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Now, Neils had sailed too long with Captain Scraggs not to realize that the erstwhile green-pea trader would be the last man to take a chance in any hazardous enterprise unless forced thereto by the weight of circumstance; also there was affection enough in his simple Scandinavian heart to cause him to feel just a little worried when two weeks passed and Captain Scraggs failed to show up.
While the Victor was running with light freights and consequently at a loss, the prospect for ultimate good business was very bright and Scraggs and McGuffey were not at all worried about the future. Judge of their surprise, therefore, when one morning who should appear at the door of Scraggs's cabin but Mr. Gibney. "Mornin', Gib," began Scraggs cheerily.
Captain Scraggs was fairly thunderin' his denunciation as he concluded with: "You you murderer! Ain't you ashamed of yourself?" Mr. Gibney, thoroughly crushed, hung his head. "If there was kids, Scraggsy," he pleaded, "they wasn't mine, not that I knows on." "I ain't sayin' you don't speak the truth there, Gib. Maybe you don't know that part of it, because you left before they was born.
"I fell into the hands of the Filly-steins oncet, and they put the trail of the serpent all over me. I run into the temple of them twin false gods, Mammon and Gammon, and I stood to draw one suit of sack-cloth and a four-mule wagon-load of ashes." "Is them the close you got on now?" said Charley. "And what did you get for the ashes?" "The play come up like this," said Scraggs.
"'You appear to me like a man that's seen trouble, says he. "'Trouble! says Scraggs. 'Trouble! Then he spit out of the door and turned his back deliberate, like there wasn't any use conversin' on the subject, unless in the presence of an equal. "Scraggs was a hard man to break into, but Smithy scratched his head and took a brace. "'I've met with misfortune myself, says he.
Ring was in the parlour, and wished to speak with Mrs. Darlington. It was late in the afternoon of the day on which the Scraggs had made their appearance. With a presentiment of trouble, Mrs. Darlington went down to the parlour. "Madam," said Mr.
I might have known there was no place on top of this footstool where E. G. W. Scraggs could rest his weary feet without some female happenin' in the same spot at the same time. I should have took William's advice, but it was now too late. "We stood around kinder awk'ard, with her brushin' snow from herself, till I says, 'Well, good-evenin', ma'am.
"Get new tackle rove, Scraggs," said he cheerfully. "I'll keep her straight for Eel's Gate with this. That was the first bar of the gate; there are only two altogether, and the second won't be so bad."
Scraggs has slipped her cable and there ain't nobody to mourn for me. But if we can't fight under the Stars and Stripes, by the tail of the Great Sacred Bull, we'll have a flag of our own," and leaving Mr. Gibney and the crew to get the guns on deck, Captain Scraggs ran below. He appeared on deck presently with a long blue burgee on which was emblazoned in white letters the single word Maggie.
Gib's a sensitive boy some ways an' I reckon we hurt his feelin's without intendin' it." "He thrun a dead codfish at me," protested McGuffey. "I love old Gib like a brother, but that's carryin' things with a mighty high hand." "Well, I'll apologize to him," declared Captain Scraggs and started for the door to follow Mr. Gibney. McGuffey barred his way.