Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1922-01-06

ly, spat, and spoke to McGuffey, SOTO
voce: "By George, the Joke amt all
On Scraggsy." he said. Then turning
to Captain Scraggs: Help yourself to
the mustard, ~Scraggsy, old tarpot.'
Captain Scraggs took of his hat,
rolled up his sleeves, and made a dive
for the royal presence. His majesty,
lacking the scientific training Of his
prime minister, seized a handful OF
the Scraggs name and tore at 1t cruel
ly. A well directed kick In the shins,
| however, caused him to let go, and Il
moment later he was flying up the
beach with the angry Scraggs in full
cry after him. McGuffey headed the
king off and rounded him up SO
Scraggs could get at him, and the lat
| ter at once dug in" like a terrier
After five minutes Of mauling anG
tearing Captain Scraggs was out of
breath, so he let 60 and stood off a
few feet 10 size mp the situation. The
wicked McGuffey was laughing ipmod-
c%rately, but to Scraggs it was no
laughing matter. The fact of the mat
ter was the king was dangerous and
Scraggs had glutted himself with re-
venge.
81 don't want to beat an old man to
death," he gasped finally. "Tll let the
scoundrel go. He's had enough and he
won't fight. Let's mosey along back
to the schooner and leave them here
to amuse themselves the best way they
know how"
"Right-O," said Mr.. Gibney, and
turned to walk down the beach to the
tbOat. A second later q hOarse scream
of age and terror broke from his lips.
whats upT" cried McGuffey, the
laughter dying out Of his voice, for
there was a hint of death in Mr.. Glib
ney's cry.
"Marooned !" said the commodore
hoarsely. "rhose two sailors have
pulled back to the schooner. and
there-look, Maci My Gawd"
McGuffey looked, and his face went
whittier than the foaming breakers be-
yond which he could see Maggie II, un.
der full sail, headed for the open sea
The small boat had been picked up
and there was no doubt that at hei
present rate Of speed the schooner
would be hull down on the horizon by
sunset.
"The murderin' hound" whispered
&cGufrey, and sagged down on thu
sands. ooh, the murderin' hound of
mate"
"It's-lt's mutiny," gulped Captain
Scraggs in n hard, strained voice
"That bloody fiend of a mate! The 81,
sneak-thief, with his pleasant smil
and his winnin' ways! Saw a chanc,
to steal the Maggie and her rich cargo
and he is leavin' us here, marooned OF
: Il desert island, with two cannibals."
Captain Scraggs fairly shrieked tn
last two words and burst into tears
"Lord, Glib, old man." he raved, "what
!. ever will we do?"
| Thus appealed to, the doughty con
modore permitted his two unmatche
optics to rest mournfully upon hi
: %shipmates.
I; He gulped and thoughtfully rubhe
6 the knuckies of his right hand wher
the skin was harked off. He though
o of the silly joke he and McGuffey ha
3, thought to perpetrate on Capital
Scraggs by leading him up against
beating at the hands Of a cannib;
, king, and with the thought came
y, grim, hard chuCkle, though there WI
the look of a thousand devils In h
eyes.
"Well, Mac, old sporty boy, l que
! there amt much to do except to mai
1 M our minds to die like gentlemen.
] was ever fooled by a man in my If
] was fooled by that doggone mate.
thaAcht he'd tote square with the sy
] dicate. | sure lid
\ For n long time McGuffey gazed Sc
n +ward. He was slower than his shi
n mates In making up his mind that Il
\ mate hal really deserted them al
sailed away with the fortunes of L
syndicate. OF the three, however, t
VI stoical engineer accepted the SITUATE
with the hest grace. He spurned {
white sand with his foot and faced n
Gihney and Captain Scraggs with u
the suspicion of a grin on his home
face.
~ make n motion" he said, 18th
the syndicate pass a resolution CO
demnin' the action of the mate"
1t was Il forlorn hope, and the J,
went aver the heads of the deck
partment. Said Mr.. Gibney sadly:
There amt no more Maggie IL s,
dicate."