The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-05-19
CONTINUED from Last issue)

drop out an roll In the ocean. An 1t
amt perishable. 1t persisted long ago.
amt deceived you. An if you don't
like the scent O. dead Goldfish on your
decks, you can swab 'em down with
Florida water for month"
Captain Scraggs' mate came around
the corner Of the house and addressed
himself to Captain Scraggs.
"You can give me my time. sir. I'm
steamboat mate, not grave digger
or a coroner's assistant, or an under
taker, an I can't stand to handle this
here freight"
Mr.. McGufrey tossed his silken en-
gineer's cap over to Scraggs.
''Hop on that, Scraggsy. Your own
hat is ground to powder. Amt it
strange. Glib, what little Imagination
Scraggsy's, got? He'll stand there
a-screamin' an a-cussin' an a-prancin'
--Scraggsy! Amt you got no pride,
maxim such spectacle O. yourself?
We don't have to handle this freight
O. GIBBS at. all. Wen just hook onto
that barge an tow it up river"
."You won't do nOthin' O. the sort,
Mac, because that's my barge an I
amt n-go:n' to let 1t out o. my sight.
I've delivered my freight alongside
"o,ir Sten'r"r and prepaid the freight
nn' n'- ". 10 you to handle It,"
"I'i," IAII
"That's the programmed"
"Adelbert." crooned Mr.. McGuffey
"ain't you got no heart? You know
got half Interest In the Victor"
"O-oo.oh!" Captain Scraggs groaned,
passenger. When he could look up
again his face was CHASTITY with mis-,
cry.
"Gib," he pleaded sadly. "you got
US where the hair Is short. Don't in
woke the law an make us handle that
Goldfish, Glib! 1t amt right. Gimme
leave to tow that barge-anything to
keep yonr freight off the Victor, an
We'll pull 1t up river for you-"
BE good Teller, Glib. You uscn'ter
he bard an splteful like that" urged
McGaney.
"l'll tow the barge free" walled
Scraggs.
Mr.. Gi5ney sat calmly down on the
stringcr and lit cigar. Nature had
blessed Elm with a strong constitu-
ton amidshlps and the contiguity Of
his tainted fortune bothered him but
little. He squlnted over the tip Of the
cigar at Captain Scraggs.
you're just the saue old Scraggsy
you was In the green-pea trade. All
you need Is a 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
to death to do the job for half O. that.
an then you got the gall to stand
there appealin' to my friendship! So
you'll tow the barge up free, Ell? 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.
guaranteeln' 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
1t, 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.
handed.
Mr.. Gibney cooked his hat over one
ear and blew cloud Of smoke in the
shippers face.
"Well, boys, I'll tell you. Sailed
Goldfish that's been under water long
time gets most O. the salt took out Of
1t, an even ut 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 rugged
up a 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' it from the
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 ut Dunnigan's landin'. l fig
ger on cleanin' up about seven thou
sand net on the deal. 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
at 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"
:. "Thanks to a lack O. Imagination in
sou an Scrasgsy I'm. about two hun