Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1922-02-22

ly, spat. and spoke TO McGuffey. soto
voce: by George, the joke Amt all
on Scraggsy," he said. Then turning
10 Captain Scraggs: Help yourself TO
the mustard. Scraggsy. old tarpot."
Captain Scraggs took of his hat.
rolled up his sleeves, and made a dive
for the royal presence. His majesty,
lacking the scientific training OF his
prime minister. seized a handful of
the Scraggs name and tore at IL cruel
ly. A well-directed kick In the shinS,
however. caused him to let 20, and n
moment later he was flying up the
beach with the angry Scraggs in full
cry after him. McGuffey headed the
king on and rounded him up so
Scraggs could get at him. and the lat
ter at once "dug In" like a terrier.
After five minutes of mauling and
tearing Captain Scraggs was out Of
breath. so he let go and stood or q
few feet To size up the situation. The
wicked McGuffey was laughing immOd-
erately. but TO Scraggs IL was no
laughing matter. The fact Of the mat
ter was the king was dangerous and
Scraggs had glutted himself with re-
venge.
Il don't want 10 beat an old man TO
DEATH" he gasped finally. "Tll let the
scOundrel go. He's had enough and he
won't fight. Let's mosey along back
TO the schooner and leave them here
TO amuse themselves the best way they
know how"
"Right-O." said Mr.. GIbney. and
turned TO walk down the beach to the
boat. A second later a hoarse scream
Of rage and terror broke from his lips
whats up7" cried McGuffey. the
laughter dying out of his voice, for
there was a hint OF death in Mr.. Glib
ney's cry.
''Afarooned - said the commodore
hoarsely. Those two sailors have
pulled back to the schooner, and
there-look, Mac! My Gawd!-
McGuffey looked. and kls face went
whittier than the foamlng breakers be
yond which he could see Maggie II, I'M
der full sail, headed for the open sea.
The small boat had been picked up,
and there was no doubt that at her
present rate of speed the schooner
would be hull down IN the horizon by
sunset.
"The murderin' hound" whispered
McGuffey. and sagged down on the
sands. "Oh, the murderin' hound of a
mate"
"It's-It's mutiny." gulped Captain
Scraggs In a hard, strained voice.
THAT bloody fend of a mate The sly
sneak-thief, with his pleasant smile
and his winnin' ways Saw a chance
TO steal the Maggie and her rich cargo.
and he is leavin' us here. maroOned on
a desert island. with two cannibals."
Captain Scraggs fairly shrieked the
last two words and burst into tears.
Lord, Glib, old man." he raved, 'what-
ever will we do?"
Thus appealed TO, the doughty COM
modore permitted his two unmatched
optics 10 rest mournfully upon his
shipmates.
He gulped and thoughtfully rubbed
the knuckies of his right hand where
the skin was barked of. He thought
Of the silly joke he and McGufey had
thought to perpetrate on Captain
Scraggs by leading him up against a
beating at the hands of a cannibal
king. and with the thought came a
grim. hard chuckle. though there was
the look Of a thousand devils in his
eyes.
swell. Mac. old sporty boy, I guess
there amt much to do except 10 make
up our minds TO die like gentlemen. If
was ever fooled by a man in my fife,
I was fooled by that doggone mate. I
thought he'd tote square with the syn
dictate. sure did"
For a long time McCiuffey gazed sea-
ward. He was slower than his ship
mates in making up his mind that the
mate had really deserted them and
sailed away with the fortunes of the
syndicate. or the three, however, the
stoicaI engineer accepted the situation
with the best grace. He spurned the
white sand with his foot and faced Mr..
Gibney and Captain Scraggs with just
the suspicion OF a grin on his homely
| face.
81 make a notion" he said, that
the syndicate pass a resolution con-
DENIM the action OF the mate"
II was a forlorn hope, and the jest
went over the heads OF the deck de-
partment. Said Mr.. Gibney sadly:
"There amt no more Maggie ii syn
dicate."
I'm