si 1 Ji 1 ' I I , J WIMIPII;--WMMMMIMM I U ' MMW feX PETER B.KYN&j SYNOPSIS. CHAPTHR 1. Captain Phlnns P. Scraps has Krown "P around the docks of Ban l-'riinelMro, and from mens duy on ii river sleutner, risen to (ho owi ei-shlp of the steamer MiikkI". Since each an nual Inspection promised to be ti e lusi of tho oll weatlierbeuicn vessel, K rraiKs naturally ruin notnp (lilhcully In bi curin ; a crow. When tin stnry npenR, A.lolbert P. liibnpy, likable but eiTiitlc, il man whom nobody but Hitiikkk would hlru, Is the Hklbper, Nells ilulvormn, a solemn Swede, constitutes the fu'rnstle IiiiiiUi:. and Hart McUufley. a wastrel of the Gib ney type, reigns In tl(e enfrluc room. CIIAPTlOlt Il.-Wlih (his motley crew and IiIh ancient vessel, Cuplaln tvTaKK Is enKHKed In frclKliiliiK garden trucU from llalfmoon bay lo Ban KrnnclHco. The Inevitable tiappuns, the MaKglc goln-; anhore.Jn a fo. CHAPTKIl III. -A n.isslnR vessel hall Ing- the wreck. Mr. (;!biiey Kots word to a towlliff company In San Kriinclsi o that the ship ashore Is the Yankee Prince, with promise of a rich salvage. Twit tugs succeed In pulling the MaKgle lnt' deep water, and she slips her tow llnea and gets away In the tutf. CHAPTKK IV. Furious at the decep tion practised on them, luptuins HlekM and Flaherty, rommnnillnfc the two tut boats, ascertain the hlentl'.y of the "Yan kee Prince" and, fciirliiR ridicule should the facts become. kiuwn along the water front, determine on personal vengeance Their hostile vlsll to the Muugle i-esulM In 1'nptiiln RrrnuKH promlnlm; to get a new holler and inako needed rep ilm to the steamer. ("IIAPTKn V Rirarius refuses o fill fill hrs premises and Cibney and MeCluf fey "strike." Willi' marvelous lucl . Hcrnims ships a fresh crew. At Ilie en I of a few days of wild conviviality cllinc-.-tind MedulTey nre stranded and see'; their old posliions on the MnKido. They are liostllely received, but renial.l. (In their way to Knn Francisco they slglil a derelict and tiilinev and MelJuffcy swim to It. CHAPTKIt VI.-The derelict prcves t j he the Chesapeake, richly laden, its en- tire crew stricken with scurvy. 1'cragu i ntletupt'i to tow her In, hut the Muggi" Is unciual to the tusk and (ilhn-y ami Medultcy, abine, sail the ship to Ha:i Kiunclseo, th'dr salvage money limount Ing to Jl.doo apiece. OH.M'TIOII VII - Indcpendi ntly r'rh, our two adventurers still have a klnd:y feel ing for the Mugglc, and, his ere v hav ing deserted him, t'uplaln S4,ra-gs In duces them to return. At an "old hoi-He"' sale the three iiurchue. two my:-lcrlou4 boves whli'h ttiey believe to contain smuggled "Oriental goods." They llnil. Instead, two dead Chinamen. llo Mi-tit IIi-kI to the SiMilnmi I (Inn; Httirt', wlit'iv lu (Hilzy.ocl (lip dniK'Kl.'f fur flvo nilhiili'H, nfliT which lie oon 'lulled Ms cnilse. I'hm rciicli ni; th. MiiKKli', In1 priicci'ili'il to ri'lnte III (If tit 1J. and with iiilillllniuil clclnlls sup piled ly his own liiingliiHtliili, Hip story (if Ills nioi'hliiK iiilvciittirp. "(llli," siilil McCunVy enviously, "you're n fool for luck." "I.ncl,," said Mr. (illini'.v, lii'glnnlii : (o i-xpiinil, "Is wluit the feller culls a n'liitlvp proposition- " "You're wrong, tilli," Intirposrl Ctiplnln Scnius. "liilnlhes Ih hi. ItieUy mi' expensive. TiiLe, fr In sin nee, Mis. Scruggs' uiollier - " "I iiieitn, you lunklienil," Mr. (i biicv, "thnl lucl; Ik founil v hci lire Ins grow. No lirtilll, no luck. No 1'icl, no hiiilns. l.eiiiinp lllusi rule. A tlilcvln' Inml slmrk ninlies me u pi esei 1 o' lifi.v clulJi.rs not in hint In on llicci nni boxes I'm tcllin' you iilioiil. Iln i nil' his I'lini; wmitM ilictii two lioxe . i'ulr i rii y to Ki't "in. Now, don't Ii stand In reason Hurt tin in li'Uci i.nows ulial's In llii'in linxes, or ihev "iiilliln'1 rlie ine lll'ly iIoIIiiik In li.i.'! ship7 ( course. It docs. Ilnwwi, in order to earn Dial flfly ddlai-. I go to buck wi:er It wouldn't pluvlh' fa!r II I ilbli 't. ltiit Ihal d.... ' :uiciil Ine I'nmi .utlln' Iw.i J,..' ""',..'