The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-05-10
(Continued from last issue),

(Continued from last issue),
TRAITS" snapped Captain Scraggs.
"That amt no business at all. You
shouldn't consider nothin' short Of
capital punishment. Why, that's only
q petty larceny form Of"
"Quit buttin' in on my prerogatives."
roared McGuffey. THAT amt the fin
ish by no means"
"What is the finish, then?'
"Why, these two cannibals, bein' left
alone on the desert island, naturally
bumps up agin the old question Of the
survival Of the fittest. They get scrap
pin among themselves, and one eats
the other up"
by the toe-nails Of Noses" NUT
tered Mr.. Gibney in genuine admira-
ton, "but you have got an imagina-
ton after all, Mac. The point is we'll
taken and the program will go through
as outlined. Scraggs. you'll fight the
king. No buckin' and grrlmblln'. You'll
fight the king. You're outvoted two to
one, the things been done regular, and
you can't kick. I'll fight Tabu-Tabu.
SO you see you're not gettin' any the
worst of it. Well proceed to an island
in the Friendly group called Tuvana-
tholo. It lies right in our homeward
course, and there amt enough grub on
the COMPOUNDED island to last two men
n week. Aud I know there amt no
water there. So, now that that matter
is all settled, we will proceed to heave
the anchor and scoot for home. Mac,
tune up your engines and we'll get
out Of here a-whoopin' and a-ayin'."
1t was an eight-hundred-mile run up
to Tuvana-tholo, but the weather held
good and the trade-winds never slack
ened. Ten days from the date Of leav-
ing Kandavu they hove to off the
island. Il was long, low. sandy atoll.
with a few coconut-palms growing in
the center of it, and with the exception
Of vast colony of seabirds that ap-
parently made it their headquarters,
the island was devoid Of life.
The bloodthirsty McGuffey stood at
the break of the poop, and as he gazed
shoreward he chuckled and rubbed his
hands together.
"Great, great" he murmured. II
couldn't have gotten better island If
I'd had one built to order" He called
aft to the navigating officer: "Scras-
gsy, there's the ring. Nothin' else to
do now but get the contestants into 1t.
Along In the late afternoon, when the
heat Of the day IS DER, We'll 60 ashore
and pull Off the fight. And, by George,
Scraggs, If that old king succeeds In
lambastin' you, I'll set the rascal free"
Seeing that there was no escape,
Captain Scraggs decided to bluff the
matter through. Lets go ashore and
have it over WITH" he said carelessly.
"Im man Of peace. but when there's
fghtin' to be done, say so to 1t and
no tomfoolery."
"Clear away the big whaleboat with
two men to pull us ashore" said Mr..
Gibney to the mate. Five minutes
later the members of the syndicate, ac-
companied by the captives. climbed
into the whaleboat and showed Off.
leaving the Maggie II in charge Of tho
mate. "We'll be back in half an hour"
called the commodore, as they rowed
away from the schooner. "Just ratch
buck and fegth and keep heavin' the
lead"
They negotiated the fringe Of break
ers to the north of the island success
fully, pulled the boat up on the beach.
and proceeded ut once to business. Mr.
Gibney explained to Tabu-Tabu what
was expected Of him, and Tabu-Tabu
in turn explained to the king. 1t was
not the habit Of white men, so Mr..
Gibney explained. to kill their prison
ers in cold blood, and he had decided
to give them an opportunity to fight
their way out Of sad predlcament
with their naked fists. If they won,
they would be taken back aboard the
schooner and later dropped at some
Inhabited island. If they lost, they
must make their home for the future
on Tuvana-tholo.
LET 'er CO." called McGuffey, and
Mr.. Gibney squared Off and made n
bearlike pass at Tabu-Tabu. To the
Amusement Of all present Tabu-Tabu
sprang lightly backward and avoided
the blow. His footwork was excellent
and McGuffey remarked as much to
Captain Scraggs. But when Tahu-
Tabu put up his hands after the most
approved method Of self-defense and
dropped into "crouch." McGuffey
could no longer contain himself.
1.-THE beggar can fight, the beggar
can fight" he croaked, wild with JOY.
"Scraggs. old man. this'll be rare
mill, promise you. He's been aboard
n British man.o'-war and learned how
to box. Steady. Glib. Upper-cut him,
upper-wow"
Tabu-Tabu had stepped in. and
planted mighty right in the center of
Mr.. Gibney's phystognomy. following
It up with a hard left to the commo-
dore's ear. Mr.. Gibney rocked a mo-
ment on his sturdy legs, stepped back
out Of range, dropped both hands, and
stared at Tabu-Tabu.