Williams news., 1922-01-27
CHAPTER |.

1eaded north. Captain Scraggs haC been steambOating too many unprofit able years on San Francisco bay, the Suisun and San Pablo sloughS anC dogholes and the Sacramento river to be deceived as to the character o1 that fog, and he remarked as much to MT Gibney. Wed better turn back to Halfmoon bay and tie up at the dock,'' he added
 Calamity howler!" retorted MT. Gibney and gave the wheel a spoke or two. "Scraggsy. you're enough to make real sailor sick at the stomach"
 "But 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.'
 q don't doubt your word a mite. Scraggsy. I never did see a ferry-boat skipper that knew shucks about sailorizing," the imperturbable Gibney responded. Me, I'll smell my way home in any tule fog"
 Maybe you can an maybe you can't, Glib. although far be it from me to question your ability. I'll take 1t for granted. Nevertheless, I ain't a-goin' to run the risk O you havin catarrh O the nose an confusin' your smells tonight. You ain't got nothin' at stake but your job, whereas if I lose the Maggie I lose my hull for tune. Bring her about, Glib, an let's hustle back"
 Don't be an old woman" MT. Gib- Dey pleaded. "Scraggs, you just ain't got enough works inside you to fill wrist watch"
 'I afn't a-goin' to poke around in the dark an a tule fog, feelin' for the Golden gate" Captain Scraggs shrilled peevfshly.
 Ills bells an panther tracks I've got my old courses, an if I foIler them we can't help gettin' home"
 Captain Scraggs laid his hand on Mr. Gibney's great arm and tried to smile paternally. 'Gib, my dear boy" argue with me. Glib. I'm master here am you're mate. Do I make myself clearT'
 
 avail you nethin'. You're only master becuz of a gentleman'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 accordin' to the records O the inspectors office, I'm master of the Maggie, an the way I Agger it, whenever there's any call to show a little real seamanship, that gentleman's agreement don't stand"
 "But this ain't one O them times, Gib."
 You're whistlin' it fs If we run from this here fog, it's skiffs to bat tleships we don't get into San Fran cisco bay an discharged before six o'clock tomorrow night By the time 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 sea the same night sos to be back in Halfmoon bay to load bright an early next mornin'. Scraggsy. I ain't r" night bird on this run.''
 Do you mean to defy me, G-D?'' Captain Scra ggs' little green eyes g1eamed Dalefully- MT. G1bney looked down upon him with tolerance, as Great Dane gazes upon a fox terrier '1 certainly do, Scraggsy, old pepper pot,' he replied calmly. "What're you goin' to do about it?" The ghost of a smile lighted his jovial countenance.
 ''Nothin'-now. I'm helpless" Cap tain Scraggs answered with deadly calm. But the minute we hit the dock you an me parts company
 '1 don't know whether we will or not Scraggsy. I ain't heeled right financially to hit the beach on such short notice.''
 ''Ill get the police to remove you. you blistered pirate" Scraggs screamed. now quite beside himself.
 Yes? Well, the minute they let go O me I'lt come back to the s. s. Mag gie and tear her apart just to see what makes her go.'' He leaned out the pilot-house window and shifted -'Tule fog, all right. Scraggs. Still that ain't reason why the ships company should fast. is it? Quit bick- erin with me, little one, an see if you can't wrastie up some ham an eggs I want my eggs sunny side up."
 Sensing the futiIity of further areu- ment. Captain Scraggs sought solace in stream of adjectivaI opprobrium. plainly meant for Mr. Gfbney but de-