. o" iniuc lucre .Vir. ii iuie i I . I Scrimps imd .McCullex w 1 1 1 ,i .n ni I'.irli) ne to i lie secrel u hi. I. I discovers, no' If llieie's iiuuii ;n II 'or old Hooky Unit Inns ine ol. it -iilluls to reason Hint there's ni"i c In It lor us lliris'. Wlnit's to pn , : on mii' Met iulVe.v from goin' : 1 1 I :ils old horse sale an' bliblln' In llin . iwo lioxcH for Ilie use ami Iiciielii ..f Jibney. SeniitgN nn' M.iittnV). ail liniv nn' shnre iiJil.pl Yon inn bid is high us u bundled dollars if ne, cs t 'try, an' Mill conic mil a thousand dollars to Hie j;o,.d I'm tcllin wui lids because I I. now hnl' In II. mi 1 a o boxes." Alcilutley was sl.irlnt; (as. inaii .1 ul Mr. (illniey. Ciipluln Kciui'gs elnii I d ola male i Nriu In u ireinelt'il clasj. "Vlm(?" tliey ho(h InterroKtiled. "You two lioys," eoiitlniied Mr. (Jlli ney with nKsravntlng (li'lilierntioii. "ain't what nobody 'would cull diini mlea. You're siniirt men. I tut the (rnnlile with both o' you boys Is you nln't got ho ImaKlmition. Wilbout Iniiig-lmitlon nobody Rets nowhere, im less It's out th' Ninnll end o' Ih' born. Maybe you boys ain't noueed it, hut my liiuiRlnatlon Is nlJ that keeps me rrom jroln' to Jail. Now, If you two hud read the address on them two boxes, It wouldn't 'a meant nolhln' to you. Absolutely nothln'. Hut w ith mo it's different. I'm blessed with litiiicl nntlon enough to see right through t hem Chinaman tricks. Theui two boxes Is marked 'Oriental Goods' nn' consigned (here Mr. (ilbney raised n rlmy forefinger, and Seraggs and Me. iJtifl'ey eyed It very much as if tiny cxpeclnl It to go oh" at liny moment) them two boxes is consigned to the mIii Seng eompnny, 714 ruponl street, 'an Francisco." "Well, that's up In Chlnnto.vn, ad v'glit," admitted Captain Scrugrs, "bur ;iow about what's Inside the two rates?" "Oriental goods, of course," s:ild Mi.'- nufrpy. "Tliey are consigned to n ('hinniiinii. an' besides, that's what it says on the eases, don't It, !ih? Ori ental goods, Scruggs, Is silks an' satins, rice, chop suey, punk, nr.' idols an' fan tan layouts." "If there ain't Swiss cheese move ments in i lint head Mock of yours, Mac, you and Scrnggsy emi tliv de my .share o' these two boxes o" jdnseir,' root between you. I to you get it, you chiicklchcndcil sou of a Irish potato? (iil Sent;, 711 I 'lipoid street, (iinseng a root or a herb that medicine' Is nil lt out of. The dictionary says It's a Chinese panacea for exhaustion, an' T happen to know that It's worth live dollars il pound an' that theni two crales weighs a hundred and It fly pounds each If (hey weighs an ounce." Ills auditors stared at Mr. Cibncy much as might a pair of baseball fans til the hero of a home run wilh two strikes and (he bases lull. "Ouwd!" miitlcred McllulTey. "!reul grief, (!ib! Can (his be pos sible?" gashed I'aplani Seraggs. D'or answer Mr. Olhney took out his lll'ty dollar hill and handed II to lo McOulTvy. lie never (rusted Captain Scruggs wilh anything more valuable I ban a pipeful of tobacco. "Scn.ggsy," he said solemnly, "l'nr x 1 1 1 i 1 1 ' to back my liuagiuallon with my cash. You an' Mctlullcy hurry right oer (o the warehouse an' bull In on Hie sale when they come lo Ilictii (wo boxes. The sale Is jusl about slartln' now. (in as high as you tlilj you can In order lo get the ginseng al H pioliinbJe I'lLger, an' pay Hie auc tioneer lll'ly dollars down lo hold (lie sale; (lull will give you boys (line to rush Mound lo dig up Hie balance o (he money. Ta. l, rl: lit nloin. now lads, while I go down Ilie sweet an get ine some brea'.l'asl. I don'l Ham 1 1 1 il ll lei 1 1 1 ul I to see ine ni'otinn thai sale lie might ge suspicious. All el 1 eal I'll meet you la-re aboard Hi' Maggie an' w e'll illx hie the loot." With n IViNeiit handshake all around, the three shipmates palled. After disposing of a hearly break I'll si of dclllcd lamb's klduevs and coffee. Mr ilil.ney lin.sied in a lee cent Sailor's PHudii and sirolJed dowi to Hie Maggie. Neils ll 'hor-.li, l!n lone deckhand, was aboard, and the luoiiienl Mr Oil (rod the Maggie's -leek niev more as mate In exercised his prerogative to onlei Veils ashore i.e- ihe remain. !ei of the day Since 1 1 a ! ol'sen i::s no! in on (he ginseng dial. Mr 1 1 . 