The Owosso times., 1922-03-24

s"S "uNco. Dut tic WcISht VI thc
cable whirled the little craft around,
wave rolled In over her counter, and
| half-hlled her; the succeeding wave
completed the job and rolled the skiff
over and The Squarehead was forced
10 swim back TO the Chesapeake. He
climbed up the Jacobs ladder to face
storm Of abuse from Captain Scraggs
The cable was hauled back aboard
with difficulty, owing to the submerged
skif at the end of IL. Captain Scraggs
| and The Squarehead leaned over the
Chesapeake's rail and tugged furious
| ly when the wreck came alongside, but
all Of their strength was unequal to
the task Of righting the little craft by
hauling up OH the light rope attached
10 her thwart.
For ten dollars more each me an
Mac'll tail on to that rope an do our
hest to right the skiff. After she's
righted. III ball her out. borrow new
oars from this here bark, an help Neils
row back to the Maggie with the
cable" Mr.. Gibney volunteered. Cash
IN advance. as per usual"
You're pair Of highway robbers,
but III take yOu," Scraggs almost
walled, and paid out the money;
whereupon Gibney and McGuffey
tailed" on to the rope and with rau-
cous cries hauled away. AS result
Of their efforts, the thwart came away
with the rope and the quartet sat down
with exceeding abruptness on the hard
pine deck of the Chesapeake.
II had an idee that thwart would
pull loose" Mr.. Gibney remarked.
We'll, what're you goin' to do now?"
II amt licked yet-not by jugful,"
Scraggs snapped. ''Halvorsen, haul
down that signal halyard from the miz-
zenmast, take one end of it In your
teeth, an swim back to the Maggie
with 1t. Well fasten heavier line
10 the cable, an haul the cable aboard
with the Magge's winch"
You say that so nice, Scraggsy, old
hopeful, I'm tempted to think you can
whistle 1t. Neils, he's only askin' you
TO risk your life overheard for nothing.
Taln't In the shippin' articles that
seaman's got to do that. If he wants
swimmin' exhibition make him pay
for it-through>>the nose. An If
was you, I'd find out how much o this
two thousand dollars tOwage he's goin'
to distribute to his crew. Pers'nlly
I'd get mine In advance"
"Adelbert p. Gibney," Captain
Scraggs hissed. "There's such thing
as drivin' a man to distraction. Hal
vorsen, are you with meT
AYE bane-fOr saxty dollars. Hay
bane worth a months pay for take
dat swim"
You dirty ScOwegian migrate. Well.
you don't get no sixty dollars from me-
Bear hand and we'll drop the ships
work boat overheard. guess you can
tow signal halyard to the Maggie,
can't you, Neils?"
Neils cOuldand did Within fifteen
minutes the Maggie was fast to her
prize. Now we'll cOckbill the an
chor," quOth Captain Scraggs, so Nc
Guffey reporting sufficient steam In the
donkey to turn over the windlass, the
anchor was raised and cockbilled, and
the instant Captain Scraggs sgnaled
his new navigating officer that the
hook was free Of the bottom.
"The old girl don't seem to be max
in headway In the right direction" Nc
Guffey remarked plaintively. after the
Maggie had strained at the hawser for
five minutes. Mr. Gibney, standing
by with hammer In his hand. nodded
affirmatively, while the skipper Of the
Chesapeake. whom Mr.. Gibney had had
the fOrethought to carry out OIL deck
to watch the operation, glanced appre-
hensively ashore. Scraggs measured
the distance with his eye to the near
est fringe Of surf and II was plain that
he was worried.
captain Scraggs;" the skipper OF
the Chesapeake called feebly, "Mr.
Gibney Is right. That craft Of yours
Is unable to tow my ship against this
wind. You're losing ground. inch by
inch. and It will be only matter of
an hour or two, II you hang on to me,
before I'll be In the breakers and n
total loss. You'll have to get sail on
her or let go the anchor until tug
arrives"
II don't know thing about sailin'
Ship" Scraggs quavered.
"I know II ALL" Mr. Gibney cut In,
but there amt money enough in the
world to induce me to exercise that
knowledge to your profit" He turned
to the master of the Chesapeake. "For
one hundred dollars each, McGuffey
an will sail her in for you, sir"
"Tll Not take the risk, Mr.. Gibney.
Captain Scraggs, If you will follow my
Instructions we'll get some sail on the
Chesapeake. Take those lines through
the leading blocks to the winch"
The engineer Of the Maggie came up
on deck and waved his arms wildly.
"Leggo," he bawled. 1--WE blown out
two tubes. It'll be all can do to get
home without that tow"
Jump on that, Scraggsy," quoth Nc
Guffey softly and cast his sIlken en-
gineer's cap on the deck at Scraggs'
r,l