Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1922-03-24
CHAPTER x-contlnued.

SRI
1sfore the meeting broke up. We've
- n run this little vessel into some
sog.bole where there's a nice beach
md smooth water, and change her
came notice that her old name
psna Maria is screwed tato her bows
md across her stern IN raised gilt let
lars contrary, to law and custom.
a waIl snip ZEN off, sandpaper every
mot where there's a letter, and re-
,otnt 81. after which Wen rig up a
ytsvin' over her bow and stern, and
cut her new name, Maggie H. right
into her plankin'. Nobody'l ever sus-
merit her names been changed. l no.
lice that the official letters and num-
h4rs cnt into her main beam is F-C-P
--Q057. I'll change the to q, and the
0to 0. and the p to r. A handy man
With a wood chisei can do lots of
things. He can change those mines to
a eIShts, the five 20 six. and the seven
10 nine. I've seen it done before.
Then wen rig a foretopmast and
srInnaker boom on her, and bend a
81 Asherman's staysail. Nothing like it
when you're sailing a little off the
81 wind. Scraggs, you have the papers
Of the old Maggie, and we all have
our licenses regular enough. Dig up
the old papers, Scraggsy, and I'll doctor
EN- up to fit the Maggie II. As for
our armament, we'll dismount the
gins and stow 'em away in the hold
untll we get down on the Colombian
eSast, and while we're lying In PAN
ana repairing the holes where my
shots went through her, and putin
nsw planks in her decks where the
old plankin' has been scored by shrap-
1al, those paraqueets will think we're
az peaceful as chipmunks. Better look
oVer your supplies, McGuffey, and see
Il there's any paint aboard. I'd JUST
az lief give the old girl different
dress before we drop anchor in PAN
ANA"
Glib" said Captain Scraggs, earnest
q ~ TN keel-kGM and shull-drag the
man that says you amt got great
head"
"By the lord" supplemented McGuf-
fey, you have"
The commodore smiled and tapped
his frontal bone with his forefinger.
Imagination, my lads, imagination, .
be said, and reached for the last Of the
punch.
Exactly three weeks from the date of
the naval battle which took place off
the Coronado islands, and whereby Mr..
Gtbney became commodore and man.
aging owner of the erstwhile Mexican
ceast patrol schooner Reina Maria, that
vessel sailed out OF the harbor of Pan
ANA completely rejuvenated. Not a
scar on her shapely lines gave evil
osnce OF the sanguinary engagement
through which she had passed.
MI Gibney had her painted a creamy
white with dark blue waterline. She
nad had her bottom cleaned and
seraped and the copper sheathing over
Dslled and patched up. Her sails
nsd been overhauled, inspected, and
repaired wherever necessary. and in
0iuer to be on the safe side, Mr.. Glib
hey' upon motion duly made by him
sSd seconded by McGuffey Ito whom
.ne seconding of the Glbney motions
"Au developed into habit, purchased
@a extra suit of new sails. The en-
sues were overhauled by the faith
Aci McGuffey and a large store Of dis
unate stored In the hold. Captain
S"sggs' with his old-time aversion to
Apense' made motion (Which was
seconded by McGuffey before he had
AAen time to consider its import) pro-
"uihg Tor the abolition of the office
cmef engineer while the Maggie II
&S under sail, at which time the
eI e1-ofhcio was to hold himself
Snuer the orders of the commodore and
transferred to the deck department
4 necessary. Mr.. Gibney approved the
-'eaSure and it went into effect. Only
entering or leaving a port, or in
Ease OF chase by an enemy, were the
s'nes to e used, and McGuffey was
~srned 20 be extremely saving of his
dlstillate.
M Glbney made a splendid Job of
shging the vessels name, and as
e chugged lazily out of Panama bay
~ tic AoLlE kEDulu-SWell Oh
we Pacifc, 1t is doubtful if even her
Sc Mexican commander would have
eoghlzed her. She was indeed a
Oeautltul craft, and Commodore Glib
ys heart swelled with pride as he
g1ood aft coming the man at the
'TAeel' and looked her over. IT seemed
Ae sacrilege now, when he reflected
~" ne had trained the gun Of the old
assie on her that day off The Coro-
1uos' and it seemed to him now even
greater sacrile.;e to have trazenly
E ~ to enter her as privataer in
~, 80 struggles OF the republic of Colon
,a' The past tense is used advisedIy.
- mat project was now entirely OF,
So 10 the secret delight Of Captain
-.1Ess' who, If the hero of one naval
80. cement, vas not anxious TO take
g. "a another. In Panama the free
'O'ers of the Maggie IL learned that