Phoenix tribune., 1922-02-18

Mr.. Gibney paused ominously and
savagely bit the end of his cigar. AS
for Captain Scraggs, every drop Of
blood in his body was boiling in de-
fense of the ship he loved.
you're a pirate" he shrilled.
"And you're just as big a hornet as
you ever was" replied Mr.. Gibney.
always buzzin' around where you
amt wanted. But still, what's the use
of bawlin over split milk? Wen drop
into San Diego for a couple Of hours
and take on coal, and about sunset
Wen pull out and make the run down
to Descanso bay in the dark. We
might as well forget the past and put
this thing through as per program.
Only ] saw visions of a schooner all
my own, Scraggsy, and-well, what's
the use? What's the use? Scraggsy.
you're q natural-born mar-plOt. Al
ways buttin' in, buttin' in, fit for moth
in but the green-pea trade. However,
I guess can turn into my old berth
and get some sleep. Put the old girl
under slow bell and save your coal.
Wen have to fool away four or five
hours in San Diego anyhow and there
amt no sense in crowdin' the old hulk"
"Gib." said Captain Scraggs, "was
that really your lay-to steal the
cargo, doubIe-cross the insurrecto
junta, and sell out to a furrin' coun-
try?"
"Of course it was" said Mr.. Glib
ney pettishly. "They all do such
things in the banana republics. Why
should be an exception? There's half
a Gozen different gangs fightin' each
other and the government in Mexico,
and if l don't deliver these arms, just
see all the lives Tlfbe savin'. And after
! got the cargo into Colombia and
sold it, I could have peached on the
rebels there, and got a reward for it,
and saved a lot more lives, and come
away rich and respected"
"By the Lord Harry" said Captain
Scraggs, "but you've got an imagina-
tion, Glib. I'll swear to that. Glib,
take off my hat to you. You're all
tight and shipshape and no loose ends
bObbin' around you. Don't tell me tn
schemes got T. fall through, Glib. Great
snakes, don't tell me that. Amt there
some way o. gettin around it? There
must be. Why, Glib, my dear boy,
never heard of such a grand lay in my
life. It's a absolute winner. Don't
give up, Glib. Oil up your Imagination
and find a way ont. Let's get to-
gether, Glib, and make a little money.
Dang It all, Glib, I been lonesome ever
since / seen you last"
"Well," replied Mr.. Gibney 'Ig turn
in and try to scheme a way out, but
don't hold out no hope Not ray Of
it. I'm afraid, Scraggsy, we've got to
be honest"
Saying which, Mr.. Gibney hoped up
into his berth, stretched his huge legs.
and fell asleep with his clothes on.
Captain Scraggs looked him over with
the closest approach to affection that
had ever lightened his cold gray eye,
and signing heavily. presently went on
deck. As he passed up the companion
way, the first mate heard him murmur:
"Gib's a fine lad. III be dad burned
If he amt"
At six O'clock next morning the
Maggie was rounding Point Iona,
heading in for San Diego bay, and
Captain Scraggs went below and
awakened Mr. Gibney.
"What's for breakfast, Scraggsy, old
kid?" asked Mr. Gbney.
''Fried eggs" said Captain Scraggs.
remembering Mr.. Gibney's partiality
for that form of nutriment in the van
ished days Of the green-pea trade
"Ham an fried eggs an a sizzlin' pot
o. coffee Thought Il way out o. our
mess, Gib?'
mot yet" replied Mr.. Gibney as he
rolled cut Of bed, but eggs is always
stimulatin', and I don't give up hope
on a full stomach"
An hour later they were tied up un-
der the coal bunkers, and at Mr.. Glib
ney's suggestion some twenty tons of
sacked coal were piled on top of the
fo'castle head and on the main deck
ford, in case Of emergency. They lay
in the harbor all day until about four
o'clock, when Mr. Gibney, by virtue of
his authority as supercargo, ordered
the lines cast off and the Maggie
steamed out Of the harbor OF Point
Iona they veered to the south, leav-
ing the Coronado islands on the star
board quarter, ten miles TO the west.
Mr.. Gibney was below with Captain
Scraggs, battling with the problem
that confronted them, when the mate
stuck his head down the companion
way to report a large power schooner
coming out from the lee Of the Coro-
nados and standing off on course, cal
culated to intercept the Maggie in an
hour or two.
Captain Scraggs and Mr.. Gibney
sprang up on the bridge at once, the
latter with Scraggs' long glass up TO
his eye.
"She was hove to under the lee of
the island, and the minute we came
out of the harbor and turned south
cha cona pocin' af+nr re cold +bo