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About Malheur enterprise. (Vale, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (March 18, 1922)
MALHKbm KFItISK, VALE, OREGON, SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 1922. I cEtic 8YN0PSIS. CHAPTER I. Captain PhlneRB P. Scragga has grown up uround tlte docks of Bun 1-Yunctnro, and from mesa boy on a river ntt-amer, rtHtm to the ownership of the steamer MukkIb. Since each an nual limpet-lion promiHed to be the lat;t of the old weatherbeuton vchhoI, ScraKKfl naturally tins some dtlllculty In aucurliK a crew. Vlien the story opens, Atlclhert P. Glbney, likable but erratic, a man whom nobody -but HcrnKKH would hire, is the skipper, Nells Ilalvorsen, a xolemn Bwedo, constitutes the fo'castle hand, and Hart Melhiffoy, a wastrel of the Olh ney type, rulKiis In the eiiKine room. . CHAPTKK II. With this motley crew and his ancient vessel, fnptaln Hi-niKca Is enRSKed In freli;litln(f garden truek from llult'moon hay to Han Kranclsci. The. Inevitable happens, the Maggie going ashore In a fog. . i i i. , i CHAPTER III. In tho offlco of tlio fled Stuck Tug Bont coiii)imy Captain Dim Hicks, muster of the tug Aphrodite; Captain Jack FInherty, master of tlio llodcg:!, and Tiernnn, the assistant superin tendent on night watch, sat iiroiini a liot little box stove ciianed In that occupation ho dear to the maritime heart, to-vlt: spinning yarns. The tuleplione rang and Tlernnn nn Bweretl. Hicks unil Flaherty hl(ched( forward In their chairs to listen. "Hello. . . . Yes, Red Slack olllee. . . . SlPtimer Yankee Prince. . . . What's that? . . . silk and rice? . . . Half a mile below the Clin' home, . . . Sure, I'll send a tug right uway, Undstrmn." Tlernan hung tip and faced the two skippers. "Gentlemen," he announced, "hero's u chance for n little unlvnire money tonight. The American steam- "The American Steamer Yankee Prinr It Ashore Half a Mlla Delow tho Cliff House." er Yankee I'rlnce Is ashore hull' h llllle below the OUT liens,'. She's u big tramp with n a!imMe eat-cu from Hong Kunu, with Hi.- rudder i . . I her crank shaft I iiMed." "It's high water nl twelve lli'ny seven," Jin k l-'lnhi rij pleaded "VimM belter send lue. Tier inn. The I'.imIi ;.m has more power Hunt the A i .li i , .1 1 1 1 ' This was (lie truth mid I'mi I licks knew It, lull he wiin net to lie lieaten out of his share of the salvage by such lllinsy urguiiient. ".laek," he pleaded, "don't lie a hog all the time. The Yankee I'rlnce Is an cltit llien siinil ton vessel and It's a two tug Jolt. Hotter send lis lioth, Tiernan, and play safe. Chances are our competitor have three, tugs on the way right now." "What h wonderful Imagination you have, I hin. Eight tliinixiind tons! You're crtiry, man. She's thirteen hundred net reglter and I !: ls. ruuso 1 was In Newport News wln-.i they lautxJii-il her, and I went out wlih her skipper on the trial trip. She's a long, narrow-gutted craft, with en gines nft, like n lake steamer." "We'll play safe," Tlernan decided. "Go to It both of you, and may the best man win. She'll heJong to you, Jnck, If she's thirteen hundred net and you get your line aboard first. If she's as big tis Dan says she Is, you'll bo equal partners " I!ut he was talking to himself. Down the docks Hicks and Flnlierty were racing for the respective com mands, each shouting to his night watchman to pipe all hands on dock. Fortunately, a goodly heod of steam was up In each tug's hollers; becnttso of the fog and Ihe liability to colli sions nntf consequent hasty summons, one engineer on each tug .was on duty. Out through tho Gale they nosed their way, heaving the lead continu ously, made a wide detour around Mllu rook und tho Seal rocks, swung a mile to Ihe south of the position of the Maggie, and then came cautiously up the coast, whistling continuously to acquaint the Yankee I'rlnce wllh their presence In