1 1 1 1 eollclbdeil llial il would be just lis well to have him 'out id lb,' way -lauili) Scrags and MillulVcy appear ui.ex pe.iedly with the two cases of gin selig. l'nr mi hour Mr. Cibiict sal on Hie Klcrn bins and ruiiilnaied over a ! ad iiiitcgeoiis ph. ns ihal bud o.aiirrcd In him for Ilie luM stn.ent of his liare of tin (Jcul khould Scru -'gii met Me Onffey sucppprl In landlne "erhaf Mr. Olhney termed "the loot." About eleven 'clock an express wagon drove In on the dock, tnd the mate's dreams were plensantly Interrupted hy a gleeful shout from Captain Scrag'gs, on the lookout forward with the driver. Mc GufTey sat on top of the two cases with his legs dangling over the end of the wason. He wns the picture of contentment. Mr. Glbney hurried forward, threw out (he gangplank, and assisted Mc Guffev In carrying both crates aboard (he Maggie and Into her little cabin. Captain Seraggs thereupon dismissed (he expressman, and all three part ners gathered around the dining room tntde, upon which the boxes rested. "Well, Scrnggsy, old pnJ, old scout, old socks, I see you've delivered the (foods," said Mr. Olhney, batting the skipper across the cabin with nn affec tionate ship on the shoulder. "I did." snld Scrnggs and cursed Mr. Oibney's demonsirativeness. "Here's the hill o' sale all regular. McOnlTey has the change. That hunch o' Israelites run th' price up to $10.00 each op these two crates o' ginseng, but when they see we're determined to hnMe 'em an' nln't Interested In nolhln' else, they lets 'em go (o'us. McOuffey, my dear boy, whatever nre you a-doln' there stnndin' around with your teeth In your mouth? Skip down Into th' engine room and bring up a l:ii miner nn' a col' chisel. We'll open her up an' Inspect th' swag." Upon MoGuffey's return, Mr. Oibney took charge. Ih; drove -(he chisel un der the lid of (he nearest crate, and prepared to pry It loose. Suddenly he paused. A thought had occurred to him. "Gentlemen," he said McGuffey nodded .his head approvingly), "this world Is full o' stirrers nn' disappoint ments, an' If may well be that these two cases don't contain even so much as a smell o' ginseng after all. It may he that they are really Oriental goods. What I want distinctly under stood Is this: no matter what's Inside, we share equally In the profits, even if they turn out to he losses. That's understood in agreed to. nln't 11?" Capdiln Seraggs and McGull'ey Indi cated that It was. "There's a element o' mystery about these two boxes," continued Mr Glb ney, "that fascinates me. They sets my Imagination n-workln' an' joggles up all my sport In' instincts. Now, Just to make it iutereslin' an' add n spice t' th' grand oponln', I'm wlllin' to bet agnln, my own best judgment nn' lay you even money, Scrnggsy, that it ain't ginseng, but Oriental goods." ' "I'll go you five doll.irs, just fr ducks," responded Caplaln Scruggs heartily. ".MeGulTey (o hold Hie stakes nn' decide the bet." "Done," replied .Mr. Olhney. The money was placed In Mwdufley's hands, arid n moment later, v.itli a mighty effort, Mr. Glbney pried off the lid of the crate. Captain S T.'iggs lind his head Inside the box a lil'ih of a second later. "Sealed zinc hox Inside," I.e u:: nounced. "del u can opener, Cib, u ;. hoy." "(iinseng, for a thousand." iilourni Mr. (iiluiey. "Scrnggsy, you'ie liu dollars of my money to Hie good. Gin seng always comes packed in uir-llght boxes." He produced n can opener from the cabin locker ami fell to his work on a corner of the liermetteully sealed box. As he drove in the point of Ilie can opener, he paused, hammer In hauii. and gazed solemnly at Scrag; s ami McGulVey. "Gentlemen," (ngnln Mcliufley nodded approvingly) "do you know what a vacuum is?" "I know," replied (he Impei'tnt'lmb'!' MeGulTey. "A vacuum Is an empty hole that ain't got nothln' in l(." "Coned," said Mr. Glbney. "My head is u aciiuui. Me isiIMn' aboi.i ginseng root ! Why, I must have wa ter on Hie brain I Ginseng be doi. (foiled ! It's opium !" Cuplaln Seraggs was forced lo grab Hie seal of bis chair in order lo keep himself from jumping up and clasp lug Mr. Gihney around (he neck. "Forty dollars a pound," he gasped. "Glh Gili, my dear boy you've made us wealthy " Quickly Mr. Glbney inn (he can o oner around (he edges of one corner of (he zinc box, inserted (lie claws of (he hammer Into the opeuiug. ami wilh a quick, melodi'iimatic lulsl, hem back Hie angle thus formed. Mr. Glbney was the 11 est (o get n peep inside. "(ileal snakes!" he yelled, and fell hack ugliiiisi the cabin wall. A hoarse si r. ani of rage and horror broke from Captain Seraggs. In his eagerness he bad dt hen Ills head so deep Into Ilie box that he came wlthlji an Inch ol' kissing what Hie box contained which happened lo he nothing more, nor less than n dead Chinaman ! Mr. McGip' I'ey, always slow and tinlniaginiit i e, .shouldered (he skipper aside, and calmly surveyed (lie ghastly appnrl I ion. "Twig Hie yellow heggnr, will you. (lib?" said MeGulTey; "one eye tiaif open for nil Ilie world like he was wlnkln' n( ns an' eii.loyln' Hi' joke." .Not a muscle twitched In MeGin" lev's I l b. -i n ah countenance. lie scratched h's head lor u moment, ns a sort ol' brsi aid (o memory, then liirued ami l anded Mr. Gihney ten dol la rs. "You win. Gib. It's Oriental goods, sure enough." "liobber!" slHlekeil Captain Scruggs, and lieu at Mr. Gibaey's throat. 'Ilie slghl reminded M.GulTcy ol' a leir.e. worrying' a masiltf. Ne er' helcss M Gihney was stdl so linn. i,,l al the disc, cry of ilie horrible commits of the box licit, despite his gigaulie pro. portions, ho was welt-iiigh helpless "McGuhiy. t swab." he yelled, "l'luck this muni hue outlaw oil' my neck. He's leann' my windpipe out by Ih' reels." M.;utte choked Caplaln S uiggs iiulll be rcJu.-lai.lU lei go Mr. loiibey, when upon all tluvc lied fioni Ibe cab in as from a p. si . I , - i , and an angry mid i . -: 1 1 ! 1 1 I g on deck. led. en up "Opium!" Ice with (ears ol ra sclig ' Sou a o.l sw Inc. pm' ( i. I 'd Cuptaii in his in our 1 1 . i ; i g : i V my ship Seraggs. ce. "(idi :Mlon. !: Joll lout. or I'll 1 1 1 it i ! i Ml Clhll. l.llhg h'.K hea l "Scrnj;g. an' you. loo McUurtey I got lo lojiull ' 1 1 ;i I tblt heir la on oil Adelhert P. Glbney. I I" "Oh, hear him," shrilled Captain Scrugrs. "One on liinit It's two on Jron, jou bloody-handed ragpicker. I suppose that other case contains opium, too! If there ain't another dead corpse In No. 2 case I hope my teeth may drop overborn d." ."Shut np!" bellowed Mr. Olhney, In towering rage. "What howl have you got comln.'? They're my China men, ain't they? I paid for 'em like mnn, didn't I? All right, then. I'll keep them two Chinamen. You two ain't out a cent yet, an ns for this five I wins off you, Scrnggs, It's blood money; that's whnt It Is, in' I hereby gives It hnck to you. Noiv, quit yer whlnln', or by the tall o' the Great Sacred Hull, I'll lock yon up all night In th' cabin nlontr o' them two defunct Celestltils." Caplaln Scrngns "shut up" prompt ly, and contented himself with glower ing at Mr. Gihney. The mate sat down on the hatch coaming, lit his pipe, and gave himself up to medita tion for fully five minutes, nt the end of which time MeGulTey was aware that his Imagination was about to come to the front once more. "Well, gentlemen," (again McGuf fey nodded approvingly) "I bet I get my twenty bucks back outer them two Chinks," he announced presently. "How'll yer do it?" inquired McOuf fey politely. "How'll I do It? Knsy as falJin' through an open hatch. I'm a-goin' t' keep them two stiffs In th' boxes until dark, an' then I'm a-goin' to take 'em out, bend a rope around their middle, drop 'em overboard an' anchor 'em there all night. I see th' lad we opens up in No. 1-cnse has hnd a beau tiful Job of emhiilmln' done on him, hut If I let them soak all night, like a mackerel, they'll limber up an' look kinder fresh. Then first thing In th mornin' I'll telephone th' coroner on' tell him I found two floaters out In th' hay an' for him to come an' get 'em. I been along the waterfront long enough t' know that th' lad that picks up a Hunter gets a reward o' ten dol lars from th' 'city. You can bet thnt Adelhert V. Glbney breaks even on th' deul, nil