Casper Daily Tribune Newspaper, November 5, 1921, Page 8

The Green Pea Pirates By PETER B. KYNE Author of “Webster—Man’s Man,” “The Valley of the Giants,” Etc. Copyright, by Peter B. Kyne SYNOPSIS. CHAPTER I. — Captain Phineas P. Scrages has grown up around the docks ef San Francisco, nd trem to th a ey type, reigns in’ the engine room. CHAPTER Il—With this motley crew * Captain Scragi ting garden t 0 San Franc the Maggie going table happens, Piped breezlly. “T got a new mate an’ & new engineer comin’ aboard at ten o'clock an’ we sall at twelve.” “Well, we'll see you occasionally,” Mr. Gibney said at parting. “Oh, sure. Dont be strangers. You're always welcome aboard the old Maggie.” came the careless rejoinder. Somewhat crestfallen, the striking pair repaired to the Bowhead saloon to dis¢uss the situation over » glass of beer. However, Mr. Gibney's spirits never dropped below zero while he had one nickel to rab against another; hence such slight depression as he felt was due to a feeling that Captain Scrages had basely swindied him and McGuffey. He was disappointed in Scraggs and said as much. “How- ever, Bart," he concluded, “we'll never say ‘die’ while our money holds ashore in a fog. he Ma, t deep water, sips her tow lines « and geta away in the fog. "By golly, Fou're gittin’ sporty in your old age,” the engineer declared. “I'll go you, Scraggs. How about you, Gib?” “I accept with thanks, Scraggsy, 0/4 tarpot. Personally, I maintain that seamen should leave their troubles aboard ship.” “That's the sperrit I appreciate. bo: Come to the cabin an’ I'll pay you off. Then wait a coupler min- utes till I shift Into my giad rags an’ away we'll go, like Paddy Ford's goat —on our own hook.” “Old Scraggsy’s as cunnin’ as a pet fox, ain't he?” the new navigating off- cer whispered as Scraggs departed for his other suit. “He's goin’ to biow himself on us tonight, think ouf bard resolution. W: Take all he gives us, but stand pat, Bart.” Bart nodded. His was one of those eturdy natures that could always be depended upon to play the game, win, lose or draw. As a preliminary move, Captain Scrages declared in favor of a couple of cocktalls to whet their appetites for the French dinner, and according- ly the trio repaired to an adjac saloon and tucked three each under their belts—all at Captain ,Scraggs’ expense. When he proposed f fourth, Mr. Gibney'’s perfect sportsnfanship caused bim to protest, and reluctantly Captain Scraggs permitted Gibney to buy. Scraggs decided to have a cigar, however, instead of another Martin!. The ethics of the situation then Indl- ented that McGuffey should “set ‘em up,” which he did over Captain Scrages' protest—and again the wary Sernggs called for a cigar, alleging as an excuse for his weakness that for years three cocktails before dinner had been his absolute limit, A fourth cock- tall on an empty stomach, he declared, would kill the evening for him. But why descend to sordid and vul- gar details? Suffice that’ when the artful Scraggs, pretending to be over- come by his potations and very 111 into the bargain, begged to be delivered back aboard the Maggie, Messrs. Me- Guffey and Gibney loaded him into a taxicab and sent him there, while they continued their search for excite- ment. Where and how they Tound ‘t requires no elucidation here; {t is svfficient to state that It wns ex- pensive, for when men of the Gibney and McGuffey type have once gotten a fair start naught but financial dissolu- on can stop them, On’ Monday morning, Messrs. GIb- ney and McGuffey awoke in Scab Johnny's boarding house. Mr. Gibney awoke first, by reasor of the fact that his stomach hammered at the door of his soul and’ bade him be up and do- In; While his head ached slightly m the flery usquebaugh of the Bow- head saloon, he craved a return to a solid diet, so for several minutes he ways and means of supplying this din the absence of ready cash. TH Mave to hock my sextant,” was the conclusion at which he pres- ently arrived. Ten