the neighborhood. In anticipation of the necessity for replying to tills welcome sound, Cop tuln Scruggs and Mr. Glbney had, for (hi! past two hours, busied themselves getting up another head of steam In the Maggie's boilers, repairing the whistle and splicing the wires of the engine room telegraph. I.Ike the wise men they were, however, they declined to sound the Maggie's siren until tho tugs were quite close. Kven then, Mr. fllliiiey shuddered, but needs must when the devil drives, so he pulled the whistle cord and was rewarded with a weird, mournful grunt, dying away Into a gasp. "Sounds like she has the pip," Jnck Flaherty remarked to his mate. "Must have taken on Dome of thnt illrly Asiatic water," Pan Hicks solilo quized, "and now her tubes have gone to glory." Immediately both tugs kicked ahead under a dead slow bell, guided by n series of tools as brief as Mr. filhney could make them, and presently both tug I'lokottts reported breakers dead abend. lan Hicks sent n man forwnrd to lietive the lead under the nose of the Aphrodite, which whs edging In gin gerly toward the voice, lie had a searchlight, but he did not attempt to use It, ki'"".ing full well that 111 such a log It would be of no avail. Winded, theiel'ore, by the bellowlngs of .Mr. Gihney, reinforced hv the shrill yips of Captain Scruggs, the tug crept In closer mid closer, and when It seemed that they nitist he within a hundred feet of the surf, lhlll IliiUs trained Ids l.vle gun In the direction of Mr. Clhiic.Y's voice and shot a heav ing line Into the fug. Almost hlmullationus wllh the report of the gun (nine a shriek of pnln from Captain Scruggs. Straight and true the wet, luiuy knotted end of the licnlng line came In over the Maggie's quarter ami struck him In Ihe mouth. In the darkness he staggered back from the stinging blow, clutched wild ly at the air, slipped ami rolled over among the vegetables wllh the pn e hi is rope clasped to IiIh breast. "I got It," he spullered, "I got It, Gib." "Sale, O !" Mr Clhiicy bawled. "Pay j out oiir hawser." ! Tory met It at the tiifl'rall as It ' entile up out of the breakers, wet but ! welcome. "!'a.- It around tho main- j must. Scraggy," Mr. Glhm-y cautioned. "If w- make fast to the towln' bits, ihe llrst Jerk'll pidl the anchor holts . up iIiioiikIi the deck." j When the hnwscr had been made fast to Ihe uialninast, the leathern lungs of Mr. Clluiey made due an nouncement of the fait to the ex- 1 pedant Captain Hicks. "As soon ai you feel you've got a grip on her." he yelled, "Just hold her steady so she won't drive further Up the bench when I get my anchor up. She'll count out like a loose tooth at (he top of the lh.o.1." The Aphrodite forged slowly ahead,' taking In the slack of the hawser. Twenty minutes later, after much backing and swearing and heaving of Hnea the Bodega's hawser was also pnt board the Maggie. Mr. Olhney Judged It would be safe now to fasten this line to the towing hits. Suddenly Captnln Scraggs remem bered there was no one'on duty In the Maggie's engine room. With n half sob, he slid down the greasy ladder, tore open the furnace doors and com menced shoveling In conl with n reck lessness that bordered on Insanity. When the Indicator showed eighty pounds of steam he enme up on deck nnd discovered Mr. fllbney walking solemnly round and round the little capstan up forwnrd. It was creaking and groaning disinnlly. Captain Rcraggs thrlfst his engine room torch above his bend to light the scene nnd gazed upon his navigating officer In blank amazement. "What foolishness Is this, Gib?" he demanded. "Are yon clean daffy, do In' n barn dance around thnt rusty capstnn, mnkln' a noise fit to frighten the fish?" "Not much," came the laconic re ply. "I'm n smart man. I'm raisin both anchors." "Well, all I got to remark Is that it takes a smart man to raise both an chors when we only got one anchor to our blessed