Phoenix tribune., 1922-02-04
The Green Pea Pirates
CONTINUED FROM PRECEDING ISSUED

us at seven tomorrow at the Marigole
cafe. I'll order deviIed lam kidneys
for three. It's alright with Bart also
''Yours,
"Gib."
This note, delivered to Captain
Scraggs by the messenger boy, lifted
the gloom from the latter's miserable
soul and sent him home with light
heart to Mrs. Scraggs. At the Mari
gold cafe next morning he was almost
touched to observe that both Gibney
and McGuffey showed up arrayed in
dungarees, wherefore Scraggs knew his
late enemies purposed proceeding to
the Maggie Immediately after breakfast
and working in the engine room all
day Sunday. Such action, when he
knew both gentlemen to be the pos
SCISSORS of wealth far beyond the
dreams of avarice, bordered so close
ly on the miraculous that Scraggs made
a mental resolve to play fair in the
future-at least as fair as the limit,
of his cross-grained nature would per.
nit. He was so cheerful and happy
that McGuffey, taking advantage Of
the situation, argued him into some
minor repairs to the engine.
About nine o'clock, as Mr.. Gibney
was on his way to the Marigold Cafe
for breakfast, he was mildly inter
ested, while passing the EmbarcaderC
warehouse, to note the presence OF
fully dozen seedy-looking gentlemen
of undoubted Hebraic antecedents,
congregated in a circle just outside the
warehouse door. There was an air
Of suppressed excitement about this
group Of Jews that aroused Mr.. Glib
ney's curiosity; so he decided to cross
over and investigate, being of the opin-
ion that possibly one of their number
had fallen in a fit. He had once had
an epileptic shipmate and was pecu-
liarly expert in the handling of such
cases.
Now, if the greater portion of Mr..
Gibney's eventful career had not been
spent at sea, he would have known, by
the RED flag that floated over the door,
that a public auction was about to
take place, and that the group of He
brew gentlemen constituted an organi-
zation known as the Forty Thieves,
whose business it was to dominate the
bidding at all AUCTIONS, frighten off, or
buy off, or outbid all competitors, and
eventually gather unto themselves, at
their own figures, all goods offered for
sale.
In the center of the group Mr.. Glib
ney noticed a tall, lanky individual.
evidently the leader, who was issuing
instructions in a low voice to his
hencbmen. This individual, though
Mr.. Gibney did not know It, Was the
King of the Forty Thieves. AS Mr..
Gibney luffed into view the king eyed
him with suspicion. Observing this,
Mr.. Gibney threw out his magnificent
chest, scowled at the king, and stepped
into the warehouse for all the world
as if he owned it.
An oldish man with glasses-the
auctioneer-was seated on a box max
ing figures in a notebook. Him Mr..
Gibney addressed.
"What's all this here?' he inquired.
jerking his thumb over his shoulder
at the group.
"It's an old horse sale," replied the
auctioneer, without looking up.
Mr.. Gibney frightened. He glanced
around for the stock in trade, but OBJ
eorvino nouo concluded +ha+ +bo old
horses would be led in, ore at time,
through a small door in the rear of
the warehouse. Like most sailors, Mr.
Gibney had passion for horsebacB
riding, and in spirit Of adventure he
resolved to acquaint himself with the
ins and outs of an old horse sale.
"How much might man have to
give for one of the critters?" he asked
"And are they worth a whoop after
you get them?"
twenty-five cents up" was the an
swer "You go 1t blind at an old horse
sale, as rule. Perhaps you get some.
thing that's worthless, and then again
you may get something that has heaps
of value, and perhaps you only pay
half dollar for it. 1t all depends on
the bidding. once sold an old horse
to a Chap and he took it home and
opened it up, and what dye suppose
he found inside?"
"Botss;" replied Mr.. Gibney, who
prided himself on being something of
veterinarian, having spent a few
months Of his youth around a livery
stable
"a. million dollars in Confederate
greenbacks," replied the auctioneer.
"Of course they didn't have any value,
but just suppose they'd been U. ST."
''Ihat's right" agreed Mr.. Gibney.
II suppose the swab that owned the
horse starved it until the poor animal
figgered that all's grass that's green.
AS the feller says, Truth is sometimes
stranger than fiction If you throw
in saddle and bride cheap, might
be induced to invest in one of your old
horses, shipmate."
The auctioneer glanced quickly at
Mr. Gibney, but noticing that worthy's
face free from guile, he burst out