minutes later he took his sextant under his arm and de- parted for a pawnshop tn lower Mar- ket street. From the pawnshop ho re- turned te Scab Johnny's with eight dollars in his pocket, routed out the contrite McGuffey, and carried the lat- ter off to ham and eggs. They felt better after breakfast and for the space of an hour lolled at the table, discussing thelr adventures of forty-eight hours. “Well, hing certain,” McGuffey that thing Js sure a Our strike has peteret or mosey along down to the Mag- 's dock an’ see how Scraggsy's cet- iinlones Forthwith they sct out to Interview the post whereupon Mr. and Mac here, bo: y supine, conjuring in his agile brain | Captain Scraggs. The owner of the M je greeted them cheerlly, but aft- ‘ng generalities for half an Tagcs failed to make over- Gibney an- nounced casually that he guessed he would be on thelr way. s” Captain Scrarces SVQ Mr. McGuffey Located a Dime Which Had Dropped Down Inside the Lin- Ing of His Coat. out, and in the meantime our luck may have changed. Let's scatter around and try to locate some kind of a job; then when them new employces 2 about two voyages—an' the oid man comes around holdin’ out the olive branch o° peace, we'll give him the horselaugh.” i of diligent search failed er the coveted Job for either, however, and on the morning of the fourth duy Mr, Gibney announced thnt it would be necessary to “raise the wind,” if the pair would breakfast, They retired to the sidewalk to hold a caucus and Mr. McGuffey located;a Aime which had dropped down Inside the lining of his co: “That scttles ig” Gibney declared. “We've skipped two meals but I'll be durned if | skip another, We'll ride out to te un San Mateo county line on the trolley with that dime an’ then hoof It over the hills to Halfmoon bay. Scraggs won't git away from the dock here un- ul after twelve o'clock, so we know he'll Jie at Halfmoon bay all night. If we start now we'll connect with him in time for supper. Eh, Bart?” “A twenty-mile hike on a tee-totally empty stomach, with a battle royal on our hands the minute we arrive, weak an’ destitoote, ain't quite my idea o° enjoyment, Gib, but Tl go you if It kills me, Let's up hook on’ away. I'm for gittin’ back to work an’ usin’ moral boiler.” They took a hitch In their belts and started. From the point at which they left the trolley to their Journey's end was a stiff six-hour jaunt, up hill and down dale, and long before the march was half completed the unaccustomed exercise had developed sundry galls and blisters on the Gibney heels, while the soles of poor McGuffey's feet were so hot he voiced the apprehenston that they might burn to a crisp at any mo- ment and drop off by the wayside. persuasion to git that new | tain § | in the galley when the two prodigals, exhausted, crippled and repentant, came to the door and coughed prop!- tlously, but Captain Scraggs pretended not to hear, and went on with his task of turning fried egss with an artistic filp of the frying pan. So Mr. Gib- hey spoke, struggling bravely to ap- pear nonchalant. With his eyes on the fried eggs and his mouth threaten- ing to slaver at the gtortous sight, he sald: . “Hello, there, Serng: old tarpot. How goes it with the owner o° the fast an’ commodious steamer Maggie? Git that consignment 0’ jwost-holes aboard yet?” Mr. Gibney’s honest face beamed ex- pectantly, for he was particularly par- tial to fried eggs. As for his com- panton fn distress, anything edible and which would serve to nullify the gnaw- ing at his internal economy would be welcome. Inasmuch as Captain Scraggs did not readily reply to Mr. Gibney's salutation, McGuffey decided to be more emphatic and to the point, albeit in a joking way, “Hurry up with them eggs, Scraggs,” he rumbled. “Me an’ Gib's walked down from the city an’ we're hungry. Jawn D, Rockerfeller'd give a million ars for my appetite. Fry mine hard, Scraggsy. I want sometin’ solid.” “Get off my ship, you murderin’ p!