Phoenix tribune., 1922-01-14

wind" If the pair would breakfast.
They retired to the sidewalk to hold a
caucus and Mr. McGuffey located a
dime which had dropped down inside
the lining of his coat. "That settles
it." Gibney declared. "We'ye skipped
two meals but I'll be burned if we
skip another. Wen ride out to the
San Mateo county line on the trolley
with that dime an then hoof it over
the hills to Halfmoon bay. Scraggs
won't git away from the dock here un-
til after twelve o'clock, so we know
he'll lie at Halfmoon bay all night. If
we start now Wen connect with him
in time for supper. Eth, BartY'
"a twenty-mile hike on tee-totally
empty stomach, with battle royal on
cur hands the minute we arrive, weak
an destitoote, amt quite my idea o.
enjoyment, Glib, but I'll go you If it
kills me. Let's up hook an away. I'm
for gittin' back to work an usin'
moral persuasion to git that new
boiler"
AhCJ tOOh q III lnCAA OCllS clhA
started. From the point at which they
left the trolley to their journeys end
was a stiff six-hour jaunt, up hill and
down dale, and long before the march
was half completed the unaccustomed
exercise had developed sundry gals
and blisters on the Gibney heels, while
the soles of poor McGuffey's feet were
so hot he voiced the apprehension that
they might burn to a crisp at any mo-
ment and drop off by the wayside.
The crew Of the Maggie had ceased
working cargo for the day and Cap
tain Scraggs was busy cooking supper
in the galley when the two prodigals,
exhausted crippled and repentant,
came to the door and coughed propi-
tiously, but Captain Scraggs pretended
of turning fried eggs with an artistic
flip of the frying pan. So Mr.. Glib
ney spoke, struggling bravely to ap-
pear nonchalant With his eyes on
the fried eggs and his mouth threaten
ing to SLAYER at the glorious sight, he
said:
"HelIo, there, Scraggsy, old tarpot
How goes it with the owner O. the fast
an commodious steamer Maggie? Git
that consignment O. post-holes aboard
yet?"
Mr.. Gibney's honest face beamed ex-
pectantly, for he was particularly par
tial to fried eggs. AS for his COM
panion in distress, anything edible and
which would serve to nullify the gnaw-
ing at his internal economy would be
welcome. Inasmuch as Captain
Scraggs did not readily reply to Mr..
Gibney's salutation, McGuffey decided
to be more emphatic and to the point,
albeit in joking way.
"Hurry up with them eggs, Scraggs, y
he rumbled. me an GIBBS walked
down from the city an we're hungry,
Jawn D. Rockerfeller'd give a million
dollars for my appetite. Fry mine
hard, Scraggsy. want sometin'
solid.''
"Get off my ship, you murderin' pi-
rates." Scraggs screamed
''Not till we've et," the practical.
minded engineer retorted. "Even then
we won't get off. Me an Glib amt
got any feet left, Scraggs If we had
to walk another step we'd be crippled
for life. Fry my eggs hard, / tell
you"
"This is piracy, men. It's robbery
on the high seas, an 1 can put you
over the road for it." Scraggs warned
them. "Wliat's more, I'll do it."
"The eggs, Scraggsy," doomed Mr.
Gibney, "the eggs"
Half an hour later, as the pirates
replete with provender, sat dangling
their damaged underpinning over the
stern railing where the gentle wave
lets laved and cooled them, Captain
| Scraggs, accompanied by the new navi.
eating officer, the new engineer, and
The Squarehead. came aft. The Grip
pies looked up, surveyed their success
sors in Office. and found the sight faI
from reassuring.
'Tve already ordered you two
tramps off'n my ship" Scraggs began
formally, "an' l hereby, in the pres.
ence O. reliable witnesses, repeats the
invitation. You ain't wanted; your
rooms preferred to your comp'ny, an
by stayin' minute longer, in defiance
O. my orders, you're layin' yourselves
liable to "a charge o. piracy"
Mr.. Gibney carefully laid his pipe
aside and stood up. He was quite an
imposing spectacle in his bare feet
with his trousers rolled up to his great
knees, thereby revealing his scarlet
dannel underdrawers. With stifled
groan, McGuffey rose and stood beside
bis partner, and Mr.. Gibney spoke:
''Scraggs, be reasonable. We ain't
soolsin' for trouble; not because we
don't relish it, for we do where q
couple O. scabs is concerned, but fol
the simple reason that we amt in the
best O. condition to receive it.. al
though if you force it on us we'll do
our best If you chuck us off the Mag
gle an force us to walk back to San
Francisco, we're goin' to be reported
Nc ,,,3cS;p, Honacf now Cora oocv