The L'Anse sentinel., 1922-04-07
you're sea lawyer, Gib." scragg

You DO what GID says, McGuHey
ordered threatenipgly. "Renember,
got half interest In any judgment he
gifts agin us--an' what's more, OBJ
ject to them Goldfish clutterin' up my
half interest" o& aa.
"You bullied me on the old Maggie" |"
Scraggs screeched, "but won't bS
bullied no more. II you want to tow
that barge, Mac, you buy me out, lock.
stock and barrel. An the price for
my half interest IL FIVE thousand dol
lars"
You've sold something, Scraggsy,"
Mr.. McGpffey flashed back at him,
obeying wink from Mr.. Gibney. "An'
here's hundred dollars to bind the
bargain. Balance on delivery of proper
bill-o'-sale." 4alst
While Scraggs was counting the
money Mr.. Glbney was writing a re-
ceipt I'm his note book. Scraggs,. still
furions, signed the receipt. AZ,
"Now, then, Scraggsy," said Mr.. Glib
ney affably, hustle up to the custom
house, get formal bill-o'-saIe blank,
fill her in, an hustle back agin for
your check. An see to it you don't
change your mind, because II won't do
you any good. IL you don't come
through now I can sue you an force
you to-" .re,.. ;.-,. .......
"Oh! So you're buyin' my interest.
ehY '.at} s,l3'3 t}aiEa133.,
"Well, I'm lendln' Mac the money!
an got hunch he'll sell the interest
to me an Neils without fggerin' on a
profit. You're a jarrin' note In, the
syndicate, Scraggsy, an I've come to
that Vine O. life where I want peace
An there won't be no peace on the
Victor unless I skipper herr
Z Captain Scraggs departed to draw
up the formal bill Of sale and Mr.. Glib
ney. drawing The Squarehead and Nc
Guffey to him, favored each with a
searching glance and said:
Gentlemen, did II ever occur TO you
that there's money In the chicken
buslnessT
II had! Both McGuffey and NeIls
admitted IT. There nre few men In
this world who have not, at some
period of their lives, held the same
view, albeit the majority of those who
have 'endeavored to demonstrate that
fact have subsequently changed their
minds. ~ ~, ,,, ~, -,s,.t !, o., "a
II thought as much," the commo.
dore grinned. "If l was to let you two
out o. my sight for day you'd both
be fiat busted the day after. So we
won't buy no farm an go in for chick
ems. Well sell the Victor an buy a
little tradin' schooner. Then Wen go
back to the South seas an earn o
legitimate livin'."
"But why'll we sellthe victor?" Nc
Guffey demanded. "Gib, she'sla love
of boat"
Because I've Just had talk with
the owners o. the two opposition lines
an they. KNOWN me to be chummy
with you an Scraggsy, give me the tip
to tell you two that you could have
your choice o. two propositions-a
rate war or sale o. the Victor for
ten thousand dollars. That gets you
out clean an saves your original capt.
tai, an It gifts Scraggsy out the same
way. while nettin' me an Nells FIVE
hundred each.'
"A rate. war would ruin u.s." Nc.
Guffey agreed. SIN addition to. sourin'
Scraggsy's disposition until he
wouldn't be fit to live with. Glib, you're
a wonder" tfS 8s4RtLA'Ekfb
II know It," Mr.. 3ibney replied.
Within two hours Captain Scraggs
half interest had passed into the hands
OF McGuffey, and half an hour later
the Victor had passed into the hands
of the opposition lines, to be operated
for the joint profit Of the latter. Later
in the day all four members of the
syndicate met In the Bowhead saloon,
where Mr.. Gibney explained the deal
to Captain Scrnggs. The latter was
dumfounded.
"You'll run without me, Gib,"
Scraggs declared emphatically. i've
had a-plenty o. the dark blue for mine.
got little stake now, so I'm going
to look around an invest In a."
"a chicken ranch,' McGuffey inter-
rupted.
"Right-o, Bart. How'd you guess
itr
.Tmagination." quoth McGuffey. tap
ping his forehead. Inauguration,
Scraggsy." ss Nstsy ~
Three weeks later Mr.. Gibney had
purchased. for account. Of his now ab-
breviated syndicate, the kind OF pow
er schooner he desired, and the I'm
spectors gave him ticket as master.
with The Squarehead as mate and
Mr.. McGuffey as engineer and general
utility man, the little schooner. cleared
for Pago Pago on = day when Captain
Scraggs was too busy buying incuba-
tors to come down to the dock and see
them on. 4aic1-i
/. And for aught the chrunicler OF this
tale knows to the contrary, the sypdi-'
cate. may be sailing in that self-sasne
schooner to this very day. ~.