The L'Anse sentinel., 1922-04-07

l got a half Interest In the Victor"
"O-oo-ohl" Captain Scraggs groaned,
and his groan was that of seaslck
passenger. When he could look up
again his face was ghastly with mis-
cry. f
"Gib," he pleaded sadly, "you got
us where the hair Is short. Don't in
woke the law an make us handle that
Goldfish, Gibl II amt right. Gimme
leave to tow that barge-anything to
keep your freight Off the Victor, an
well pull 1t up river for you"
BE good feller. Glib. You usen'ter
be hard an spiteful like that" urged
McGuffey.
"I'll tow the barge free" walled
Scraggs.
Mr.. Gibney sat calmly down on the
stringer and lit a cigar. Nature had
blessed him with strong constltu-
tion amidships and the contiguity of
his tainted fortune bothered him but
little. He squlnted over the tip of the
cigar Mt Captain Scraggs.
you're just the same old Scraggsy
you was in the green-pea trade. All
you need Is ring In yer nose,
Scraggsy, to make you a human hog.
Here you goes to work an soaks me
a dollar ton when you'd be tickled
an then you got the gall to stand
there appealin' to my friendship! So
you'll tow the barge up free, eh? Well,
just to make the transaction legal, I'll
give you dollar for the job an let
you have the barge. Skip to 1t,
Scraggsy, an draw up new bill,
guaranteein' to tow the barge for one
dollar. Then gimme back $4,000 an
I'll hand you back this receipted
freight bill"
Captain Scraggs darted into his cab
In, dashed Off the necessary document,
and returning to the deck, presented
II, together with the requisite refund
to Mr.. Gibney, who, In the meantime,
had come aboard.
"Whatever are you a-goin' to do
with this awful Goldfish, Gib?" he de-
manded. .
Mr.. Gibney cooked his hat over one
ear and blew cloud of smoke in the
skipper's face.
"Well, boys, I'll tell you. Sailed
Goldfish that's been under water a long
time gets most O. the salt took out of
it. an even at sea, II It's left long
enough, It'll get so darned ripe that
It's what you might call offensive. But
1t makes good fertilizer. There amt
nothin' In the world to equal Goldfish,
medium ripe, for fertilizer I've rigged
up deal with orchard comp'ny
that's layin' out couple o. thousand
acres o. young trees up In the delta
lands o. the Sacramento. I've sold 'em
the lot, after first buyin' 1t from the
owners o. the schooner for hundred
dollars. Every time these orchard fell
lers dig hole to plant young fruit
tree they aim to heave a Goldfish in the
bottom o. the hole first, for fertilizer.
There was upward o. two hundred
thousand Goldfish in that schooner an
I've sold 'em for FIVE cents each, de-
livered at Dunnigan's landin'. L fig
ger on cleanin' up about seven thou
sand net on the deal. l thought me an
Neils was stuck at first, but got my
imagination workin'--"
Captain Scraggs sank Imply Into
McGuffey's arms and the two stared
ut the doughty commodore. ~
"Hit in the face with fortune an
didn't know it." gasped poor McGuffey.
"Gib, I'm sure glad you got out whole
on that DEAL" 81
Thanks to lack O Imagination In
you an Scraggsy I'm about two hun
dred an fifty dollars ahead O my
estimate now, on account O. the free
tow O that barge. Me an Nells GER
tainly makes q nice little split on
account o. this here Goldfish DEAL"
"Gib," chattered Scraggs, whats
the matter with reorganizin' the syn
dicate2"
''Be good feller, Adelbert."
pleaded McGuffey.
Mr.. Gibney was never so vulnerable
as when one he really loved called
him by his Christian name. He drew
an arm across the shoulders of Nc
Guffey and Scraggs, while Ncils Hal
vorsen stood by, his yellow fangs
flashing with pleasure under his wal
rus mustuche.
"Scraggsy Maci Your fms Wen
rcorganize the syndicate, an the min
ute me an Neils finds ourselves with
a bill O. sale for one-quarter inter-
est In the Victor, based on the actual
cost price, we'Il tow this here barge"
San split the profits on the cod
,fish7' Scraggs uueried eagerly.
Certainly not. Me an Nels splits
that fifty-hfty. A quarter o. them,
profits is too high . price to pay for
your friendship. Scraggsy, old deceit
full. Remember. I made that profit
after you an Mac had pulled out o.
the syndicate"
"That's logic" McGuffey declared.
-It's highway robbery" Scraggs
snarled. II won't sell no quarter In
terest to you, or. The sQuarehead. Glib;
Not on them terms' .As
"Then you'll load them Goldfish
Aboards or 4 pay, demurrags on !. that
barge for every day they. hang around;
an if tha board Of health condemns