Cheyenne Wells record., 1922-05-04
CHAPTER xlv-cen.inu.s.

+By the tail o. the Great Sacred
Buu," chattered Scraggs. "Gib's right"
he0uftey was plainly disappointed.
ri hadn't thought o. that at all Glib. 1
beeo cferIshin' the thought O. lammin'
the whey 0ut'n that mate. but II you
say 20 I'll give up the idee. But II
brissfn' the Maggie II into home wa
tsrs u tnvitin' death. what In blue
blaxes're we goin' to do with herr"
Mr.. Gibney smiled-an arch. cunning
smile. well give her to that mur-
dsrin' mate. free gratis"
Captain Scraggs bounded out Of his
chair, struck the hot deck with his
bare feet. cursed. and hOpped hack
into the chair again. McGuffey stared
IncrAduiously. "Gib, my dear boy"
auavered Scraggs. "say that agin."
~Yes.' continued the commodore
placids. swell just get shet o her
peaceahIe like by glvin' her to this
mate. Don't forget. Scrnggsy. old tar
f,of. rkaf this mates been passin' him
Aeif OF for you In Honolulu. an II
there's ever an investigation. the trail
leads to the Maggie II. This mates
admitted heing Captain Scraggs, an II
he's found with the schooner In his
pOasesstOn tt'll take heap o. evidence
for him to prove that he amt Captain
scraEgs. Wen just keep this here mate
IN the brig while we're dispOsing Of
our black coral. pearl. shell and copra
IN Honolulu. an then. when we've
cleaned up. an got our passages
hooked for San FrnnciscO-"
"But who says we're goln' bnck to
San Francisco?" cut in McGuffey.
"yyhy. where else would men with
money In their pockets hend for. you
oiI.soaked piece of ignorance? Amt
you had enough adventure to do you n
spelIr' demanded Captain Scraggs.
"Me an Gib's for goin' back to San
.FrnncIseo. so shut up. II you got any
objecsisn. you're outvoted two to one
IN the syndicate"
MS,3uffey subsidized. growing, and
Nr Gihney continued:
"When we're rendy to leave Homo
ipIu. we'Il bring this mate on deck.
make him a kind Christian talk an
rive him the Maggie II with the COM
pItments o. the syndicate. He'll think
our sufferIn's on that island has
touched us with religion an he'll be SO
fIckled he'll keep his mouth shut.
Then. with all three Of us safe an out
q the mess. an the evidence of our
haads. we'll clear out for Gawd.s coun-
syy au' look around for some sort of
psohtabIe Investment"
The commodore sighed. "She's a
love Of boat an II breaks my heart
To give up the only command I've ever
had. but the fact is. Mac. her posses
sion by us Is dangerous, an we don't
need her. an we can't sell her because
her records got blurs on II. We can't
convey a clean an satisfactory title.
Anyhow. she didn't cost us n cent an
there amt no renl financial loss II we
give her to this mnte. He'd be glad to
get her n she Ind yellow jack aboard.
an n he's caught with her he'll have
to Do the explainin'. When you're
caught with the goods In your posses
sion. Mnc. II makes the explainin' all
the harder. Besides. we're three to
one, an II II comes to showdown
later we can outswenr the mate"
Captain scraggs picked his snaggle
teeth with the little blade Of his jack
knife and cogitated n minute.
"Weu." he announced presently. "far
he II from me to fly In the face o.
fei0n'a death. I've made a heap o.
money. follerin' Gib's advice. an bust
my bob.stay II I don't stny put on this.
nih. It's your lead"
swell. I'll foIsow suit. GIBBS got all
the trumps." acquiesced the engineer.
1--WE got plenty o dough an no board
hills comm due. SO we'll loaf along
ehnrs until Glib digs up somethin'
good"
"How about Neils?" queried Captain
ScrAgga. "Do we continue to let that
sx.deckhand In on our fortunes?"
'Tf Neiis HalvOrsen had asked you
chat question when he come to rescue
ynu the day you lay a-dyIn' o. thirst
m that desert island. wouldn't you
have said yes?"
"Sure pop"
"Then don't ask no questions that's
unworthy Of you," said Mr.. Gibney Sc
verely. VI don't want to see none o.
them green-pen trade ethics croppin'
up Ia you. scragssy. II II wasn't for
that gwede the sea-gulls'd be pickin'
our bones now. Neils Harvorsen Is in
cluded In this syndicate for good"
sAnen." This from the honest Nc
0uffey.
~1isetin's adjourned" said Captain
0crasgs icily.
Under the direction of the crafty
commodore. the valuable cargo Of the
Maggie II was disposed Of In Homo
lulu. During the period while the
Schooner lay a, the dock discharging,
Captain. scragss und McGufYey pru-
IDENTIFY remained In the cabin with the
pev6dious mate. In order that, should
An Investigation lie undertaken later
b. the Treasury department. NO man