Middletown transcript., 1922-01-28
CHAPTER xIv-continued.

CHAPTER xIv-continued.
-15-
"By the tail o. the Great Sacred
Bull" chartered Scraggs. "Gib's right"
McGuffey was plainly disappointed.
II hadn't thought O. that at all Glib. I
been cherishin' the thought O. lammin'
the whey out'n that mate, but If you
say so I'll give up the idee. But If
bringin' the Maggie II into home wa
ters is invitin' death, what in blue
blazes're we goin' to do with herr"
Mr.. Gibney smiled-an arch, cunning
smile. "We'll give her to that muir
derin' mate, free gratis"
Captain Scraggs bounded out Of his
chair, struck the hot deck with his
bare feet, cursed, and hoped back
into the chair again. McGuffey stared
incredulously. "Gib. my dear boy"
quavered Scraggs, "say that agin."
"Yes." continued the commodore
placidy, "well just get shet O her
peaceable like by givin' her to this
mate. Don't forget, Scraggsy, old tar
pot, that this mates been passin' him
S>AA VII Iva yOu IA AIOhOiuius oh IL
there's ever an investigation, the trail
leads to the Maggie II. This mates
admitted being Captain Scraggs, an If
he's found with the schooner in his
possession it'll take heap O. evidence
for him to prove that he amt Captain
Scraggs. Wen just keep this here mate
In the brig while we're disposing Of
our black coral, pearl, shell and copra
In Honolulu, an then, when we've
cleaned up, an got our passages
booked for San Francisco"
"But who says we're goin' back to
San Franclsco?" cut In McGuffey.
"Why, where else would men with
money in their pockets head for, you
oil-soaked piece of ignorance? Amt
you had enough adventure to do you n
spell?"' demanded Captain Scraggs.
me an GIBBS for goin' back to San
Francisco, so shut up. If you got any
objection, you're outvoted two to one
in the syndicate"
McGuffey subsidized, growing, and
Mr.. Gibney continued:
"When we're ready to leave Homo
lulu, Wen bring this mate on deck,
make him a kind Christian talk an
give him the Maggie II with the COM
pliments O. the syndicate. He'll think
our sufferin's on that island has
touched us with religion an he'll be so
tickled he'll keep his mouth shut.
Then, with oil three of us safe an out
O. the mess, an the evidence Off our
hands, Wen clear out for Gawd's coun-
try an look around for some sort Of a
profitable investment"
The commodore sighed "She's a
love Of a boat an 1t breaks my heart
to give up the only command I've ever
had, but the fact is, Mac, her posses
sion by us Is dangerous, an we don't
need her, an we can't sell her because
her records got blurs on 1t. We can't
convey a clean an satisfactory title
Anyhow. she didn't cost us cent an
there amt no real financial loss If we
give her to this mate. He'd be glad ia
get her If she had yellow jack aboard
an If he's caught with her he'll have
to do the explainln'. When you're
caught WIN tiC BOVuS Ill yOuT pOSStS
sion. Mac, 1t makes the explainin' all
the harder. Besides, we're three to
one, an If 1t comes to a showdown
later we can outswear the mate"
Captain Scraggs picked his snaggle
teeth with the little blade of his jack
knife and cogitated a minute.
"Wen," he announced presently, "far
be 1t from me to fly In the face O. O
felon's death. I've made a heap O
money, follerin' GIBBS advice, an bust
my bob-stay If don't stay put on this
Glib. it's your lead"
swell, I'll follow suit. Gibbs got al
the trumps," acqulesced the engineer
"We got plenty o. dough an no board
bills comm due, so we'll loaf along
shore until Glib digs up somethiI
good"
"How about Neils" queried CAPITAL
Scraggs. "Do we continue to let thai
ex-deckhand in on our fortunes?"
'R Neils Halvorsen had asked yor
that question when he come to rescue
you the day you lay a-dyin' O. thirst
on that desert island, wouldn't yol
have said yes?"
"Sure pop"
"Then don't ask no questions that's
unworthy of you," said Mr.. Gibney Sc
verely. "I don't want to see none O
them green-pea trade ethics croppin
up in you, Scraggsy. II 1t wasn't fol
that Swede the sea-gulls'd be pickin
our bones now. Nells Harvorsen is In
cluded in this syndicate for good"
"Amen." This from the honest Nc
Guffey.
"Meetin's adjourned" said Captain
Scraggs icily.
Under the direction of the craft,
commodore, the valuable cargo of tn.
Maggie II was disposed of In Homo
lulu. During the period while tn,
schooner lay at the dock discharging
Captain Scraggs and McGuffey pru
IDENTIFY remained in the cabin with tn,
peridious mate, in order that, shoult
an Investigation be undertaken late]
by the Treasury department, no maj
might swear that the real Phinea
Scraggs. fllibuster, had been in Homo
lulu on certain date. The Kanak,
crew Of the schooner Mr.. Gibney man
aged to ship with an old shipmastel
friend bound for New Guinea, SO thei
testimony was out of the way for
while. at least.
When the Maggie II was finally dis
charged and the proceeds of hnr r,cy