chop suey, punk, an idols am
fan tan layouts."
IF there amt Swiss cheese move-
ments in that head block of yours,
Mac, you and Scraggsy can divide my
share o. these two boxes o. ginseng
root between you. Do you get it, you'll
chuckleheaded son Of a Irish potato? 2?
Gin Seng, TIA Dupont street. Ginseng
"a root or a herb that medicine isl
made out Of. The dictionary says it'sl
Chinese panacea for exhaustion, anil
L happen to know that it's worth fiveI
dollars a pound an that them twol
crates weighs hundred and fftyI
pounds each if they weighs an ounce.
His auditors stared at Mr.. GibneyI
much as might pair of baseball fans
at the hero of home run with twoI
strikes and the bases full.
"Gawdl" muttered McGuffey.
"Great grief, Glib Can this be pos
sible?" gasped Captain Scraggs.
For answer Mr.. Gibney took out hisl
ffty-dollar bill and handed it to-tol
McGuffey. He never trusted CaptainI
Scraggs with anything more valuablel
than pipeful of tobacco.
"Scrsggsy," he said solemnly, "Tml
willin' to back my imagination with
my cash. You an McGuffey hurryI
right over to the warehouse an buttl
in on the sale when they come to theml
two boxes. The sale is. just about
startin' now. Go as high as you thru |
you can in order to get the ginseng at
profitable figger, an pay the auc-
tioneer fifty dollars down to hold the
sale7 that will give you boys time to
rush around to dig up the balance OIL
the money. Tack right along now,
lads, while go down the street an
get me some breakfast. l don't wantI
Blumenthal to see me around that sale.
He might get suspicious. After l eatl
I'll meet you here aboard tn Maggie
an We'll divide the loot"
With a fervent handshake ALL
around, the three shipmates parted
After disposing Of a hearty break
fast of devilled lambs kidneys and
coffee, Mr.. Gibney invested in a ten
cent Sailors Delight and strolled down
to the Maggie. Neils Halvorsen, the
lone deckhand, was aboard, and the
moment Mr.. Gibney trod the Maggie's
deck once more as mate, he
exercised his prerogative to order
Neils ashore for the remainder
of the day. Since Halvorsen was not
in on the ginseng deal, Mr.. Gibney
concluded that it would be just as well
to have him out Of the way should
Scraggs and McGuffey appear unex-
pectedly with the two cases of gin
seng.
For an hour Mr.. Gibney sat on the
stern bits and ruminated over a few
advantageous plans that had occurred
to him for the investment of his share
of the deal should Scraggs and Nc
Guffey succeed in landing what Mr..
Gibney termed "the loot" About eleven
o'clock an express wagon drove in on
the dock, and the mates dreams were
pleasantly interrupted by a gleeful
shout from Captain Scraggs, on the
lookout forward with the driver. Nc
Guffey sat on top of the two cases
With his legs dangling over the end
of the wagon. He was the picture Of
contentment
Mr.. Gibney hurried forward, threw
out the gangplank, and assisted Nc
Guffey in carrying, both crates aboard
the Maggie and into her little cabin.
Captain Scraggs thereupon dismissed
the expressman, and all three part
ners gathered around the dining room
table, upon which the boxes rested.
well, Scraggsy old pal, old scout,
old socks, I see you've delivered the
goods" said Mr.. Gibney, batting the
skipper across the cabin with an affec-
tionate slap on the shoulder.
II did," said, Scraggs-and cursed
Mr.. Gibney's demonstrativeness
Here's the bill O. sale all regular.
McGuffey has the change. That bunch
O. Israelites run tn price up to $1,000
each Oh these two crates O. ginseng,
but when they see we're determined
to have 'em an amt interested inI
nothin' else, they let's 'ein go to us.
McGuffey, my dear boy, whatever arel
you a-doin' there-standin' around
with your teeth in your mouth? Skip
down into tn engine room and bring
up BANNER an col chisel. Wen
open her up an inspect tn swag."
Upon McGuffeys return, Mr.. Gibney
took charge. He drove the chisel un-
der the lid of the nearest crate, and
prepared to pry it loose. Suddenly
he paused. A thought had occurred
to him.
Gentlemen" he said (McGuffey
nodded his head approvingly), ''this|
world is full O. sorrers an disappoint-
ments, an it may we'll be that these
two cases don't contain even so much
as smell O. ginseng after all. It
may be that they are really Oriental
goods. What want distinctly UNDER
stood is this: no matter what's inside.
we share equally in the profits. even