name. An' with that onchor safe on the fo'castle head, I, for one, enn't see no sense In raisin' It." "You tarnntlon Jackass I" sighed Olhney. "You forget who we are. Do you s'pose the steamer Yankee Prince can lay on the beach all night with both nnchors out, nn' then be got ready to tow off In three shakes of a lamb's tnll? It takes noise to get up two nnchors so I'm mnkln' nil the notae I can. Oot any steam?" "Eighty pounds," Scrnggs confessed. Having for tho moment forgotten his Identity, he was confused In the pres ence of the superior Intelligence of his navigating otllcer. . "Kun aft, then, Scrnggs, an' turn that cargo winch over to bent tho band until I lull you to siop. With the drum runiiln' free she'll make noise enough for n winch Uiree times her size, but you might give tho necessary yells to make It more lifelike." Captain Scrnggs fled to the winch. At the end of live minutes, Mr. Glbney appeared and bade him desist. Then, turning his Improvised megaphone sen ward he adddressed uu Imaginary mute: "Mr. Thompson, have you got your port nnt-hor up?" Scraggs took the cue Immediately. "All clear forward, sir," he piped. 'Send the bosun for'd an' heave the !ead, Mi. Thompson." "Very well, sir." Here The Squnrehead, who had been enjoying the unique situation luiinensiv ly, decided to take a hand. Presently, In sing-song cmlence, he was reporting the depth of water ulougslde. That'll do, bosun," (ilbney thun dered. Then, In his natural voice, to Scraggs: "All set, Seraggsy. Guess' we're ready to Is; pulled off. Get down In the engine room and stand by for full Sieed ahead when I give the word." "Quick 1 Hurry!" Scraggs enl rented an he disappeared through the little engine-room hutch, for tho tide was now at the tip of the Hood and the Muggle wits bumping wickedly and driving further up the bench. Mr. Glh- ney turned his stovepipe seaward and shouted : "Tugboats, ahoy !" "Ahoy !" they answered in unison. "All ready 1 I.et'er go-o-o-o!" The Squarehead stationed himself nt the bit tH with a lantern und Mr. Olhney hastened to the pilot house and took his place at the wheel. When the haw sers commenced to lift out of the sen, The Squarehead gave n warning shout, whereupon Mr. Glbney called the en gine room. "Give her the gun," he commanded Scraggs. "Pull against them tugs for till you're worlh. Ue member this Is the steamer Yankee Prince. We must not come off too readily." Captain Scraggs opened the throttle, and while the two tugs steadily dre7 her off Into deep witter, the Maggie fought valiantly to stick to the beach aud even to continue her Interrupted Journey overland. She merely suc ceeded In stretching both hawsers taut; slowly she was drawn seaward, tern tlrst, and at the expiration! of ftftmi minutes' steady pulling, Mr. Glb ney could restrain himself no longer, ili" rang for full speed astern and got it promptly. Then, calling Nells llul vorsen to aid him, he abandoned the wheel ami scrambled aft. With no one at the wheel, the Mag gie shot off at u tangent and the haw sers slacked Immediately. In the twin kling of an eye Mr. (ilbney had cast them off, and as the ends disappeared with a swish over the stern he ran back to the pilot house, rang for full siccd ahead, put his, helm hard over, Mr. Qlbnoy Turned HI Stovspip Sea ward and ShouUdi "Tugboata, Ahoyl" and beaded the Maggie In the general direction of China, although as a mat ter of tact be cared not what direction he pursued, provided he got away from the oeach 8n"d placed distance between the Maggie and two soon-to-be-furlou tngboat kippers. CHAPTER IV. The crews of the Aphrodite and the Bodega slept late, for they were weary and, fortunately, no calls for a tug came Into the office of the Red Stack company all morning. About ten o'clock Pan Hicks and Jack Fla herty hreakfnsted nnd about ten-thirty both met in the office. Apparently they were two souls with hut a single