right." "Glh, my dear hoy," said Captain Scruggs admiringly. "I apologize for my actions of a few minutes ago. I was unstrung. You're still mate o' th' American steamer Maggie, an' n- svtch velcotne to th' snip. All T you nail up your property, Gib, an' remove it from th' dinin' room table. I wiint to remind you, however, Gib. thnt us shipmates me an' AIcGufley don't stand for you shoiilderin' any loss on them two cases o' Oriental goods. We was t' share th' gains, if any. an' likewise lb' losses." "That's right," said MeGulTey, "fair an' square. No thcllynchln' between Shipmates. Me an' Scrnggs each owns one-third o' them diseased Chinks, nn' we each stands one-third o' th' loss, If any." "Hill there won't he no loss," pro tested Mr. Gihney. . "Iiiiyiige charges, Gib, drnynge charges. We give a mnn a dollar to tow 'em down t' tlf ship." "Forget It," answered Mr. Glbney mngnniiiiuiiusly, "nn" let's go over an' get n drink. I'm all shook up." . ,. CHAPTER VIII. Had either Mr. Gihney or McGufToy been watching Captain Seraggs nftoi he had left them they would have been much puzzled to account for thn' worthy's actions. First he (lodge! around the block Into Prunun stive'-, and then ran' down Driinnu to Culifoi nin, where he cjiinbed aboard a cnbl ' car and rode up into Chinatown. Ar riving at I'upont street he alighte 1 and walked up that interesting thoi otiglifiiie ii ii I il lie came to No. 71' He glanced at a sign over the door an ! was aware that he stood before th" entrance to the ollices of (he Chines Six Companies, so he climbed upstair and inquired for Gin Seng, who pres pntly made his appearance. Gin Seng, a very nice, fat Clilnr man. arrayed In a flowing silk gown, begged, In pidgin Kngllsh, to know i;i what manner he could he of service, "Me heap big captain, nilee same ship." began Captain Seraggs. "Oil board ship two China boys have got." (Here Caplaln Scruggs winked know ingly.) "China hoy no speak Kng llsh " "That being the case," interposed Gin Seng. "I presume that you and 1 understiim! each other, so let's cut out the pidgin Knglish. Po I under stand that you nre engaged In evading the Immigration laws?" "Kxnctly," Captain Scrnggs ninnaged to gasp, us soon as he could recover from his astonishment. "They showed ine your name an' address, an' they won't have th' ship, where I got 'em locked up in my cabin, until you come an' take tin nwav. Couple o' rela tives of yours, I should imagine." (iin Seng smiled his bland Chinese smile, lie had frequent dealings with ship musters engaged 1n the danger ous, though lucrative, trade of smug gling Chinese Into (he I'liiled Slates, and while lie had not received advice of lids j hi rl i .ill ii r shipment, he decided to go wilh Caplnin Scruggs to Jackson' street bulkhead and see If he could not be of some Use lo his countrymen. As Captain Scragiis and his Chinese companloM approached (he wharf (he skipper glanced warily nboiil. lie had small fear Hint either Glbney or Me GulTey would show up for in hour, for lie knew Hint Mr. (iiluiey had money In his possession. However, he decided lo lake l l clian.es, and scouted the validly tlioioii.;liJy before venturing lib oar. I the Maggie. These actions servoi' but to increase Hie respect of Gin Seng for Hie funster of the Maggie and i.nttriccl I im In hl belief Unit! Ibe Magg'e was a smu-ggler. , I'iii ::i n sj-raggs took his visitor In side Hie I. tile cabin, carefully locked an. I boiled Hie door, lilted the Ine Ikip back fr. tn ibe lop of the crale of ' "Oriental goisls" and d'siiliiyed the' face .. the dead Chinaman Also he pointed t 1 Hie Chinese characters on the w . o don lid of ll.e i t ate. "Wl it does ihese be.i scratches ' n:e::n'" d 'luanded Seraggs I '"I'los man is named Ah (Show and be leloiigs to Ibe Hop Sing Ion;." '"I ' :.! out ids pal here':'' "11 it man is ei.ieiiih- Ng- Chonit , V " He N als. a llo p Sin,' num." c i t on S. hills wrole ll down. "A!J i'lgl I," he a!. ibeenly; "UlUct) ! obliged. Now,' what I want to know Is what the Hop Sing tong means hy shipping the departed brethren by freight? They go to work an' fix 'em op