- rates,” Scrages screamed. Not till we've et,” the practical. minded engineer retorted. “Even then we won't get off. Me an’ Gib ain't fot ony feet left, Scraggs. If we had to Walk another step we'd be crippled for life. Fry my ergs hard, 1 tell yon.” ew of the Maggte had ceased argo for the day and Cap. £68 was busy cooking supper “This is piracy, men. It's robbery on the high seas, an’ I can put you over the road for It." Scraggs warned them. “What's more, I'll do It.” “The eges, Scraggsy,” boomed Mr. Gibney, “the eggs.” Half an hoor later, as the pirates, replete with provender, sat dangling their damaged underpinning over the stern railing where the gentle wave- lets Inved and cooled them, Captain Seraggs, accompanied by the new navi- gating officer, the new engineer, and The Squarehead, cnme aft. The crip- ples looked up, surveyed their succes- sors tn office, and found the sight far from reassuring. “ve already ordered you two tramps off'n my ship,” Seragzs began formally, “an’ I hereby, in the pres- ence o’ reliable witnesses, repents the | invitation. You ain't wanted; your room's preferred to your comp’ny, an’ by stayin’ a minute longer, in defiance o’ my orders, you're layin’ yourselves lable to a charge o’ piracy.” Mr. Gibney carefully laid bis pipe aside and stood up. He was quite an impost: pectacie tn his bare feet, vith his trousers rolled up to his great <nees, thereby revealing his scarlet flannel underdrawers. With a stified sroan, McGuffey tose and stood beside bis partner, and Mr. Gibney spok “Scraggs, be reasonable. We ain't lookin’ for trouble; not because we lon't relish It, for we do where a couple o’ scabs Is concerned, but for the simple reason that we aln’t In the permitted their hot feet to loll over- board. About ten o'clock pext morning the Uttle vessel completed taking on her cargo, the lines were cast off, and the homeward voyage was begun. Messrs | Gibney and McGuffey were seated on | the stern bitts as the Maggie came ) abreast the Point Montara fog signa! station, when Mr. Gibney observed » long telescope poking out the side win dow of the pilot house, and following the direction in which the telescope | was pointing he made out a large bart | standing tn @angerously close to the | bench, In fact, the breakers were tum 7 biting In a long white streak over the | Teefs lees than a quarter of a mile | from her. | Ip ap fnstant all was excitement aboard the Maggie. “That looks like an elegant little pick-up. She's plumh deserted,” Scraggs shouted to his nav! gnting officer. “I. don't see any distres: signals fiyin’ an’ yet she's got ar anchor out while her canvas is hangin’ 80-0,” “If she had any hands ghoard, you'd think they'd hare sense enough to clew up her courses,” the mate an swered. At this juncture, Mr. Gibney anc McGuffey, unable to restrain thelr cu riosity, and forgetful of the fact thar they were pirates with very sore feet came running over the deckload anc invaded the pilot house. “Gimme tha glass, you sock-eyed salmon, you,” Gib ney ordered Scraggs, and tore the tele scope from the owner's hands esto’ condition to receive It, al- hough If you force {t on us we'll do vur best. If you chuck us off the Mag- zie an’ force us to walk back to San Francisco, we're goin’ to be reported as missin’, Honest, now, Scraggsy, id side-winder, you ain't goin’ to maroon us here, alone with the vege- tables, are you?” “You done me dirt. You quit me cold, Git out.. Two can play at a dirty game an’ every dog must have his day. This Is my day, Gib. Scat!” “Pers'nally,” MecGuffey announced quietly, “I prefer to die aboard the Maggie, !f I have to. This ain't mov- In’ day with RB. McGuffey, Esqufre.” “Them's my sentiments, too, Scraggsy.” hen defend yourselves. Come.on, lads, Bear a hand an’ we'll bounce these muckers overboard.” The Squarehead hung back, having no in- tention of waging war upon his Iate comrades, but the engineer and the new navigating officer stepped briskly forward, for they were about to ‘fight for thelr jobs. Mr. Gibney