The Ordway new era., 1922-06-02
further back into the shart alley and

Dan Hicks ran up on deck and re-
turned dragging the deck fire hose oe-
hind him. He thrust the brass nozzle
into the shaft-alley entrance ana IN
vited Scraggs to surrender uncohui-
tionally or be drowned like kitten
Scraggs, knowing his own fire nose
defied them, so Dan Hicks started the
pump while Flaherty turned on the
water. Instantly the hose burst up on
deck and Scraggs' jeers of triumph
filed the engine room. The enemy
was about to draw lots to see which
one of the two should crawl into the
shaft alley and throw a cupfui OF
chloride OF lime tfor they found a can
of this in the engine room) in captain
Scraggs' face, when a shadow dark
ened the hatch and Mr.. bartholomew
McGuffey demanded belligerently:
"What's goin' on down there7 Who
the DEVILS takin' liberties in my en-
gine room?"
Dan Hicks explained the situation
and the just cause for drastic action
which they held against the fugitive
in the shaft alley. Mr.. McGuffey CON
sidered a few moments and made his
decision.
IF what you say is true-an' | amt
in position to dispute you, not havin'
been present when you hauled the
Maggie off the beach | don't blame
you for feeling sore. What | do blame
you for. though, is carryin' the war
aboard the Maggie. If you wanted to
whale Glib an Scraggsy you should ha'
laid for 'em on the dock. Under the
circumstances. you make this per-
s'nal affair, an as member o the
crew O. the Maggie ! got to take a
hand an defend my skipper agin youse
two. Fact is. gentlemen, l got n date
to lick him first for what he done to
me last night. Howsumever. that's
private crouch. The fact remains that
you two jumped my pal Bert Gibney
an licked him somethin' scandalous.
Hicks. I'll take you on first. Come up
out of there. you swab, and fight. Fla
herty. you stay below until I send for
you; If you try TO climb M an horn in
on my fight with Hicks. Gibuey'u brain
you"
A faint cheer came from the shaft
alley. "Good old Mac. At-a-boy :"
you're on. McGuGey. Nobody ever
had to beg me to fight him" Dan
Hicks replied cordially. and climbed
to the deck To his great surprise,
Mr.. McGuffey winked at him and drew
him off to the stern of the Maggie,
"There'n be no fight" he declared,
although Wen thud around on deck
an yell couple o. times to make
Scraggs think we're gon' to it. He
figgers that by the time I've fought
you an Flaherty l won't be fit for
combat with him. even If ] lick you
both he's got it all figgered out that
I'll wait a couple O. days before
tacklln' him, an he thinks my tenn
peril cool by that time an he can
argy me out O. my revenge. Savey?"
"I twig"
Mr.. Gibney had returned to the
Maggie by this time and he now took
his station at the engine-room hatch
and growled at Flaherty and abused
him. keep up your courage
Scraggsy." he called. as Hicks and Nc
Guffey pranced around the deck in
simulated combat. MACS whalin' the
whey out o. Hicks an Hicks couldn't
touch him with a buggy whip"
At the conclusion of the three min
utes of horse-play, Mr.. McGuffey came
to the hatch again. up with you
Flaherty," he called loud enough for
Captain Scraggs to hear. "up with you
before 1 go down after you"
Flaherty was about to possess him
self of hatchet when the face of his
confrere. Dan Hicks, appeared over
McGuffey's shoulder and grinned
knowingly at him. Immediately, Fla
herty hurled defiance at his enemies
and came up on deck, and once more
to Captain Scraggs came the dull
sounds of apparent conflict overhead.
Suddenly a cheer broke from Mr..
Gibney. "All off an gone to Cooper
town, Scraggsy," he shouted. Come
up an take a look at the fallen"
Out of the shaft alley came Scraggs
with a rush, tossing his wrench aside
the better TO climb the ladder. He was
half way up when Mr.. Gibney reached
fown great hand, grasped him by
the collar, and whisked him out on
deck with single jerk. Here, to his
horror he found himself confronted
by singularly scathless trio who
grinned triumphantly at him.
Seem is believin', Scraggs," Dan
Hicks Informed him. That's lesson
you taught me an Flaherty last night,
but. evidently you don't profit by ex-
perience. You're too miserable to
beat up, but just to show you it amt
possible for a dirty bay pirate like
you to- skin the likes O. me an Fla
herty we purpose bangin' the seat o.
your pants up around your coat col
lar. Face him about, Gibney."
With quick twist Mr.. Chimney nre.