nice no's they'll keep, packs 'em away In a zinc coffin. Inside a nice plain wood hox, Inhels 'em 'Orlentnl goods,' an' consigns 'em to the Gin Seng company, 714 Pupont street, Snn Frnnclsco. Now, why are these two countrymen o' yours shipped by freight where, by the way, they goes astray, for some reason that I .don't know nothln about, an' I buys 'em up at a old korse sale?" Gin Seng shmgged his shoulders and replied thnt he didn't understand. "Y'oti lie," snarled Cnptnln Scrnggs. "You savey all right, you fat old Idol, you 1 It's because If the rnllrond com pany knew these two boxes contained dead corpses they'd a-soaked the rela tives, which Is yon, one full fnre each from wherever these two dead ones comes from, just the snme as though they wns alive an' well. But you hns 'em shipped by freight, an' alms fo spend a dollar an' thirty cents each on 'em, by mnrkln' 'em 'Orlentnl goods.' Helluva way to treat u rela tion. Now, looky here, you bloody hen then. It'll cost you Just five hun dred dollars to recover these two stiffs, nn' close my mouth. If you don't come through I'll ninke a belch t' th' newspapers an' they'll keel haul an' skulldrag th' Chinese Six Compa nies an' the Hop Sing tong through the courts for evadln' th' laws o' th' Inter state commerce commission, an' make 'em look like monkeys generally. An' Ihen th' police'll get wind of It. Savey, pollcee-tnnn, you fat old murderer? Th' price I'm askln' Is cheap, Charley How do I know but whnt these twe, ' poor boys has been murdered In cold i blood? There's somethln' rot.Mi It I vnmnrk. my bully boy, an' you'li lave time nn trouble an' money hy liggin' up five hundred dollars." Gin Seng snld he would go back to CTiinntown and consult with Ids eom pnny. For reasons of his own he was oadly frightened. Scarce had he departed before the watchful eye of Cnptuln Seraggs ob "erved Mr. Glbney nnd McGuffey lii the offing, a block away. When they came aboard they found Cnptuln Scruggs on fop of the house, seated on an upturned fire bucket, smoking pen sively and gnzlng across the bay with an assumption of lamblike Innocence on his fox face. He soon departed, but Mr. Gibney wns suspicious. "He's got his lines fast somewhere you can bank on that," was his comment. "While we wns nwny he rigged up some kind of a deal. Hart. It stands to renson It wns a mighty profitable deal, too. My Imagination may be a bit off the course nt times, Bart, but In general, If there's a (lend whale lloatin' around the ship I enn smell It." "What do you make out o' thnt fat Chinaman crulsln' down the bulkhead In nn express wagon an' another Chinn man settln' up on the bridge with him?" McGuffey demanded. "Seems to me they're comln', bows on, for the Maggie." "They tell me to deduct somethln', Bart. Wnlt a minute till we see if they're comln' aboard. If they nre " "They're goln' to . make n landin', Gib." " then I deduct that this body- snntchin' Scrnggs " "They're bonrdin' us, Gib." " has arranged with yon fat Chlnn innn to relieve us o' the unwelcome presence of his defunct friends!. He's gone tin' hunted up the relatives an' made 'em come across that's what he's done. The dirty, low, schemln' grnnddaddy of nil the foxes In Chris tendom ! I'll fish nround nn' see whal ffgger Scrnggs chnrged him," and Mr. Gihney stepped to the rail to meet Gin Seng, for it was indeed he. "Sow-see, sow-see, hun-gay," Mr. Glbney saluted the Chinaman In n facetious attempt to tnlk the Intter's language. "Hello, there, John Chinn rnan. How's your liver? Captnln he nlle same get tired ; he no wnltee. Willi's mullah, John. Too long time jou no come. You henp lazy all time." Gin Seng smiled his bland, Inscruta ble Chinese smile. "You ketehtnu two Chi nu boy In box?" he queried. "We hnve," boomed McGuffey, "an' beautiful specimens they be." "No money, no China boy," Olhney lidded firmly. "Money hnve got. Too mnchee mon ey you wnntee. No can do. Me pay two hundred dollnh. Five hundred dol lnh henp muchee. No have got." "Nothln' doln', John. Fix-e hundred dollars nn' not a penny less. Put up the dough or bent it." Gin Seng expostulated, lied, evaded, and