halted the advance by lifting both great hands in a deprecatory manner. “For heaven's snxe, Scraggsy, have heart. “ Don’t force us to murder you. If we're peaceable, what's to prevent you from givin’ a passage back to San Francisco, where we're known an’ where we'll Lave at least a fightin’ chance to git somethin’ ty eat occasionally?” “You know mighty well what's to prevent me, Gib, I ain't got no pas- senger license, an’ I'll be keel-hauled “Hum—m—m! American bark Chesa peake.. Starboard anchor ou braced a-bor; royal an’ to’-gallan’-s'ls clewed up; courses hangin’ in the buntlines an’ clew garnets, Stars-an’- Stripes upside down.” He lowered the glass and roared at Neils Halvorsen, who was at the wheel, “Starboard your helm, Square head. Don't be afraid of her. We're goin’ ever there an’ hook on to her. I should say she ts a pick-up! Mr, Gibney had abdicated as a p!- rate and assumed command of the S. S. Maggie. With the memory of a scant breakfast upon him, however, Captain Scraggs was still harsh and bitter, “Git out o’ my pllot house an’ aft where the police can find you when they come lookin’ for you,” he sereeched. “Don't you give no orders to my @eckhand.” “Stow It, you ass. ‘Tonder's a prize, but It'll require {magination to win It; consequently you need Adelbert I’. Gcbney In your business, If you're con- templatin’ hookin’ on to that bark, snakin’ her into San Francisco bay, an’ Ubelin’ her for ten thousand dollars’ package of tobacco, to protect It his saliva, tacked, it In his with a sign for McGuffey him, started crawling over ti! aft. By this time the within a hundred yards tressed bark and was rat backward and forward before “In all my born days,” quoth Mr. Gibney, speaking a trifle thickly be- cause of the document In his “I never got such a wallop as handed me@n’ you lest night. I don't forget things lke that In hurry. Now that we got 2 vindication o' the charge o” piracy again us, I'm achia" t6 get shet of the Maggie an’ her crew; so If you'll kindly peel of all of your clothes with the exception, say, of underdrawers, we'll swim off to that bark-an’ give Phineas P. an exhibition of real sallorizin’ an’ seamanship.” “What's the big idee?" McGuffey demanded cautiously. fi “Why, we sail her fn ourselves— me an’ you at glom all the salvage for ourselves. T’ell with Seraggs an’ the Maggie an’ that new mate an’ engineer. I'm off'n 'em for life.” Pop-eyed with excitement and Inter- est. B. McGuffey, Esquire, stood up. and with a single twist shed his cap and coat. His shirts followed. Both he and Gibney were already minus thelr shoes and “ks. To silp out of thelr faded du ees was the work of an instant. apping thelr belts around thelr wa to hold up their drawers, the wor! pair stepped to the rail of the Ma: -le. “Hey, there? Where rou goin’, Gib? I give you that clearance paper on condition that you was to tell me how to salvage that there bark.” “Tm just about to tell you, Scraggs, You don't touch a thing aboard the Maggie. You leave her“out of {t en- tirely. You just Jump overboard, Ike me an’ Mac will In a jiffy, swim over to the bark, climb aboard, and sail her fn to San Francisco bay. When you get there you drop anchor an’ call it a day's work.” He grinned brond- ly. “One o° these bright days, Scraggs, when me an’ Mac Is Just wallerin’ in salvage money, drop around to see ns_ an’ we'll give you a kick In the face. Farewell, you boob: and he dove overboard. “Ta-ta,” McGuffey cried tn his tan- talizing falsetto voice, and followed hts leader Into the briny deep. ies Hit 8 7" 4 i CHAPTER Vi- The tide was still at the flood and the two adventurers made fast progress toward the Chesapeake, Choosing a favorable opportunity as the vessel salvage. You an’ Mac an’ The Square. dipped, they grasped her martingale, head here have sailed: this strip o° coast too long together td quarrel over the first good piece o° salvage we ever Tun {nto, Come, Scraggsy. Be decent, forget the past, an’ let's dig in to gether.” climbed