The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1922-02-24

1, nad monkey wrench In one hand and
a greasy rag In the other,
Mr.. Gibney turned. and looked at the
man.
"McGuffey, for thousandW he bel
lowed, and ran forward with out
stretched hand. Captain Scraggs was
at Glbney's heels, and between them
they came very nearly dislocating Bar
tholomew McGuffey's arm.
"McGuffey, my dear boy" said Cap
tain Scraggs. "Whatever are you
a-doin' on this heather battleshipT
"Mew CALCULATED Mr.. McGuffey, with
his old-time elaboration. "Why, I'm
the chief engineer of this craft. had
a good job, too, but l guess it's all Off
now, and the Mexican governmental
fire me. Say, who chucked that buck
shot down into my engine room?"
admiral Gibney did It," said
Scraggs. "The old Maggie's along
side and me and GIBBS fillbusters. Bear
a hand, Mac. and help us clap the
matches on our prisoners"
THANK God" said Mr.. Gibney pious-
ly, 81 didn't kill you. Come to look
into the matter. didn't kill anybody,
though / see half dozen Mexicans
around decks more or less cut up.
Where you been all these years, Mac7"
81 been chief engineer in the Next
can navy" replied McGuffey. Have
you captured us In the name Of the
United States or whatT
| In hA nf
Adelbert p. Gibney," was the reply. II
been huntin' all my life for ship of
my own, and now I've got her. Lord.
Mac, she's a beauty, amt she? All
hardwood finish, teak rail, well found.
and just the ticket for the island
trade. Well, well, WE'LL I'm Captain
Gibney at last"
"Where do l come In, Gibf" asked
Captain Scraggs modestly.
swell, SEEM as the Maggie has two
holes through her hull below the wa
terline, and is generally nicked to
pieces. you might quit askin' questions
and get back aboard and put the
pumps on her. You're lucky If she
don't sink on you before we get to Des-
canso bay. II she sinks, don't worry.
I'll give you a job as my first mate.
Mac, you're my engineer, but not at no
fancy Mexican price. I'll pay you the
union scale and not blasted cent
more or less. Is that fairT'
McGuffey said 1t was, and went be-
low to tune up his engine. Mr.. GiDney
took the wheel of the gunboat, and
sent Captain Scraggs back aboard the
Maggie, and In few minutes both
vessels were bowling along toward
Descanso bay. They were Off the pay
at midnight, and while with Mr. Glib
ney in command Of the federal gun
boat Captain Scraggs had nothing to
| fear, the rapid rise Of water In the
hold of the Maggie was sadly discon-
| certing. About daylight he made up
| his mind that she would sink within
two hours, and without pausing to
whine over his predicament, he
promptly beached her. She drove FAR
up the beach, with the slack water
] breaking around her SCARED sterI., and
when the tide ebbed she lay high and
| dry. And the rebel soldiers came
| trooping down from the Megano
rancho and falling upon her carcass
like so many ants, quickly distributed
her cargo amongst them, and disap-
| peared.
Captain Scraggs sent his crew out
aboard the captured gunboat to assist
Mr.. Gibney in rowing his prisoners
ashore, and when finally he stood
| alone beside the wreck of the brave
old Maggie, piled up at last in the port
Of missing ships, something snapped
within his breast and the big tears
rolled in quick succession down his
sun-tanned cheeks. The old hulk
looked peculiarly pathetic as she lay
there, listed over on her beam ends.
She had served him well, but she had
finished her last voyage, and with some
vague idea of saving her old bones
| from vandal hands, Captain Scraggs,
sobbing audibly, scattered the contents
| Of half dozen cans of kerosene over
her decks and in the cabin, lighted
| fires In three different sections Of the
wreck, and left her to the consuming
flames. Half an hour later he stood
ON the battered decks Of the gunboat
beside Gibney and McGuffey and
watched the dense clouds of smoke
that heralded the passing Of the Mag
| gle.
"She was good old hulk" said
Mr.. Gibney. "And now, as the spe-
cial envoy Of the Liberal army Of Mex
leo, here's a draft on Los Angeles for
Ave thousand bucks, Scraggsy, which
! constitutes the balance due you ON
THIS here filIbuster trip. OF course,
needn't remind you. Scraggsy. that
you'd never have earned this money II
(! it hadn't been for .Adelbert r. Gibney
workin his imagination overtime.
i've made you chunk Of money, and
while couldn't save your ship. l did
save your life. AS q reward for all
this, don't claim one cent Of the
money due YOU as could IL wanted
TO be rotten mean. I'm goin' to keep
this fine little power schooner for my
share of the loot. She's nicked up
some, but that only bears evidence to
what a bully good shot ! am. and Y