all hut wept, but Mr. Gihney wns obdurate nnd eventually the Chlnn mnn paid over the money and departed with the remains of his countrymen, "I knew he'd come through, Bart," Mr. Gibney declnred. "They got to ship them stiffs to China to rest along side their ancestors or he In Putch with the sperrlts o' the departed for ever after." "Po we hnve to split this swag with that dirty Seraggs?" McGuffey wanted to know. "Seeln' ns how he tried to Vive us the double cross " "We'll fix Scrnggsy all shlp-shnpe nn' !egul so's he won't huve no eome onck." They had not long to wait. Upon his arrival nt Gin Seng's place of busi ness Cnptnln Scruggs hud been In formed that Gin Senu had gone out twenty minutes before, mid further In quiry revealed that he had departed hi an express wagon. Consumed with misgivings of disaster, Seraggs re turned to the Maggie ns fast as the cable car and his Jegs could carry him. In the cabin he found Mr. Glbney and McGuffey playing cribhage. They laid down their hands as Seraggs entered. Mr. Gibney began at once: "To show you whnt n funny world this is, while me an' Hart's setHn' on deck n-waltin' for you to come back, along breezes a fat old Chinaman In nn ex press wagon nn' offers to buy them two cases of Oriental givxls. He makes me tin' Mac what we considers a fair ffer. I.emtue gee, now," he continued, and got out stub of lead pencil with which he commenced figuring on the' white oilcloth table cover. "We paid twenty dollars for them two derellcti nn' a dollar towage. That's twenty one dollar, an1 a third o' twenty -one is aeveu, an' aevrn dollars from twvn-ty-Qva leavaa l-hteD dollars com In' U tau. Ur'a lour aUhtaoa duiiara. Pcrnggsy, you lucky old vagabond all Clear profit on a neat dny'a work, no expense, no Investment, no back-hreak-ln' Interest charges or overhead, an' sold out at your own flgger." Captnln Scrnggs' face was a study tn conflicting emotions as he raked In the eighteen dollnrs. "Thanks. Gib," tie snld frigidly. "Me an' Gib's goin' ashore for lunch t the Marigold cafe," McGuffey an nounced presently, In order to break the horrible silence that followed sJcrnggsy's crushing defeat. "I'm will In to spend some o' my profits on the denl nn' blow you to a lunch with a small bottle o "Pngo Bed thrown in. How about It, Scrnggs?" "I'm on." Seraggs sought to throw off his. gloom and appear sprightly. "Whnt'd yon peddle them two cadaverf for, Gib?" Mr. Glbney grinned broadly, but did. not answer. In effect, his grin In formed Scrnggs that thnt was none of die Intter's business nud Scrnggs as 'tftrillated the hint. "Well, at any rnte Gib, whatever you soaked him, It wnt o mighty good sale nn' I congrnlulnU on. I think I lebbe I might hn' done a little bette myself, but then 1; lo't every, day a feller can turn an elghteen-dollnr trick on a corpse." "Coniin' to lunch with us?" McGuf fey uemunded. "Sure. -Wait a minute till I run forward an' see if the lines Is all fnsj." He stepped out of the cnbln and presently Glbney nnd McGuffey were conscious of a rapid succession of thuds on the deck. Gibney winked at McGuffey. "Nother new lint gone to h 1," mur mured McGuffey. CHAPTER IX. Even after nllowlng for the expendi tures on the engine weighing heavily on Captnln Scruggs, that lndMdual continued morose nnd more than ever Inclined to be sarcastic. Mr. Gibney commented on the fact to Mr. McGuf fey. "He's troubled flnnnelnlly. Gib." "Well, you know who troubled him. don't you, Bart?" "I mean about the cost o' them re pairs in the engine room. Unless he cun come through In thirty days with the balunce he owes, the boiler people are goln' to libel the Maggie to protect their claim." Mr. Gibney -arched his bushy eye brows. "How do you know?" lie de manded. "He wns a-tellln' me," Mr. McGuffey admitted weakly. "Well, he wasn't a-tellln' me." Mr. GIbney's tones were ominous; he glared at his friend suspiciously as from the Maggie's cabin Issued forth Scrnggsy's voice rnised in song. "Hello! The old boy's thermome ter's gone up, Bart. Listen at him. 