Williams news., 1922-05-12
CHAPTER <.


 considered no pleasantly to spit on a
 nice clean deck. You might cut that
 out, Glib. It's vulgar"
 ''PaSsin' over the fact, Scraggs that you ain't 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. I just did that to see if 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 expectOratin' on the deck proves to me that you're leavin' behind you all them bay scow tendencies of the green-pea trade It leads me to be- lieve that you'll rise to high rank and distinction in the Colombian navy. Your fin, Scraggsy. Expectoratin' on the decks is barred. and the Maggie II goes under navy discipline from now on. Am I right7"
 Right 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 a safe and profitable voyage from now on, sup pose you delegate me as a committee of one to brew a scuttle of gros, after which the syndicate holds a mettin' and lays out course for its future conduct. There's a few questions of rank and privileges that ought to be settled once and for all so there can't be no comeback"
 '"The point Is we'll taken and it is sc ordered,' said MT. Gfbney. who had once held office in Harbor 15, Master and Pilots Association of America, and knew a fragment or two of parlia- mentary law. Hustle up the grog. call McGuffey up out of the engine room, and we'll hold the meetin'."
 Twenty minutes later Scraggs came on deck to announce the successful concoction of a kettle of whisky punch; whereupon the three adventurers went below and sat down at the cabin table for a conference.
 'I move that Glib be appointed presf- dent of the syndicate" said Captain Scraggs.
 Second the motion" rumbled Me Guffey.
 ''The notions carried" said MT. Gib- ney. and banged the table with his horny fist. ''The meetin' will please come to order. The chair hereby ap- points Phineas Scraggs secretary of the syndicate, to keep a record of this and all future meetins of the board. will now entertain propositions of any and all natures, and I invite the members of the board to knock the stopper ont of their jaw tackle and go to it."
 "I move," said Captain Scraggs, that B. McGuffey, Esquire, be, and he is hereby appointed, chief engineer of the 40 r fo the wage schedule of the Marine En- gineers' Association of the Pacific coast, and that he be voted a one-fourth interest in the vessel and all subsequent profits."
 "Second the motion,'' said MT. Gf5- ney, "and not to hamper the business of the meetin', we'll just consider that motion carried unanimous"
 B. McGuffey, Esquire, rose, bowed his thanks, and sat down again, ap- very much confused. It was evident that he had something to say, but was having difficulty framing his thoughts in parliamentary language.
 ''Heave away, Mac," said MT. Gib- ney.
 Cast off your lines. McGuffey,' Scraggs.
 Thus encouraged, McGuffey rose, bowed his thanks once more, moistened his larnyx with a guIp of the punch, and spoke:
 'Feller members and brothers of the syndicate: In the management of the deck department of this new craft of ourn, my previous Knowledge of the worthy president and the unworthy secretary leads me to believe that | there's goin' to be trouble. ship divided agin herself must surely go on her beam ends Now, Scraggsy here has been master so long that the juice of authority has sorter soaked into his marrer bones. For twenty | Scraggs,' Have drink, Captain | Scraggs.' Captain Scraggs this an Captain Scraggs that I don't mean no offense, gentlemen, when I state | that you can't teach an old dog new | tricks. No man that's ever been a master makes a good mate. On the | other hand, I realize that Gib here | has been a-pantin' and a-bellyachin' | all his life to get ship of his own | an have folks call him Captain Gib- ney.' Now that. he's gone an done | it, I say he's entitled to it. But the | fact of the whole thing is, Gib's the i natural leader of the expedition or whatever it's goin' to be, and he can't | have his peace of mind wrecked and | his plans disturbed a-chasin' sailors | around the deck of the Maggie H. | Glib is sorter what the feller calls | the power behind the throne He's | too big a fgger for the grade of cap tain Therefore I move VOL gentle Il