The Red Cloud chief., 1922-02-16
CHAPTER x.


"Right.o," replied Captain Scraggs
cheerily, though when | was young
feller and first went to sea, 1t wasn't
considered no pleasantly to spit on
nice clean deck. You might cut that
out, Glib. It's vulgar"
"Passin' over the fact, Scraggs. that
you amt got no call to jerk me up on
sea ettycat, more particular since I'm
the master and managin' owner of this
here schooner, I'm free to confess.
Scraggsy, that your observation does
you credit. l Just did that TO see IL
you was goin' to take as big an inter
est In the new Maggie as you did In
the old Maggie. and the fact that you
object to me expectorntln' on the deck
proves to me that you're leavin' behind
you all them bay scow tendencies OF
the green-pea trade. 1t leads me to be.
lleve that you'll rise to high rank and
distinction I'm the Colombian navy.
Your fin, Scraggsy. Expectoratin' on
the decks Is barred, and the Maggie ii
goes under navy discipline from now
on. Am l right?"
'2ight as right whale" said Cap
tain Scraggs. "And now that you've
given that old mate Of mine the course,
and we've temporarily plugged UP the
holes In this here Mexican gunboat.
and everything points to II safe and
profitable voyage from now OIL. sup
pose you delegate me as II committee
Of one to brew n scuttle of eroe, after
which the syndicate holds n mcttin'
and lays out n course for its future
conduct. There's few questions Of
rank and privileges that ought to be
settled once and for all, so there cant
be no comeback"
THE point Is well taken and 1t Is
So ordered" said Mr.. Gibney. who had
once held Office I'm Harbor IL, Master
and Pilots Association of America. and
knew fragment or two OF parlia-
mentary law. Rustic up the gros. call
McGufrey up out Of the engine room,
| and well hold the meetin'."
Twenty minutes later Scragss came
| on deck to announce the successful
cOncOctlon Of kettle Of whisky punch ;
whereupon the three ndventurers went
below and sat down at the cabin table
for conference.
81 move that Glib be appointed presi-
dent of the syndicate said Captain
Scraggs.
Second the notion" rumbled Nc
Guffey.
''The notions carried" said Mr.. Glib
ney. and banged the table with his
horny fist. THE meetin' will please
come to order. The chair hereby ap'
points Phineas Scraggs secretary o!
the syndicate, to keep u record of this
and all future mcetin's of the board
will now entertain propositions OF
any and all natures, and l invite the
members of the board TO knock the
stopper out of their jaw tackle and
60 to it."
II move" said Captain Scraggs. "tha'
b. McGuffey. Esquire, be, and he Is
hereby appointed, chief engineer of tho
Maggie III ut salary not to exceed
the wage schedule of the Marine En-
gineers' Association of the Pacific
coast, and that he be voted 9
one-fourth interest in the vessel ant
all subsequent profits"
"SecOnd the notion" said Mr.. Glib
ney, land not to hamper the busines.
Of the meetin'. Wen just consider tha
motion carried unanimous"
b. McGufrey, Esquire. rose. bOwe'
his thanks, and sat down again. an
parently very much confused. 1t wa
evident that he had something to say
but was having difficulty framing hi
thoughts in parliamentary language.
"Heave away. Mac" said Mr.. Glib
ney.
"Cast off your lines, McGuffey.
chlrped Scraggs.
Thus encouraged, McGuffey rOst
bowed his thanks once more. m0istcne
his larnyx with a gulp of the punct
and spoke:
"Feller members and brothers of III
syndicate: In the management Of tn
deck department Of this new craft G
Ourn, my previous knowledge Of til
worthy president and the unworth
secretary leads me to believe thl
there's goin' TO be trouble. A shi
divided agin herself must surely 6
on her beam ends. Now, Scraggs
here has been master so long that I'll
juice OF authority has sorter soake
into his marrer bones. For twent
years it's been 'Howdy do Captai
Scraggs,' Have drink. Captai
Scraggs.' Captain Scraggs this a
| Captain Scraggs that l don't mea
4 no offense. gentlemen. when l sta
Y that you can't teach an old dog ne
Y tricks. No man that's ever been
l master makes II good mate. On Il
other hand. j realize that Glib he
; has been a-pantin' and a-bellyachi
all his life to get ship of his ov
an have folks call him Captain Gil
: ney' Now that he's gone an dol
: it, / say he's entitled to II. But Il
\ fact of the whole thing is, Gibbs Il
natural leader OF the expedition
whatevpr IT'S pOiD' TO be and he cal