Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1922-02-03
CHAPTER v.

A week had elapsed and nothing of
an eventful nature had transpired to
disturb the routine of life aboard the
Maggie, until Bartholomew McGuffey,
having heard certain waterfront whis-
pefs, considered 1t the part of pru-
dence to lay his information before
Bcraggs and Mr.. Gibney.
look here, Scraggs," he began
briskly. tits all fine an dandy to
promise me a new boiler, but when do
/ git itf"
'Why, jes' as soon as we can get
this glut o. freight behind us, Bart,
my boy You've managed with the old
boiler this long, so 1t pears to me you
might be patient an bear with 1t a
mite longer, Bart"
"Oh. amt tryin' to be disagreeable.
ecraggs, only 1t sort o. worries me to
have to go along without bein' able to
use our whistle"
EVEN fix 1t when business Stacks
up," Scraggs decided with finality. He
glanced at his watch. "Sufferin'
sailorl" he cried in simulated dis
tress, Here It's one o'clock an amt
collected dollar o. the freight money
from the last voyage. ! must beat it."
Wheu Captain Scraggs had 'beaten
IT," Gibney and McGuffey exchanged
expressive glances. Hes runnin' out
on MS" McGuffey complained.
even so, Bart, even so. Therefore,
tAe thing for us to do is to run out
on him. In other words, wen work a
month, save our money, an then, with
cut word O. complaint or argument,
we'll walk out"
"Oh, / amt exactly broke, Glib. I
Got eighty-fve dollars"
''Then," quoth Gibney declsively.
~well go on strike tonight. Scraggsy'n
be stuck in port week before he can
get another engineer an another navi-
gatin' officer, me an you bein' the
only two natural-born fools in San
Francisco an ports adjacent, an be-
fore three days have passed he'll be
huntin us up TO compromise"
Il don't want no compromise. What
want Is a new boiler"
you'll git 1t. Wen make him order
the paint an the boiler an paw for
both in advance before Wen agree to
so back to work"
The engineer nodded iis approval
and after sealing their pact with a
hearty handshake. they turned to and
commenced dlscharging the Maggie.
When Captain Scraggs returned TO
the little steamer shortly after five
o'clock, TO his great amazement, he
discovered Mr.. Gibney and McGuffey
dressed In their other suits-including
celluloid collars and cuffs.
"The cargo's out, Scraggsy, my son,
the decks has been washed down an
everything In my department is ship
shape" Thus Mr.. Gibney.
Likewise in mine" McGuffey
added
consequently" Mr.. Gibney con-
eluded, "we're quittin' the Maggie an
IL It's all the same to you wen have
our time"
"Mv dear Glib. Why, whatever's
come over you two boys?"
.'Stow your chatter, Seraggs. Shell
out the cash. You've fooled us once
In the matter o. that new boiler an
the paintin', an we're not goin' to
give you a second chance. Come
through--or take the consequences.
Wen sail no more with a liar an q
fraud"
"Them's hard words, Mr.. Gibney."
''The truth is alters bitter" McGuf
fey opined.
Captain Scraggs paused to consider
the serious. predicament which con
fronted aim. II was Saturday night
He knew Mr.. McGuffey to be the pos
SCISSOR Of more money than usual ant
II he could assure himself that thi.
reserve should be dissipated befor,
Monday morning he was aware. from
experience, that The strike would bt
broken by Tuesday ar the latest AnC
he could afford that celay. He re
solved, therefore, on diplomacy.
"Well. II.f sorry" he answered VIII
every appearance of contrition. "YOl
feIlers got me in the nine-hole an
cant help myself At the same time