The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-05-11
"(Continued from last issue)
CHAPTER XIII.

what had become Of the Maggie and
Captain Scraggs. Mr.. Gibney and Bar
tholomew McGuffey he knew had
turned their sun-tanned faces toward
deep water some years before Captain
Scraggs and the Maggie disappeared
from the environs Of San Francisco
oay, and Neils Halvorsen was wise
enough to waste no time wondering
what had become Of them. These two
worthless might be anywhere, and
every conceivable thing under the sun
might have happened to them; hence,
in his idle moments, Net1s Halvorsen
did not disturb his gray matter spec
ulating on their whereabouts and their
then condition Of servitude.
But the continued absence Of Cap
tain Scraggs from his old Munts Gre
ated quite a little gossip along the
waterfront, and in the course Of time
rumors of his demise by sundry and
devious routes came to the ears Of
Neils HalvOrsen.
Hence 1.-THE Squsrehead" was puz-
zled. In fact, to such an extent was
Neils puzzled, that one perfectly calm.
clear night, while beating down San
Pablo lay in his bay scOw, the Willie
and Annie. he so far forget himself
and his own affairs as to concentrate
all his attention on the problem Of the
ultimate finish of Captain Scraggs.
So engrossed was Neils in this vain
speculation that he neglected to OBJ
serve toward the rules of the ocean
highways that nicely Of attention
which is highly requisite. even in the
skipper of bay scow, If the fulsome
title Of captain is to be retained for
any definite period. AS result, Neils
became confused regarding the exact
number Of blasts from the siren Of
river steamer desiring to pass him to
port. Consequently the Willie and
Annie received such severe butting
from the river steamer in question as
to cause her to careen and fill. Being,
unfortunately, loaded with gravel on
this particular trip, she subsidized in
continently to the bottom Of San Pablo
bay, while Neils and his crew Of two
men sought refuge on plank.
Without attempting to go further
into the details of the misfOrtunes of
Neils Halvorsen, be 1t known that the
destruction of the Willie and Annie
proved to be such a severe shock to
Neils' reputation as safe and sane
bay scow skipper that he was ulti-
mately forced to seek other and more
virgin fields. With the fragments of
his meager fortune, the ambitious
Swede purchased course In n local
nautical school from which he duly
managed to emerge with sufficient
courage to appear before the United
States local inspectors Of hulls and
boilers and take his examination for
q second mates certificate. To his I'M
utterable surprise the license was
granted; whereupon he shipped as
Quartermaster on the steamer Ala
media, running to Honolulu, and what
with the lesson taught him In the loss
Of the Willie and Annie and the ex-
acting duties Of his office aboard the
liner, he forgot that he had ever
known Captain Scraggs.
Judge Of Nells Halvorsen's surprise,
therefore, upon the occasion Of his
first trip to Honolulu, when he saw
something which brought the whole
matter back to mind. They were
standing in toward Diamond head and
the Alameda lay hove to taking on the
pilot. It was early morning and the
purple mists hung over the entrance
to the harbor. Neils Halvorsen stood
at the gangway enjoying the sunrise
over the Punch-bowl, and glancing
longingly toward the vivid green of
the hills beyond the city, when he was
aware Of put" put" put" to
starboard of the Alameda. Nells
turned at the sound just In time to
see beautiful gasoline schooner Of
about hundred and thirty tons head
ing in toward the bay. She was so
close that Neils was enabled to make
out that her name was Maggie II.
"Vell, aye be DAM" muttered Neils,
and scratched his head, for the name
revived old memories. An hour later.
when the Alameda loafed into her
berth at Brewers dock, Neus noticed
that the schooner lay at anchor off the
quarantine station.
That night Neils Halvorsen went
ashore for those forms Of enjoyment
peculiar to his calling, and In the Pan.
theon saloon, whittier his pathway led
him, he filed himself with beer and
gossip. 1t was here that Neils came
across an item in an afternoon paper
which challenged his instant atten
ton. It was, just sQuib In the ship
ping news, but Neils Halvorsen read
it with amazement and joy:
1.-THE power schooner Maggie II arrived
this morning. ten days from the Friendly
islands. The little schooner came into
port with her hold bursting with the mos
valuable cargo that has entered Homo
lulu In many years. 1t consists for the
-