Williams news., 1922-03-03

 I we won't get off. Me an Glib aim
 got any feet left Scraggs. If we hat to walk another step we'd be crippled
 for life. Fry my eggs hard, I tel
 you"
 '"This is piracy, men. It's robbery
 on the high seas, am I can put vol
 over the road for it." Scraggs warned
 them. "what's more. I'll do It."
 "The eggs. Scraggsy." boomed MT
 Gibney, "the eggs.
 Half an hour later. as the pirates
 replete with provender, sat dangling
 their damaged underpinning over the
 stern railing where the gentle wave
 lets laved and cooled them, Captain
 Scraggs, accompanied by the new navi- gating officer, the new engineer, and The Squarehead. came aft. The crip-
 ples looked up, surveyed their success, from reassuring.
 "Tve already ordered you two tramps off'n my ship" Scraggs began formally, 'an' I hereby, in the pres ence O reliable witnesses, repeats the invitation. You ain't wanted; your room's preferred to your comp'ny. an by stayin' a minute longer, in defiance O. my orders, you're layin' yourselves liable to a charge O piracy"
 MT. Gibney carefully laid his pipe aside and stood up. He was quite an imposing spectacle in his bare feet. with his trousers rolled up to his great knees. thereby revealing his scarlet flannel underdrawers. With a stifled groan, McGuffey rose and stood beside lis partner. and MT. Gibney spoke:
 "Scraggs. be reasonable. We ain't lookin' for trouble; not because we don't relish 1t, for we do where a couple O. scabs is concerned. but for the simple reason that we ain't in the best O. condition to receive 1t, al- though if you force it on us we'll do our best. If you chuck us off the Mag gie an force us to walk back to San Francisco. we're goin' to be reported as m1ssin'. Honest. now. Scraggsy. old side-winder, you ain't goin' to maroon us here, alone with the vege- tables. are your"
 "You done me dirt. You quit me cold. Git out. Two can play at dirty game an every dog must have his day. This is my day. Glib. Scat!' !''
 "Pers'nally," McGuffey announced quietly, "I prefer to die aboard the Maggie, if I have to. This ain't mo, in day with B. McGuffey. Esquire
 ''Them's my sentiments. too. Scraggsy."
 '"Then defend yourselves. Come or, lads. Bear hand an we'll bounce these muckers overboard.'' The Squarehead hung back. having no ir- tentfon of wagfng war upon his late comrades. but the engineer and the new navigating officer stepped briskly for their jobs. MT. Gibney halted the advance by lifting both great hands in a deprecatory manner.
 "For heavens sake, Scraggsy, have | a heart. Don't force us to murder | you. If we're peaceable, what's to | prevent you from givin' us a passage l back to San Francisco, where we're | known an where we'll have at least | a fghtin' chance to git somethin'- to | eat occasionally"
 'You know mighty well what's to prevent me, Gfb. I ain't got no pas an skuIl-dragged if fall for your myself liable to fine from the inspec- tors an maybe have my ticket book took away to boot.''
 Enough of this gab," MT. Gibney roared. My patience is exhausted. I'm dogtired an Pm goin' to have peace if have to fight for 1t. Me an Bart stays aboard the steamer Maggie until she gets back to Frisco town or until we're hove overheard in the in- ] terim by the weight of numbers. An if any man, or set O male bipeds that ] calls theirselves men. is so foolish as to try to evict us from this packer, then all I got to say is that they're trif1in' with death- I got my arms left. even if my feet is on the fritz, Scraggs," he continued, "an' if you start anything I'll hug you an your crew to death. I'm a rip-roarin' griz- zly bear once I'm started an there's such thing as drivin' a man to deS- l peration.'
 The bluff workedl Captain Scraggs turned to his retainers and with a and paternal smile. said: Boys, let's give the dumb fools their own way. If they insist upon takin' forcible possession O my ship on the high seas, there's only one name for the crime-an' that's piracy, by hangin' from the yard arm. We'll just let 'em stay aboard an' turn 'em over to the police when we git back to the city"
 He started for his cabin and the crew, vastly relieved, followed him. The pirates once more sat down and permitted their hot feet to loIl over- board. --e
 About ten o'clock next morning the title vessel completed taking aen her