Cheyenne Wells record., 1922-01-26
CHAPTER I.

-I-
They had seen the fog rolling down
the coast shortly after the Maggie
had rounded Pillar Point at sunset and
reasied north. Captain Scraggs had
been steamboating too many unprOfit-
able years on San Francisco bay, the
Suisun and San Pablo sloughs and
doghoies and the Sacramento river to
be- deceived as to the character of
that fog, and he remarked as much to
Mr.. Glbney. "We'd better turn back
to Ha:fmoon bay and tie up at the
dock" lie added.
"Caiamity howler!" retorted Mr..
Gibney and gave the wheel a spoke or
two. "scraggsy, you're enough to
make real sailor sick at the
stomach"
"But I tell you she's tule fog. Glib.
She rises up In the marshes Of the
Sacramento and San Joaquin. drifts
down to the bay and out the Golden
gate and Just naturally blocks the
wheels Of commerce while she lasts.
Why. I've known the ferry boats be-
tween San Francisco and Oakland to
get lost for hours on their twenty-min-
ute run-and all along Of a blasted
tule fog
'I don't doubt your word q mite.
Scragrsy. I never did see a ferry-boat
skinner that knew shucks about
sayorizlng." the imperturbnble Gibney
responded "Me. Til smell my way
home in any tule fog"
"Mayhe you can an maybe You
can't. Glib. although far he 1t from me
to question your ability. I'll take II
for granted. Nevertheless. amt
a-goIn' to run the risk o. you havin'
catarrh O. the nose an confnsin' your
smells tonight. You amt got nothin'
at stake hut your job. whereas II I
lose the Maggie lose my hull for
tune. Bring her about. Glib, an let's
hustle back"
"Don't be an old woman" Mr.. Glib
ney pleaded. "Scraggs. you Just amt
got enough works inside you to I'LL n
wrist watch"
81 ain't a-goIn' to poke around In
the dark an a tule fog. feeiin' for
the Golden gate" Captain Scraggs
shriiled peevishly.
"H-I's bells an panther tracks !!
I've got my old courses. an II foiler
them we can't help gettin' home"
Captain Scraggs laid his hand on
Mr.. Gibney's great arm and tried to
smile paternalIy. "Gib. my dear boy"
he pleaded. control yourself. Don't
argue with me. Glib. Tn master here
an you're mate. Do I make myself
clear?'
~ Wnnsf
avail you nothin'. You're only master
becuz Of a gentieman's agreement be-
tween us two. an because I'm man
enough to figger there's certain rights
due you as owner o. the Maggie. But
don't you forget that accortiin' to the
records o the Inspectors office. I'm
master of the Maggie, an the way
figger II. whenever there's any call to
show little real seamanship, that
gcntieman's agreement don't stand"
"But this amt one O. them times.
Glib"
you're whistlIn' 1t Is. II we run
from this here fog. it's skihs to hat
tFeships we don't get into San Fran
cisco bay an discharged before SIX
o'clock tomorrow night. By the tIrse
we've taken on coal an water an
what-all. it'll be eight or nine O'Clock,
with me an McGuffey entitled to
mebbe three dollars overtime an
havin' to argue an scrap with you to
git it-not to speak O. havin' to put to
.ses the name night SOS to be bnck In
Halfmoon hay to load bright an early
next mornin'. Scrnggsy. ain't no
might bird IN this run
"De you mean to defy me. GibT
Captain -Scraggs' little green eyes
cleaned balefully. Mr.. Gibney looked
down upon him with tolerance. as
Great Dane gnzes upon fox terrier.
Fl certainly do. Scraggsy. old pepper
pot" he replied calmly. "Vhat're you
goin' to do about IT." The ghost Of
smile lighted his joviaI countenance.
l. .Nothin'-now. I'm helpless" Cap
tain Scraggs answered with deadly
calm. "But the minute we hit the
dock you an me parts company"
~ don't know whether we will or
hot Scrasssy. amt heeled right
financially to hIt the beach on such
short notice"
.Ili get the police to remove you.
fyou blistered pirate" Scrasgs
screamed, now quite beside himself.
.Yes3 Well. the minute they let go
7 o. me I'll come back to the s. 8. Mag
gle and tear her apart just to see
what makes her 60" He leaned out
the pilot. house window and shifted.
..rule fog. all right. Scraggs. Still.
that amt no reason why the ships
company should fast. is It? Quit bick-
erin with me, little one. an see II you
can't wrsstie up some ham an eggs.
want my eggs sunny side up"
sensing the futiiity Of further argu-
ment. Captain Scraggs sought solace
in q stream Of adjectival opprobrtum,
20. ~, sYIhnov hut dA,