thought, for the right hand of each sought the shelf whereon reposed the blue volume entitled "Lloyd's Regis ter." Dan Hicks reached It first, car ried It to the counter, wet his tarry Index finger and started taming the pages In a vain senrch for the Ameri can steamer Yankee Prince. Presently ne looked up at Jack Flaherty. "Flaherty." he said, "I think you're a liar." The same to you and many of thera," Flaherty replied, not a bit abashed. "Tou said she was en eight tnousnnd-ton tramp." "I never went so far as to say I'd been aboard her on trial trip, though nnd did cut down her tonnage, show in' I got the fragments of a con science left," Hicks defended himself. lie closed the book with a sigh and placed It back on the shelf, Just as the door opened to admit no less porsonnge thnn Bartholomew McGuf- fey, late chief engineer, first assist nnt, second assistant, third assistant wiper, oiler, water-tender nnd stoker of the S. S. Maggie. With a brief nod to Jack Flahprty Mr. MeGuffey ap pronched Don Hicks. I been lookln for you, captain," he announced. "Sny, I hear the chief o1 the Aphrodite's goln' to take a three months' layoff to get shet of his rhea matism. Is thnt straight?" "I believe It la, McOuffcy." "Well, aay, Td like to have a chance to substltoot for hlra. Yon know my capabilities, nicks, an' If It would be agreeable to you to have roc for your chief your recommendation would go a long way toward Inndln' me the Job. rd sure make them engines behave, "What vessel have you been on late ly" nicks demanded cautiously, for he knew Mr. McGuffey's reputation for non-rellnbllity around pay day. "I been with that freshwater scaven ger, Scraggs, In the Maggie for most a year." "Did you quit or did Scraggs Are yon?" "He fired me," MeGuffey replied honestly. "If he hndn't Td have quit, so It's a toss-up. Oomln' In from Halfmoon hay last night we got In the fog an' piled up on the beach Just below the Cliff house " "This Is Interesting," Jack Flaherty murmured. "You sny she walked ashore on you, MeGuffey? Well, ni he shot!" "She did. Scrnggs blamed It on me, Flaherty. He sold I didn't obey the signals from the bridge, one word led to another, an" he went dnnctn' mad an' ordered me off his ship. Well, It's his ship or It wns his ship, for Til bet a dollar she's ground to powder by now so nil I could do wns obey. I hopped overbtinrd nn' wnded ashore. I suppose all my clothes an' things Is gone by now. I left everything aboard an' had to borrow this outfit from Scab Johnny." He grinned pathetical ly. "So I guess you understand. Cap tain Hicks, Just how bad I need that lob I snnl-e nhouf n minute ago." "I'll think It over, Mac, an let you know," Hicks replied evasively. Mr. MeGuffey, sensing his defeat, retired forthwith to hide his embar rassment nnd distress; as the door closed behind him. Hicks and Flaherty faced each other. "Jack," quoth Don Illcks, "can two towboat men, holdln' down two hundred-dollar Jobs an' presumed to hnve been out o' their swaddlln' clothes for at lenst thirty years, afford to be laughed off the San Francisco water front r "I know one of them thnt can't, Dan. At the some time, can a rat like Phineas P. Scrnggs and a beachcomb er like his mate Glbney make a pair of star-spangled monkeys out of said two towboat men and get away with It?" "They did thnt last night Still, I've known monkeys that would fight an was human enough to settle a grudge. Follow me, Jnck." Together they repaired to Jackson street bulkhead. Sure enough, there lay the Maggie, rubbing her blistered sides ngulnst the bulkhead. Captain Scraggs was nowhere In sight, but Mr. Glbney wns at the winch, swinging ashore the crates of vegetables which The Squarehead and three longshore men loaded Into tlio cargo net "We're outnumbered," Jnck Flaherty whispered. "Let's wait until she's un loaded tin' Glbney an' Scruggs are aboord alone." They retired without having