up on the bowsprit, and ran along the bowsprit to the to-gallan’- fo'castle. On the deck below a deal man Iny In the scuppers, and such a horrible stench pervaded the vessel that McGuffey was taken very {ll and The new navigating officer drew | WS forced to seek the rail. Captain Scraggs aside and whispered In his ear: “Make it up with these “Scurvy or somethin’,” Mr, Gibney an- nounced, quite calmly. “There should an’ skull-dragged if I fall for your | S@art Alecks, Scraggs. They got it on be chloride of lime in the mate's store- cute little game, my son, I ain't layin’ myself liable to a fine from the {nspec- tors an’ maybe have my ticket book took away to boot.” “Enough of this gab,” Mr. Gibney roared. “My patience is exhausted, I'm dog-tired an’ I'm goin’ to have peace if I have to fight for it. Me an’ Bart stays aboard the steamer Maggle until she gets back to Frisco town or until we're hove overboard in the tn- terim by the weight of numbers, An’ if any man, or set o’ male bipeds that calls theirselves men, fs so foollsh as to try to evict us from this packet, then all I got to say is that they're triflin' with death, I got my arms left, even if my fect fs on the fritz, Seraggs,” he continued, “an’ {f you start anything I'N hug you an’ your en “il Hug You and Your Crew to Y Death.” crew to death. I'm a rip-roarin’ griz- sly bear once I'm started an’ there's such a thing as drivin’ a mango des- peration.” ‘The bluff worked! Captain Scraggs turned to his retdiners and with a condescending and paternal smile, said: “Boys, let's give the dumb us, but if we can send yon an’ Hal- room—I'll scatter some on these poor vorsen, McGuffey and Gibney over | devils. Too close to. port now to chuck to the bark, you can get some sall on her an’ what with the wind helpin’ us along, the Maggie can tow her all right.” * Mr. Gibney saw by the hopeful, even cunning, look that leaped to Scraggs’ eyes that the problem was about to be “em overboard, Anyhow, Bart, me an’ you ain't doctors, nor yet coroners or undertakers, so you'd better skip along an’ build a fire under the donkey aft. Matches In the galley, of course.” He trotted down to the main deck and prowled aft. On the port side of solved without recourse to the Gibney | lier house he found two more dead imagination, so he resolved to be alert. | Men, and a cursory inspection of the and not permit himself fo be caught out oh the end of a Iimb, “Well, Scraggsy?" he demanded. “I guess I need you tn my business, Gib,, You're right an’ I'm always wrong. It’s a fact. I ain't got no more imagination than a chicken.” “Spoken like a man—I do not think, Scraggs, for once in my Ife I have you where the hair is short. I'm willin’ to dig in an’ help out in a Pinch, but It’s gettin’ so me an’ Mac can't trust you no more, We're that leery of you we won't take your word | fully. bodies told him they had died of scur- vy. He cireled the ship, came back to the fveastle, entered, and found four men alive in their berths, but too far gone to leave them. “I'll have you boys in the Marine hospital tonight,” he Informed the poor creatures, and sought the master’s cabin, Lying on his bed, fully dressed, he found the skipper of the Chesapenke. The man was gaunt and emaciated. The freebooter of the green-pea trade touched his wet forelock respect- “My name ts Gibney, sir, an’ I for nothin’, since you fooled him on | hold an unlimited license as first mate the new boller an’ me on the paint; consequently, we're off you an’ this salvage job unless you give us a clear- ance, tn writin’, statin’ that we are not an’ never was pirates, that we'rt good, Iaw-abldin’ citizens an’ the Maggle as your guests, takin’ the trip at our own risk. such a paper, with your crew for wit- of sail or steam. I was passin’ up the coast on a good-for-nothin’ little bumboat, an’ secn you In distress, so m¢ an’ a friend swum over to give you the double O, ,You're in a bad board | way, sir.” “Two hundred and elghty-seven days When you sign | from Hamburg, Mr. Gibney. Our vege- tables gave out and we drank too much nesses, I'll demonstrate how that bark | rain water and ate too much fresh fish can be salvaged. My imaginations better'n my reputation, Scraggsy, an’ I aln’t workin’ it for nothin’ !” down In the Doldrums, Our potatoes all went rotten before we were out two months. Nathrally, the ship's of- “Gib, my dear boy. You're the most | ficers stuck !t out longest, but when sensitive man I ever sailed with. Can't you take a little joke?” “Sure, I can take a little joke. It's the big ones that stick In my craw an’ stifle my friendship. Gimme a fountain pen an’ a leaf out o” the log book an’ I'll draw up the affydayit for your signature,” Scraggs complied precipitately with Spread his great bulk over the chart case and with many a twist and flip |, ment: € “At Sea, Off Point Montara, ‘aboard S. S. Maggie, “ot San Francisco. “This ts to certify thet A. P. Gibney, , and Bart McGuffey, Esq., Is Iaw- abidin’ sitisens of the U, S. A. and the constitootionetlereof, and in no way pirates or such; and be {t further resolved that the said parties hereto are aboard said American steamer fools their own way. If they insist upon takin’ forcible possession o’ my ship on the high seas, there's only one pame for the crime—an’ that's piracy, punishable by hangin’ from the yard- arm. We'll just let em stay aboard an’ turn ‘em over to the police when we git back to the clty.” He started for Irs cabin and the crew, vastly relieved, followed him. The pirates once more sat down Maggle this date on the special tnyite of Phineas P, Scraggs, owner, as his guests and at thelr own risk. “Witness my hand and seal:” Captain Scraggs signed without reading and the new mate and Neils Halvorsen appended their signatures as witnesses. Mr. Gibney thereupon folded this clearance paper into the tintest possible compact bat, wrapped it in a plece of tinfoil tern from «& “June 4, 19—. | try to come aboard, we drifted in here this morning, I was the only man aboard 0 stand up, I crawled up on the to’-galtan’ fo'cas- tle and let go the starboard anchor. I'd had {t cock-billed for three weeks, All I had to do was knock out the stopper.” While Mr. Gibney questioned him and listened avidly to the horrible tale this request, whereupon Mf. Gibney | o¢ privation and despair, McGuffey appeared to report a brisk fire under the donkey and to promise steam In of his tongue on the up and down | forty minutes; also that the Maggie strokes, produced this remarkable doc ) was hove to a cable length distant, with her crew digging under the deck- lond of vegetables for the small boat. | “Help yourself to a belayin’ pin, Bart, an’ knock ‘em on hends if they Mr. Gibney or- dered nonchalantly. “Do I understand there is a steamer | at hand, Mr. Gibney?" the master of the Chesapeake queried. =a “Theré's an excuse for one, sir. The | Mttle vegetable freighter Maggie. She'll | never be able to tow you in, because she ain't got power enough, an’ If} she had power enough she ain't got coal enough. Besides, Scraggs, her owner, is a rotten bad article an’ be- fore he'll put a rope aboard you he'll tle you up on a contract for a figger that'd make an angel weep, The way your ship lies an’ everything, me an’ | pore can sail her in for you ‘at | half the price.” j ST can't risk my, ship tn the bands| of two men,” the sick Gaere aD. swered. “She's too valuable so ts ber cargo. If this little steamer will tow me In I'll gladly give her my tow- line and let the court settle the bill” “Not by a millon,” Mr. Gibney pro- tested. “Beg pardon, sir, but you don’t know this here Scrages Ifke I do. 1 z : é E i i Se “Out of My Cabin or I'll Riddle You,” He Barked Feebly, when did you take command of my ship?” “You're flotsam an’ jetsam, sir, practically in the breakers. You're sick, an’, for all I know, delirious, so for the sake o’ protectin’ you, the sick seaman in the fo’castle an’ the owners, I'm takin’ command,” The master of the Chesapeake