The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-05-04
(Continued from last issue)

changing the vessels name, and as
she chugged lazily out of Panama bay
and lifted to the long ground-swell Of
the Pacific, it is doubtful If even her
late Mexican commander would have
recognized her. She was indeed a
beautiful craft, and Commodore Glib
ney's heart swelled with pride as he
stood aft, coming the man Mt the
wheel, and looked her over. 1t seemed
like a sacrilege now, when he reflected
how he had trained the gun of the old
Maggie on her that day off the COro-
nados, and it seemed to him now even
a greater sacrilege to have brazenly
planned to enter her us a privateer In
the struggles of the republic of Colon
bia. The past tense is used advisedly
for that project was now entirely off,
much to the secret delight of Captain
Scraggs, who, if the hero of one naval
engagement was not anxious to take
part in another. In Panama the free
hooters Of the Maggie II learned that
during Mr.. Gibney's absence on his
filibustering trip the Colombian revOlu-
ttonists had risen and struck their
blow. After the fashion of hot
headed and impetuous people, they had
entered the contest absolutely I'M
trained. AS result, the war had last
ed just two weeks, the leaders had
been incontinently shot, and the white
winged dove of peace had once more
spread her piniOns along the borders
Of the Gold coast.
Commodore Gibney was disguised be-
yond measure, and mt special meet
ing Of the syndicate, called in the
cabin of the Maggie II that same eve
ming, it was finally decided that they
should embark on nm indefinite trad
ing cruise in the South seas, or until
such time as it seemed their services
must be required to free n downtrod-
den people from a tyrant's yoke.
Captain Scraggs and McGuffey had
never been in the South seas, but they
lad heard that fair margin Of profit
was to be wrung from trade in copra,
shell, coconuts, and kindred tropical
products. They so expressed them
selves. TO this suggestion, however,
Commodore Glbney waved deprecat-
ing paw.
'Legltimate tradin', boys" he said.
us nice, sane, healthy business, but
the profits Is slow. What we want is
quick profits, and while it amt set
down in black and white, one of the
principal objects Of this syndicate Is
to lead life Of wild adventure. In
tradin. there ain't no adventure to
speak Of. We ought to do a little
black-birdin', or raid some of those
Jap pearl fisheries off the northern
cOast of FOrmOsa."
But Wen be chased by real gun
boats If we do that" objected Captain
Scraggs. "rhose Jap gunboats shoot
to kill. Can't you think of somethln
else, Gib?"
"Well," said Mr.. Gibney, "for
starter. I can. Suppose we just head
straight for Kandavu island in the FL
jis, and scheme around for cargo OF
black coral? It's only worth about fif-
ty dollars pound. Kandavu lays
somewhere in latitude % south, longl.
tude 17S west. and when was there
last 1t was fair reekin' with cannibal
savages. But there's tons Of black
coral there. and nObody's ever been
able to sneak in and get away with
1t. Every time boat used to land at
Kandavu. the native niggers would
have white-man stew down on the
beach, and it's got so that shippers
give the island wide BERTH"
9Th. my dear boy" chartered Cap.
tain Scraggs. 'I'm a man Of peace
and I-I-"
"Scraggsy. old stick-in-the-mu
said Mr.. Gibney, laying an affectionate
hand on the shippers shoulder, you're
nothin' Of the sort. You're a fghtin'
tarantula, and nobody knows it bet
tern Adclbert r. Gibney. I've seen
you in action, Scraggsy. Remember
that. It's all right for you TO say
you're man Of peace and advise me
and McGuffey to keep out Of the track
of trouble, but we know that away
down low you're goin' around lookin'
for blood, and that once you're up agin
the enemy, you never bat an eyelash.
Eth. McGuffey?'
McGuffey nodded; whereupon, Cap
tain Scraggs, making but poor ef-
fort to conceal the pleasure which Mr..
Gibney's rude compliment afforded
him, turned to the rail, glanced sea-
ward, and started to walk away to at
tend to some trihing detail connected
with the boat falls.
"All right, Glib. my lad" he said.
affecting to resign himself to the inev-
liable. "have it your own way. You're
commodore and I'm only plain
captain, but I'll follow wherever you
lead. I'll go as far as the next man
and Wen glom that black coral If we
have to slaughter every man, woman
and child on the island. Only, when
we're sizzlin' in q pot don't you up
and say / never warned you. because
did. How dye propose intimidatln'
the natives. GibT'
"Scraggsy," said the commodore,
q gF5, II .is n, 5g,