at tracted the attention of Mr. Glbney. Promptly at twelve o'clock the long shnremeu knocked off work for the lunch hour and Nells Halvorsen drifted across the street to cool his parched throat with steam beer. While waiting for Scruggs to come up out of the engine room, nnd take him to luncheon, Mr. Glbney sauntered aft and was standing gazing reflectively upon a spot on the Maggie's stern when the hawsers had chafed away the paint, when suddenly his fore bodings of evil returned to him a thou sand fold stronger thnn they hnd been since Scruggs' return to the little ship. He glanced up and beheld gazing down upon Mm Captains Jack Fla herty nnd Daniel Illcks. Battle wns Imminent nnd the vnllant .Glbney knew It; wherefore be determined In stantly to ineet It like a man. "llowdy, men," he saluted them. "Glad to have yon aboard the yacht," ami he stepped backward to give him self lighting room. "Here's where we collect the tow age hill on the S. S. Yankee Prince," l'an Hicks Informed It I ill. and leUMd from the bulkhead straight down at Mr. Glbney. Jack Flaherty followed. Mr. Glbney welcomed Captain Hicks with u terrific right swing, which missed; before he-could guard, Dan Illcks had planted left and right where they would do tho most good? and Mr. Glbney went Into a clinch to save himself further punishment. "Scmggsy," lie huwled. "Scrugg- "Seraggsy He Bawled, "Scraggsy-y-yl Helpl Murder! It's Hicks and Fla hertyl Bring an Ax!" sy-y-yi Help! Murder I It's Hicks and Flaherty 1 Bring an ax I" He flung Dan Hicks at Jnck Fla herty; as they collided he rushed In and dealt each of them a powerful poke. However, Messrs. Illcks and Flaherty were sizeable persons and while, Individually, they were no match for the tremendous Glbney, nevertheless what they lacked In horsepower they made up In pugnacity and the salt sea seldom breeds a oraven. Captain Scraags thrust a frightened face up through the engine- room hot-,, but at sight of the battle royal taking place on the deck aft, his blood turned to water and ho thought only of escape. To climb np to the bulkhead without being seen was impossible, howeeer, so, not knowing what else to do, he stood on the iron ladder and gnzed, pop-eyed' with horror, at the unequal contest Backward and forward the tide of battle surged. For nearly three min utes all Scraggs saw was an Indis tinct tangle of legs and arms; then suddenly the combatants disengaged themselves and Scraggs beheld Mr. Glbney prone upon the deck with a gory face upturned to the foggy skies. When he essayed to rise and continue the contest Flaherty kicked him In the ribs and Hicks cursed him; so Mr. Glbney, realizing that all was over, beat the deck with his hand In token of surrender. Hicks and Fla herty wnlted until the fallen gladia tor hnd recovered sufficient breath to sit up; then they pounced upon him, lifted him to the rail, and dropped hlra overboard. Captain Scraggs shrieked In protest at this added touch of bar barity, and Dan Hicks, turning, be held Scraggsy's white face at the hatch. "You're next Scraggs," he called cheerfully, and turned to peer over the rail. Mr. Glbney hnd emerged on the surface and was swimming slowly away toward an adjacent float where small boats landed. He climbed wearily up on the float and sat there, gazing across at Hicks and Flaherty without animus, for to his way of thinking he had gotten off lightly, con sidering the enormity of his offense. The least he had anticipated was three months In hospital, and so grateful was he to Hicks and Flaherty for their forbearance that he strangled a resolve to "lay" for Hicks nnd Fla herty and thrash them Individually-1-something he was fully able to do and forgot his aches and pains In a lively Interest as to the fnte of Cnp taln Scraggs at the hands of the tow boat men. He was aware that Cap tain Scraggs had failed lgnomlniously to rally to the Glbney appeal