reached under his pillow and produced a pistol. “Out of my cabin or I'll riddle you,” he barked feebly. Mr, Gibney departed without a word of protest and proceeded to make his arrangements, regardless of the mas- ter's consent. As he and McGuffey busied themselves, laying the leading blocks along the deck, they glanced toward the Maggie and observed Cap- tain Scraggs hurling crates of vege- tables overboard in an effort to get at the small boat quickly, “He'll die when the freight claims come in,” Mr, McGuffey chortled. “Poor ol’ Scrag- gsy!” When Captain Scraggs care aboard, Mr. Gibney escorted him around to the master’s cabin, Introduced him, and stood by while they bargnined. “The tow will cost you five thousand, Cap- tain,” Scraggs began pompously. “Me an’ McGuffey'll sail you in for four,” Gibney declared. ‘ “Three thousand,” snarled Scraggs. “Sallin’s cheap as dirt at two thous- and. As a matter'of fact, Scraggsy, me an’ Mac'll sail her in for nothin’ Just to skin you out o’ the salvage.” “Two thousand dollars ts my lowest figure,” Scraggs declared. “Take it or Jeave it, Captain. Under the clr cumstances, bargaining Is useless, Two thousand Is my last bid.” ‘he figure Scraggs named was prob- ably one fifth of what the master of the Chesapeake’knew a court’ would award ; nevertheless he shook his head. “It's a stralght towing Job, Captain, and not a salvage proposition at all. A tug would tow me In for two hun- dred. and fifty, but I'll give you five Nundred.” j@ Remembering the vegetables he had Jettisoned, Scraggs knew he could not afford to accept that price. “I'm through,” he bluffed—and his bluff worked, “Taken, Captain Scraggs. Write out an agreement and I'll sign tt.” With the agreement in his pocket. Scraggs, followed by Gibney, left the cabin. “One hundred each to you an’ Mac {f you'll stay aboard the Chesa- peake, steer her, an’ help the Maggie out with what sall you can get on her,” Scraggs promised. “Take a long, runnin’ jump at your- self, Scraggsy, old sorrowful. The best me an’ Mac'll do {s to help you cock- bill the anchor, an’ that'll cost you ten bucks for each of us—in advance.” The artful fellow realized that Scrages knew nothing whatever about a sailing ship and would have to depend upon The Squarehead for the information he requires. “All right. “Here’s your money,” Scraggs replied and handed Mr. Gib- mney twenty dollars. He and Nella Halvorsen then went forward, got out the steel towing cable, and fastened a light rope to the end of it. The skiff floated off the ship at the ond of the painter, so The Squareherd hauled it in, climbed down Into the skiff, and made the light rope fast to a thwart; then, with Captain Scraggs paying out , the hawser, Nells bent manfully to the oars and started to tow the steel cable back to the Maggie. Malf way there, the welght of the cable dragging be- hind slowed The Squarehead up and eventually stopped him, Exerting all his strength he pulled and pulled, but the sole result of his efforts was to wear himself out, seeing which the Maggie's navigating officer set the lit- tle steamer in toward the perspiring Nells, while Captain Scraggs, Gibney, and McGuffey cheered®Justils. Suddenly an oar snapped, Instantly Neils unshipped the remaining oar, sprang to the stern, and attempted, by sculling, to keep the skiff’s head up to the waves. But the welght of the cable whirled the little craft around, & wave rolled In over her counter, and half-filled her; the succeeding wave completed the job and rolled the skiff over and The Squarehead was forced wind, You're losing ground, inch by cous cries hauled away. As a result of thelr efforts, the thwart came away with the rope and the quartet sat down with exceeding abruptness on the hard pine deck of the Chesapeake, “I-had an !dee that thwart would pull loose,” Mr. Gibpey remarked, “Well, what’re you goin’ to do now?” “I ain't licked yet—not by a jugful,” “Halvorsen, haul with it. We'll fasten a heavier line to the cable, an’ haul