Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1922-01-18

coat In the stern or small boat roWeu
by two men. There was a very slight
sea running, and presently the men 10
the small boat, watching their oppor
tuDity by the ghostly light OF the Ian
terms. ran their frail craft in under
the lee OF the Maggie. The figure In
the stern sheets leaped on the instant
caught the Jacobs ladder. climbed
nimbly over the side, and swore heart.
lily In very good English as his feet
struck the deck
whats the name OF this floating
coffinI" he demanded in a chain-locker
voice. II was quite evident that even
I'm the darkness, where her many de
fects were mercifully hidden, the Mag.
gle did not suit the special envoy "
the Mexican insurrectos.
american steamer Maggie" said
the skipper frigidly. "Scraggs is my
name, sir. And II you don't like my
vessel"
"ScraggsyT" roared the special en-
voy. "Scraggsy, for a thousand And
the old Maggie Of all boats! ScrRggsy,
old tarpot, your finl Duke me, you
doggOned old salamander!"
"Gib, my dear boyi" shrieked Cap
tain Scraggs and cast himself into Mr..
Gibney's arms In a transport OF joy.
Mr.. Gibney. for II was indeed he,
pounded Captain Scraggs on the back
with one great hand while with the
other he crushed the shippers fingers
to a pulp, the while he called on all
the powers of darkness TO witness that
never In all his life had he received
such a pleasant surprise.
II was indeed happy moment. All
the old animOsities and differences
were swallowed up I'm the glad hand
clasp with which Mr.. Gibney greeted
his old shipmate OF the green-pea
trade. Scraggs took him below at once
and they pledged each others health
"WeIl. I'll be keel-hauled and skull
draggedT" said Captain Scraggs, pro
ducing box of twO-for-a-quarter
cigars and handing II to Mr.. Gibney.
"Gib, my dear boy, wherever have you
been these last three yearsT
Everywhere" replied Mr.. Glbney.
81 have been all over, mostly In Pana-
ma and the Gold coast. For two years
I've been navigatin' officer on the Co
lOmbian gunbOat BOgota. When was
a young Teller l did hitch In the navy
and become a first-class gunner. and
then went to sea In the merchant ma
rine, and got my mates license. and
when I flashed my credentials on the
president of the United States Of Co
lombia he give me a Job at "dOs cienti
pesos orc" per. That's Spanish for
two hundred bucks gold a month. I've
been through two wars and / got a
medal for sinkin' a fishin' smack. j
talk Spanish Just like a native, don't
drink no more TO speak Of, and I've
been savin' my money. Some day
when l get the price together I'm goin'
back TO San Francisco. buy me a nice
little schooner, and go tradln' In the
South seas. How they been comm
with you, Scraggsy. old kiddoT
Lovely" replied Scraggs. "Just
simply grand. I'll pull ten thousand
out Of this job"
Mr.. Glbney whistled shrilly through
his teeth.
That's the ticket for SOUP" he said
admiringly. Il tell you, Scraggs, this
soldier OF fortune business may be all
right, but IL don't amount to much
compared TO being a sailor Of fortune,
en-, Scraggsy7 Just as soon as / heard
there was a revolution In Mexico quit
my Job I'm the Colombian navy and
come north for the pickin's. .
No, 1 amt been in their rotten little
army. Dye think l want TO
go around KILN people? . There
amt no pleasure gettin' killed in the
mere shank of a bright and prosper
Gus life a dead hero don't
gather no moss, Scraggsy. Reads all
right In books, but II don't appeal
none TO me. I'm for peace every time,
so right away as soon as / heard OF
the trouble, says l to myself: Things
has been pretty quiet In Mexico for
twenty years, and they're due to shift
things around pretty much. What
Iueln poems nttN II man WIN An
Imagination to help EN- out and II
they've got the money. Adelbert z. Glib
ney can supply the brains So ] comes
north TO Los Angeles, shows the in
surrecto junta my medal and my hon
orable discharges from every ship I'd
ever been in. includin' the gunbOat BO-
gotta, and l talked big and swelled
around and told 'em to run In some
arms and get busy. / framed II all up
for this fillbuster trip you're on,
Scraggsy, only never did hear that
they'd picked on you. / told that cOf-
fee-cOlored rat OF a Lopez man TO
hunt up Scab Johnny and he'd set him
right. but II anybody had told me you
had the nerve TO run the Maggie In on
this deal. Scraggsy. I'd a-called him q
liar. Scraggs. you're mucho-buenO-
that is. you're all right. I'm so used
TO talkin' Spanish I forget myself.
Still. there's one end OF this little deal