to repel boarders, and In his own expressive terminology he hoped thut what the enemy would do to the dastard would be "a-plenty." The enemy, meanwhile, had turned their attention upon Scraggs, who had dodged below like a frightened rabbit and sought shelter In the shaft-alley. He had sufficient presence of mind, as he dashed through the engine room, to snatch a large monkey wrench off the tool rack on the wall, nnd, kneeling Just Inside the alley entrance he turned at bay and threatened the In vaders with his weapon. Thereupon Hicks and Flaherty pelted him with lumps of conl, but the sole result of this assault was to force Scraggs further back Into the shaft alley and out of range. The towboat men held a council of war and decided to drown Scraggs out Dan nicks ran up on deck and re turned dragging the deck fire hose be hind him. He thrust the brass nozzle Into the shaft-alley entrance and In vited Scraggs to surrender uncondi tionally or be drowned like a kitten. Scrnggs, knowing his own Are hose, defied them, so Dan Illcks started the pump while Flaherty turned on the water. Instantly the hose burst up on deck and Scrnggs Jeers of triumph filled the engine room. The enemy was about to draw lots to see which one of the two should crawl Into the shaft alley and throw a cupful of chloride of lime (for they found a can of this In the engine room) In Captain Scrnggs' face, when a shadow dark ened the hatch and Mr. Bartholomew MeGuffey demanded belligerently ; What's goln' on down there? Who tho devil's takln' liberties In my en gine room?" Dun Illcks explntned the situation and the Just cause for drastic action which they held against the fugitive In the shaft alley. Mr. MeGufTey con sidered a few moments and made his decision. "If what you say Is true an' I ain't in position to dispute you, not bavin' been present when you hauled the Maggie off the beach. I don't blame you for feeling sore. What I do blame you for, though. Is carryin' the war iitKwrd the Maggie. If you wanted to whale Gib an' Seraggsy you should ha' laid for 'era on the lock. I'nder the circumstances, you make this per- rnal affilr, an' as a member v the crew o the Maggie I got to take a hand an' defend my skipper agin youse two. Fart Is. gentlemen, I got date to He him nrst for what Be "done to me last night Howsumerer, that's private grouch. The fact remains taat you two Jumped my pal Bert Glbney an' Ticked him somethln' scandalous. Hicks, I'll take you on first. Come up out of there, you swab, and fight. Fla herty, you stay below until I send for you ; If you try to climb np an' horn In on my fight with Illcks, Glbney'U brain yon." A fnlnt cheer came from the shaft alley. "Good old Mac. At-a-boy 1" "You're on, MeGuffey. Nobody ever hnd to beg me to fight him," Don Hicks replied cordially, nnd climbed to the deck. To his great surprise, Mr. MeGuffey winked at him nnd drew him off to the stern of the Maggie. "There'll he no fight," he declared, "although we'll thud around on deck an' yell a couple o' times to make Scrnggs think we're goln' to It He Aggers that by the time I've fought you an' Flaherty I wont be fit .for combat with him, even If I lick you both ; he's got It all flggered out that I'll wait a couple o' days before tacklln' him, an' he thinks my tcm perMl cool by thnt time an' he can argy me out o' my revenge. SaveyT" "I twig." Mr. Glbney had returned to the Maggie by this time and he now took his station nt the engine-room hatch and growled nt Flaherty and abused him. "Keep up your courage. Seraggsy," he called, as Hicks and Me Guffey pranced around the deck In simulated combat. "Mac's whalln' the whey out o Illcks nn' Hicks couldn't touch him with a buggy whip." At the conclusion of the three mln utes of horse-play, Mr. MeGuffey came to the hatch again. "Up .with you, Flaherty," he called loud enough for Captain Scrnggs to hear, "up with you before I goidown