the cable aboard with the Maggie's winch.” “You say that so nice, Scraggsy, old. hopeful, I'm tempted to think you can whistle it, Neils, he’s only askin’ you to risk your life overboard for nothing. "Tain’t in the shippin’ articles that a seaman's got to do that. If he wants a swimmin’ exhibition make him “pay for it—through the nose. An’ if I was you, I'd find out how much o’ this two thousand dollars towage he's goln’ to distribute to his crew. Pers'nily I'd get mine In advance” “Adelbert P. Gibney,” Scraggs hissed, “There's such a thing as drivin’ a man to distraction, Hal- yorsen, are you with me?” “Aye bane—for saxty dollars, Hay bane worth a month’s pay for take dat swim.” “You dirty Scowegian Ingrate. Well, . you don’t get no sixty dollars from me. Bear a hand and we'll drop the ship's work boat overboard. I guess you can tow a signal halyard to the Mazgie, can't you, Neils?” Nells could—and did. Within fifteen minutes the Maggie was fast to her priZe, “Now we'll cockbill the an- chor.” quoth Captain Scraggs, so Mc- Guffey reporting sufficient steam in the donkey to turn over the windlass, the anchor was raised and cockbilled, and the Maggie hauled away on the hawser the Instant Captain Scraggs signaled his new navigating officer that ‘the hook was free of the bottom. * : “The old girl don’t seem to be mak- In’ headway in the right direction,” Mc Guffey remarked plaintively, after the Maggie had strained at the hawser for five minutes, Mr, Gibney, standing by with a hammer fn his hand, nodded affirmatively, while the skipper of the Chesapeake, whom Mr, Gibney had had the forethought to carry out on deck to watch the operation, glanced appre- hensively ashore. Scraggs measured the distance with his eye to the near- est fringe of surf and it was plain that he was worried, “Captain Scraggs,” the skipper of the Chesapeake called feebly, “Mr. Gibney is right. That craft of yours is unable to tow my ship against’ this inch, ahd {t will be only a matter of an hour or two, if you hang on to me, before I'll be in the breakers and a total loss. You'll have to get sail on her or let go the anchor until a tug arriyes.” 7] “I don't know a thing about a sallin’ ship,” Scraggs quavered. “I know it all,” Mr. Gibney cut fn, “but there ain't money enough In the world to induce me to exercise that knowledge to your profit.” He turned to the master of the Chesapeake. “For one hundred dollars each, McGuffey an’ I will sail her in for you, sir.” “Tl not take the risk, Mr. Gibney. Captain Scraggs, if you will follow my instructions we'll get some sall on the Chesapeake. Take those lines throngh the leading blocks to the winch——” The engineer of the Maggle came up on deck and waved his arms wildly. “Leggo,” he bawled. “I've blown out two tubes, It'll be all I can do to get home wfthout that tow.” “Jump on that, Scraggsy,” quoth Mc Guffey softly and cast his silken en- gineer’s cap on the deck at Scraggs’ feet. The In** “s fsce was ashen as he turned to skipper of the Chesa- peake. “I'm (urough,” he gulped. “I'l have to cast off. Your ship’s drivin’ on the beach now.”~ “Oh, sny not so, Scragesy," said Mr. Gibney softly, and with e blow of the hammer knocked out the stop- Der on the windlass and let the anchor go down by the run. _“Not this voy- age, at least.” The Chesapeake rounded with a jerk and Mr. Gibney took Captain Scraggs gently by the arm. “Into the small boat, old ruin,” he whispered, “and Ill row you an’ The Squarehead back to the Maggie. Tf she drifts ashore with that load o* garden ‘truck, you might es well drown yourself.” Captain Scrages was beyond words. He suffered himself to be taken back to the Masgie, after which kindiy action Mr, Gibney returned to the Chesapeake, climbed aboard, and with the assistance of McGuffey, hauled the work boat up on the deck. “Now.” Mr, Gibney inquired, ap- Proaching the skipper of the Chesa- peake, “what'll you give me an’ Mac sir, to sail you in?” 7% (To be Continued) Captain (\ ee Hp 7? eo es