The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-03-24

| win ills awful COuhSL, OlD! nc uc-
| handed
Mr.. Gibney cooked his hat over one
ear and blew cloud of smoke in the
shippers face.
"Well, boys, I'll tell you. Sailed
Goldfish that's been under water long
time gets most o. the salt took out of
it, an even at sea, If it's left long
enough, it'll get so darned ripe that
it's what you might call offensive. But
it makes good fertilizer. There amt
nothin' in the world to equal Goldfish,
medium ripe, for fertilizer. I've rugged
up a deal with a orchard comp'ny
that's layin' out couple o. thousand
acres o. young trees up In the delta
lands O. the Sacramento. I've sold 'em
the lot, after first buyin' it from the
owners o. the schooner for hundred
dollars. Every time these orchard fell
lers dig hole to plant young fruit
tree they aim to heave Goldfish in the
bottom O. the hole first, for fertilizer.
There was upward o. two hundred
thousand Goldfish in that schooner an
I've sold 'em for five cents each, de-
livered at Dunnigan's landin'. / fig
ger on cleanin' up about seven thou
sand net on the deal. thought me an
Neils was stuck at first, but l got my
Imagination workin'-"
Captain Scraggs sank Imply into
McGuffey's arms and the two stared
at the doughty commodore.
"Hit in the face with a fortune an
didn't know it," gasped poor McGuffey
"Gib, I'm sure glad you got out whole
on that DEAL"
Thanks to lack O. imagination in
you an ScraggSy Pm about two hun
dred an fifty dollars ahead O. my
estimate now, on account O. the free
tow O. that barge. Me an Neils GER
tainly makes a nice little split on
account o. this here Goldfish deal''
"Gib," chartered Scraggs, whats
the matter with reorganizin' the syn
dicateP"
"Be a good Teller, Adelbert,"
pleaded McGuffey.
Mr.. Gibney was never SO vulnerable
as when one he really loved called
him by his Christian name. He drew
an arm across the shoulders Of Nc
Guffey and Scraggs, while Neils Hal
vorsen stood by, his yellow fangs
flashing with pleasure under his wal
rus mustache.
"Scraggsy! Mac! Your fms! Well
reorganize the syndicate, an the min
ute me an Neils finds ourselves with
bill o. sale for a one-Quarter inter-
est in the Victor, based on the actual
cost price, we'll tow this here barge"
"An' split the profits on the cod
fish," Scraggs Queried eagerly.
Certainly not. Me an NeIs splits
that fifty-fifty. A quarter O. them
profits is too high a price to pay for
your friendship, Scraggsy, old deceit
full. Remember, / made that profit
after you an Mac had pulled out O.
the syndicate
That's logic" McGuffey declared.
'Tt's highway robbery" Scraggs
snarled. 81 won't sell no quarter in
terest to you or The Squarehead, Glib.
Not on them terms"
"Then you'll load them Goldfish
aboard, or pay demurrage on that
barge for every day they hang around |;
an If the board Of health condemns
'em an chucks 'em overheard I'll sue
you an Mac for my lost profits, git
a judgment agin you, an take over
the Victor to satisfy the Judgment
you're sea lawyer, Glib" Scraggs
retorted sarcastically.
/ sCvo,, a. x,bo+ N;b NGaC-fo.,
ordered threateningly. Remember, l
got half interest in any judgment he
gifts agin us-an' what's more, I OBJ
ject to them Goldfish clutterin' up my
half interest"
You bullied me on the old Maggie"
Scraggs screeched, "but 1 won't be
bullied no more. If you want to tow
that barge, Mac, you buy me out, lock,
stock and barrel. An the price for
my half interest is five thousand dol
lars"
You've sold something, Scraggsy,"
Mr.. McGuffey flashed back at him,
obeying a wink from Mr. Gibney. "An'
here's hundred dollars to bind the
bargain. Balance on delivery of proper
bill-o'-sale."
While Scraggs was counting the
money Mr.. Gibney was writing a re-
ceipt in his note book Scraggs, still
furious, signed the receipt
Now, then, Scraggsy,' said Mr.. Glib
ney affably, "hustle up to the custom
house, get formal bill-o'- sale blank,
fill her in, an hustle back agin for
your check. An see to it you don't
change your mind, because 1t won't do
you any good. If you don't come
through now can sue you an force
you to-"
"Oh! So you're buyin' my interest,
eh?"
"Well, I'm lendin' Mac the money,
an got bunch 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 time O. life where l want peace.
An there won't be no peace on the
Victor unless I skipper her."
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 1t ever occur to you
that there's money In the chicken
businessw
1t hadi Both McGuffey and Neils
admitted 1t. There are 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