after you." Flaherty was about to possess him self of a hatchet when the face of his confrere, Dnn Hicks, appeared over McGuffey's shoulder and grinned knowingly at him. Immediately, Fla herty hurled deflnnce at his enemies and came up on deck, and once more to Captain Scraggs came the dull sounds of apparent conflict overhead. Suddenly a cheer broko from Mr, Glbney. "All off an' gone to Cooper- town, Seraggsy," he shouted. "Come up an' take a look at the fallen." Out of the shaft alley came Scraggs with a rush, tossing his wrench aside the better to climb the ladder. He was half way up when Mr. GlBney reached down a great hand, grasped him by the collar, and whisked him out on deck with a single Jerk. Here, to h's horror, he found himself confronted by a singularly scathless trio who grinned triumphantly at htm. "Seeln' Is bellevln', Scraggs," Dim Hiclcs Informed him. "That's a lesson you taught me an' Flaherty Inst night but evidently you don't profit by ex perience. You're too miserable to beat up, but Just to show you It ain't possible for a dirty bay pirate like you to skin the likes o' me an' Fla herty we purpose hnngln' the ent o' your pants up around your cont col lar. Face him about Glbney." With a quick twist Mr. Glbney pre sented Captain Scrnggs for his pen ance; FInherty and MeGuffey followed Dan Hicks promptly and Captain Scrnggs screamed at every kick. And now came Mr. Glbney's turn. "For falltn' to stand up like a man, Seraggsy, an' battle Hicks an' FIn herty," he Informed the culprit, and tossed him over to MeGuffey to be held In position for him. "Don't, Gib. Please don't" Scrnggs walled. "It ain't comln' to me from you. I never heard you callln a-tall. Honest I never, Gib. Hnve mercy, Adelbert You saved the Maggie lost night on' a quarter Interest In her Is yours If you don't kick me!" Mr. Glbney paused, foot In midair; surveyed the Maggie from stem to stern, hesitated, licked his lower Hp, and glanced at the common enemy. For an Instant It came Into his mind to call upon the valiant and able Me Guffey to support him In a fierce counter-attack upon Hicks and Flaherty. Only for an Instant, however; then his sense of fair play conquered. "No, Scrnggsy," he replied sadly. She ain't worth It an' your duplicity can't be overlooked. If there's any thing I hate It's duplicity. Here goes, Seraggsy and get yourself a new' navlgatln' officer." Scraggs twisted and flinched In stantly, and Mr. Glbney's great boot missed the mark. "Ah," he breathed, 'Til give you an extra for that" "Don't! Please don't" Scraggs bowled. "Lay ofTn me an Til put In a new boiler an' have the compass ad justed." The words were no sooner out of his mouth thon Mr. MeGuffey swung him clear of Mr. Glbney's wrath. "Swear it," he hissed. "Raise your right hand an swear It an' Til pro tect you from Gib." Captnln Scraggs raised a trembling right hand and swore It "I'll get a new fire hose an fire buckets; I'll fix "I'll Fix the Ash Hoist and Run th Bedbugs and Cockroach Out of Hor." the ash hoist and run the bedbugs- an' cockroaches wit of her." he ad-led. "You hear that Olbr HaSaffer' pleaded. "Have's, heart" "Not unless he fives her a coat M paint an' aulte- btekertn' abort tb overtime, Bart" "I promise," Scraggs answered feint. "Pervtded," he added, "yon an iear ol' Mac promises to stick by tha shjp." v "It's a whack," yelled McOtiffey Joy- fully, and whirling, struck Dan Hlcksj a mighty Wow on the Jaw. "Off or ship, yon lioodltuns." He favored Jack Flaherty with a hearty thump and swung again on Dan Hicks. "At 'era, Seraggsy. Here's where you prove to Gib whether you're a man thump or a mouse thump or a thump, thump bobtalled thump rat" Dan Hicks had been upset and aa he sprawled on his back on deck, he appeared to Captain Scraggs to offer at least an even chance for victory. So Scraggs, mustering his courage, flew at poor Hicks toeth and toenail. His