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Inside of ten minutes eight firemen was ready for the hospital; a good citizen took the Major and Majoress in for the night, and all that was left of our promisin' business enterprise was a small heap of wood ashes and a very bad smell. "'Well, says I, 'shake, Hadds; it's all over. "He grabbed my hand, weepin'. "'No, it ain't, Scraggsy, Old Man Rocks, says he.
I'll land them arms in Descanso Bay all right." "I know you will," said Mr. Gibney sadly. "That's just what hurts. You see, Scraggsy, I never intended 'em for Descanso Bay in the first place. There's a nice healthy little revolution fomentin' down in the United States of Colombia, with Adelbert P. Gibney playin' both ends to the middle.
"Oh, you'll freight it for me, all right," the commodore retorted blithely. "Or I'll libel your old stern-wheel packet for you. I've paid the freight in advance an' I got the receipt." Captain Scraggs was on the verge of tears. "But, Gib! My dear boy! This freight'll foul the Victor up for a month o' Fridays an' I just took out a passenger license!" "I'm sorry, Scraggsy, but business is business.
Me, I don't feel like drownin' in that engine room or gettin' cut in half by the bow o' the Bodega or the Aphrodite. Consequently, you'd better ship that new boiler you promised me an' save funeral expenses. We just naturally got to commence whistlin', Scraggsy." "We'll commence it when business slacks up," Scraggs decided with finality. Mr.
"Scraggsy, old salamander," he announced, "I think I've done enough to-night to entitle me to some sleep until this tule fog lifts. Am I right?" "You certainly are, Gib, my dear boy." "Very well, then. I'll turn in. As for you, old sailor, your night's work is not ended.
"I'll set my fuse at zero an' at point-blank range I'll just rake everything off that schooner's decks. Guess I'll get half a dozen cartridges set an' ready for the big scene. Up with you, Admiral Scraggs, an' hold the fuse setter steady." "I'm agin war," Scraggs quavered. "Gib, it's sure hell." "Rats! It's invigouratin', Scraggsy.
"What's the name of this floating coffin?" he demanded in a chain-locker voice. It was quite evident that even in the darkness, where her many defects were mercifully hidden, the Maggie did not suit the special envoy of the Mexican insurrectos. "American steamer Maggie," said the skipper frigidly. "Scraggs is my name, sir. And if you don't like my vessel " "Scraggsy!" roared the special envoy.
Gibney did not answer, only Captain Scraggs looked into his horrified eyes and read the verdict. "Die game, Scraggsy," was all Mr. Gibney could say. "Don't show the white feather." "D'ye think McGuffey could hear us from here if we was to yell for help?" inquired Captain Scraggs hopefully. "Don't yelp, for Gawd's sake," implored Mr. Gibney.
"Oh, nothin' particular, Scraggsy. We'll just hold the syndicate together an' when somethin' good bobs up we'll smother it. In the meantime, we'll continue our life o' wild adventure." "But there ain't no wild adventures around San Francisco Bay," protested McGuffey. "That shows your ignorance, Mac. Adventure lurks in every nook an' slough an' doghole on the bay.
The last bolt that held it in place had just been screwed tight when clear and shrill over the tops of the jungle and across the still surface of the little bay there floated to McGuffey's ears the single word: "Help!" McGuffey leaned against the gun, and for the moment he was as weak as a child. "Gawd," he muttered, "that was Scraggsy and they're a-goin' to eat him up.
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