Cheyenne Wells record., 1922-04-06
CHAPTER x-continued.


-11-
There's one thing more that w
mustn't neglect" warned Mr.. Chine.
before the meeting broke up. "Wevt
cot to run this little vessel into some
doe.hole where there's nice beacl
and smooth water. and change hel
name. l notice that her old name
Reina Maria Is screwed into her bows
and across her stern In rnlsed gilt let
ters, contrary to law and custom
We'll snip 'em OF, sandpaper every
SPOT where there's letter, and re-
paint 1t; after which we'll rig up Il
stacln' over her bow and stern, and
cut her new name. Maggie H. right
into her plankin'. Nobody'll ever sus-
meet her names been changed. no
fice that the official letters and num-
hers cut into her main beam Is F-C-P
-0057. I'll change the f to E, and the
Cto %, and the to II. A handy man
with wood chisel can do lots or
things. He can change those mines to
eIchts, the five to Il six, and the seven
to n nine. I've seen 1t done before.
Then well rig fOretopmast and Il
splnnaker boom on her, and bend
Asherman's stnysnil. Nothing like 1t
when you're sailing little off the
wind. Scraggs. you have the papers
of the old Maggie, and we all have
our licenses regular enough. Dig up
.he old papers, Scraggsy. and I'll doctor
.em IN to ft the Maggie II. AS for
our armament, We'll dismount the
guns and stow 'em away In the hold
until we get down on the Colombian
coast, and while we're lying In Pan
ANA repairing the holes where my
shots went through her. and putin
new panks In her decks where the
old plankin' has been scored by shrap-
mel. those paraqueets will think we're
as peaceful as chipmunks. Better look
over your supplies, McGuifey, and see
II there's any paint aboard. I'd just
as lief give the old girl different
dress before we drop anchor In Pan
ANA"
Glib" said Captain Scraggs. earnest
Iy. "Ill keel-haul and shull-drag the
Inan that says you amt got great
head"
by the lord" supplemented McGuf-
fey, "you have"
The commodore smiled and tapped
his frontal bone with his foretinger.
'.Imagination. my lads. Imagination
he said, and reached for the last of the
punch.
Exactly three weeks from the date OF
the naval battle which took place OF
the Coronado Islands. and whereby Mr..
Gibney became commodore and man
aging owner of the erstwhile Mexican
coast patrol schooner Reinn Maria. that
vessel sailed out of the harbor of Pan
lmn completely rejuvenated. Not
scar on her shapely lines gave evil
dence Of the sanguinury engagement
through which she had passed.
Mr.. Gibney had her painted IL creamy
white with a dark blue waterline. She
had had her bottom cleaned and
scraped and the copper shcathng over.
hauled and patched up. Her sails
had been Overhaued, inspected. and
repaired wherever necessary, and in
order 10 he on the safe side, Mr.. Glib
ney, upon motion duly made by him
and seconded by McGuncy Ito whom
the seconding Of the Gibney motions
had developed into habit). purchased
an extra suit of new sails. The en-
Rines were Ovcrlauled by the faith
ful McGuhey and large store of dis
fillnte stored In the hold. Captain
Bcraggs, with his old-time aversion to
expense, made II motion (Which was
seconded by McGufrey before he had
taken time to consider It's import) pro-
RdiLg Tor the abolition of the Office
OF chief engineer while the Maggie II
was under sail, ut which time the
chief ex-0iiciO was to hold himself
under the orders of the commodore and
be transferred to the deck department
81 necessary. Mr.. Gibney approved the
measure and 1t went into effect. Only
on entering or leaving n port. or In
case Of chase by an enemy, we're the
engines to be used and McGuffey was
warned to be extremely saving Of his
diStilIate.
Afr. Glbney made n splendid job of
changing the vessels name. and as
she ,chugged lazily out Of Panama bay
and lifted to the long ground-swell Of
the Pacific. 1t is doubtful II even her
late Mexican commander would have
recognized her. She was indeed a
beautiful craft. and Commodore Glib
noy's heart swelled with pride as he
stood aft. coming the man at the
wheel. and looked her over. 1t seemed
like a sacrilege now. when he reflected
how he had trained the gun Of the old
Maggie on her that day of the Coro
pados, and It seemed to him now ever
q greater sacriiege to have brazenly
planned to enter her as a privateer ir
The struggles Of the republic Of Colon
bic. The past tense is used advisedly
for that project was now entirely of
Z much to the secret delight Of CaptRiI
Scraggs, who. II the hero of one nnva
sugAgement, was not anxious to tax,
pArt ip! another. In Panama the free
hooters Of the Maggie II learned tina