best was not much but It served to -keep pan Hicks off Mr. McOuffey while the latter was disposing of Jack FInherty, which he did, via the ran, even as the towboat men had disposed of Mr. Glbney. Dan Hicks followed Flaherty, and the crew of the Maggie crowded the rail as the enemy swam to the float crawled up on it and de parted, vowing vengeance. "All's well that ends well, gentle men," Mr. MeGuffey announced. "Scraggsy's goln' to buy a drink an' the past Is burled an' forgotten. Didn't old Seraggsy put up a fight Glbl" "No, but he tried to, Mac. TU tell the world he did," and he thrust out the hand of forgiveness to Seraggsy, who, realizing he had come very hand somely out of an unlovely situation, clasped the hands of Mr. Glbney and MeGnffey and burst Into tears. While Mr. MeGuffey thumped him between7 the shoulder blades and cursed him af fectionately, Mr. Glbney retired t change Into dry garments; when be. reappeared the trio went ashore for the promised grog and a luncheon at the skipper's expense. (To be continued next week.) SILO NECESSARY FOR .DAIRY Increase of 7'2 Par Cent Mad en Mis souri Farm by Fdlng Cow on Silage, No man who Is milking a herd of a dozen or more cows can ever hope to make maximum returns from hla herd without a silo, according to K. M. Harmon, dairy extension specialist for the Missouri College of Agricul ture. This statement was proved by the Missouri Cow Testing associations during the past year, as shown In the following results: Cows receiving silage produced an average of 5,798 pounds of milk, 2S6.8 pounds of fat and a profit above feed cost of $108.00 per cow. Cows with out silage averaged 5,189 pounds of milk, 252.7 pounds of fat and a profit of $101.02 per cow. The difference was 000 pounds of milk, 13.9 pounds of fat and $7.58 cents per cow in' one year. This means an Increase of TVi per cent in profit due to the silo. The average man would go a long way to tnarket his wheat for 7H per cent more. It Is worth that much te build a silo and we must have a lot more of them before we will reach the economy we should In butterfat production. BIG VALUE OF COW-TESTINU Some Convlnolng Comparisons ef Bst and Poorest Herd Brought Out by Expert - - (Prepared by to United Stale Beputmral of AcrlcQltVfe) With figures from a Virginia cw- testlug association as the basis for his calculations a representative - the United States Departniant f cul ture has made some convincing cem paiisons of the best herd and the peer eat herd, that bring out with na usual emphasis the value of testing. There were 611 cows owaed by i berg of the association. To beat consisted of 10 cows, wttb aa av of 306 pounds of butter fait hi a The poorest herd had 91 eoere, arr aging 155 pounds of batter tut tn a year. The first hard aaaa aa arereM lncom of $76 per cow rrr tk at of feed consumed; the latter mad a average return over feed eeet ef only 04 cents per cow. The Introduction of a few varlaMas) on these figures will help te shew Just how far apart were these cows la fke two herds. Th avarag cow la tha beBt herd produced mere income above Good Srr Is th Beginning of a Good Herd; a Bad On th In? of Any Herd. tne cost of feed than ma a rh. aa cows In the other herd. Tt mM - quire 117 oowa Ilk the averag ra tk poor nera to equal In prtMt predaeet. one or ine cows m the inn hMi equal the hard of 16 food wg lurmer wouki oae H & UTt mala like tha aramo aew u tbi herd. COWS OUR! HQ COLD WEATHER Few Pound of Con, Chop Will H4a is rrovio stooy Hut and Keep Us- Milk Flow. During cold weathar. dair mm should be fed a little mora grata taaa ounng nuiaer weather. A few owaeji of corn cboo caeh day durlne- tw Mia. mi uj win nij u Bcetieta i body heat and aoaMa kbef mmm mm 123 up her milk fet even la weatner. m tt Of toura aeceaaaj the cow lave sfcatta mni mmi. We Posed t th cold wind, tlm cold day a blanket will assist la k ma uie cow cexnrortaol. 1 T