Williams news., 1922-06-23


 ordered thr-eateningly. Remember,
 got half interest in any judgment hs l gifts agin us-an' what's more, I ob | jeet to them codf1sh clutterfn' up my half interest"
 | You bullied me on the old Maggie | Scraggs screeched, "but I won't be bullied no more. If you want to tow | that barge, Mac, you buy me out, lock | stock and barrel. An the price for l my half interest is five thousand dol. lars"
 You've sold something, Scraggsy,' ,' MT. McGuffey flashed back at him. obeying a wink from MT. Gibney. An here's a hundred dollars to bind the bargain. Balance on delivery of proper bill-o-sale."
 While Scraggs was counting the money MT. Gibney was writing a re ceipt in his note book. Scraggs, still furious, signed the receipt.
 ''Now, then, Scraggsy," said MT. Gib- ney affably, hustle up to the custom house, get a formal bill-o'-sale blank, fill her in, an hustle back agfn for your check. An see to 1t you don't change your mind, because it won't do you any good. If you don't come through now I can sue you an force you to-"
 "Ohi So you're buyfn' my interest, eh?"
 'wen. I'm Iendfn' Mac the money, an I got hunch he'll sell the interest to me an Neils without fggerin' on a profit You're jarrin' note in the syndicate, Scraggsy, an I've come to that time O life where I want peace. An there won't be no peace on the Victor unless I skipper her,
 Captain Scraggs departed to draw up the formal bill of sale and MT. Gib- ney, drawing The Squarehead and Me Guffey to him, favored each with a searching glance and said:
 ''Gentlemen. did 1t ever occur to you that there's money in the chicken business 2''
 It hadi Both McGuffey and Neils admitted it. There are few men in this world who have not, at some period of their lives. held the same view, albeit the majority of those who have endeavored to demonstrate that fact have subsequently changed their minds.
 "I thought as much," the eornmo- dore grinned. "If I was to let you two out O my sight for a day you'd both be fiat busted the day after. So we won't buy no farm an go in for chick ems. We'll sell the Victor an buy little tradin' schooner. Then we'll go back to the South seas an earn a legitimate livfn'."
 ''But why'H we sell the Vfctor?' Mo Guffey demanded. "Gib, she's a love of a boat"
 Because I've just had a talk with the owners O the two opposition lines | an they. knowin' me to be chummy | with you an Scraggsy, give me the tip | to tell you two that you could have | ate war or a sale O the Victor for put clean an saves your original capi- al, an 1t gifts Scraggsy out the same way, while nettin' me an Nefls five hundred each"
 A rate war would rt1fn us," Mo zuffey agreed. "In addition to sourin Scra aggsy'S disposition until he be fit to live with Glib, you're wonder
 'I know it," MT. Gibney replied
 Within two hours Captain Scra ggs' alf interest had passed into the hands if McGuffey, and half an hour later he Victor had passed into the hands f the opposition lines, to be operated or the joint profit of the latter. Later n the day all four members of the yndicate met in the Bowhead saloon, 7here MT. Gibney explained the deal 0 Captain Scraggs. The latter was umfounded.
 You'll run without me, Gfb," craggs declared emphatically. i've ad a-plenty O. the dark blue for mine. got little stake now, so I'm going 9 look around an invest in a-'' "A chicken ranch" McGuffey inter upted.
 ..Right-O, Bart. How'd you guess P" Imagination" quoth McGuffey, tap ing his forehead, imagination, craggsy." Three weeks later MT. Gibney had for account of his now ab- reviated syndicate, the kind of pow r schooner he desired, and the in- oectors gave him ticket as master. i With The Squarehead as mate and IT.. McGuffey as engineer and general , tiIity man, the little schooner cleared 7 ,r Pago Pago on a day when Captain $ craggs was too busy buying incuba- lr DTS to come down to the dock and see lem off. ! And for aught the chronicler of this lie knows to the contrary, the syndi- ,te may be sailing in that self-same .hooner to this very day. /.
 THE END.1