'Ever o' thee he's fondly drenmln'.' Somethin's busted the spell an' I'll bet a cooky it wns ready cash." He "Bart," He Demanded, "Did You Loan Scraggsy Some Money?" menaced Mr. McGuffey with a rigid index finger. "Iinrt," he demanded, "did you loan Scraggsy some money?" The honest McGuffey hung his head. "A little bit," he replied childishly. "What d'ye call a little tilt?" "Three hundred dollars, Gib." "Secured?" "He gimme his note at eight per cent. The savin's hunk ouly paya four." "Is the note secured by endorse ment or collateral?" "No." "lluin-m-iu ! Strange you didn't say liothin' to me about this till I hnd to pry It out o' you, Bnrt." "Well, Scrnggsy was feelln' so dog goned blue " "The truth," Mr. Gihney Insisted firmly, "the truth, Burt." "Well. Scraggsy nsked me not to say anythln to you about it." "Sure. Il knew I'd kill the deal. Ue knew hetter'n to try to nick me for t tins' hundred bucks on his (hinged, worthies note. Bart, wliy'd you do it?" "Oh. h 11. Gib, be a good feller," poor McGuffey pleaded. "Don't be too hard on ol' Scraggsy." "We're dlscussin' you, Bart. Tears lo mo you've sort o lost confidence In your old shipmate, nln't you? Tears that way to me when you act ineaky like." McGuffey bridled. "I uln't a sneak." "A rose by any other name'd be just as sweet," Mr. Gihney quoted. "You poor, misguided simp. If you ever see that three hundred dollars again you'll be n lot older'n you are now However, that ain't none o' my business. The fact remains, Bart, that you conspired with Scraggsy to ketp things away from me. which shows you nin't the mnn I thought you were, so from now on you go your wny an' I'll go mine." "I got n right to do in 1 blasted lilease with toy money," McGuffey de fended boil). "I nln't im child to be lectured lo." "Cwuldcrlu' the fact Uial 101) ouldn't hnve had the money to lend If It hadn't been for me, I allow I'm ft suited when you uaa the snld money to give aid an' comfort to my enemy. I'm through." McGuffey, smothered In ful't, felt nevertheless that he had to stand by his guns, so to apeak. "Stay through. If you feel like It," he retorted. Wher d'ye get that chntter? Ain't I free, white, nn' twenty-one year old?" Mr. Glbney waa really hurt. Too poor boob," he murmured. "It'a th old game o' seftln' a beggar on horse back an' seeln' him ride to the devil, jt sllppln' n gold ring in a pig's nosw. 4n' I figured you was my friend I" "Well, nln't I?" ' "Fooeyl Fooeyl Don't talk to me. You'd sell out your own mother." "Glh, you trylu' to pick a fight with me?" "No, but I woutd If I thought I wouldn't git a footrnce instend," Glb ney rejoined scnlhlngly. "Crlpea, whnt a double-crossln' I been handed I Honest, Bart, when It comes to that sort o' work Scrnggs Is In his lufancy. You sure take the cake." "I nln't got the heart to clout yott an' make you eat them words," Mr. McGuffey declnred, sorrowfully. "You mean you ain't got the guts," Mr. Glbney corrected htm. "Bart, I got your number. Goodbye." Mr. McGuffey hnd a wild Impulse to cast himself upon the Gibney neck and weep, but his honor forbade any such weakness. So he invited Mr. Glbney to betake himself to a region severol degrees hotter than the Mag gie's engine room ; then, hecnuse he fenred Jo linger nnd develop a senti mental weakness, he turned his back abruptly and descended to the aald engine room. On his part, Adelhert P. Gibney en tered the cabin and glared long and mennclngly at Captain Scruggs. "I'll have my time," he growled presently. "Give it to me an' give it quick." The very Intonntlon of his voice warned Seraggs that the present was not a time for argument or trifling. Silently he paid Mr. Glbney the money due him ; in equal silence the navi gating officer went to the pilot house, unscrewed his framed certificate from the wall, packed It with his few be longings, nnd departed for Scab John ny's boarding house. "Hello," Scab Johnny saluted him at his entrance. "Quit the Maggie?" Mr. Glbney nodded. ; "Want a trip to the dark blue?" ' "Lead me to it," mumbled Mr. Glb ney. "It'll cost you twenty dollars, Gib. Chief mate on the Rose of Sharon, bound for the Galapagos Islands seal ing." "I'll take It, Johnny." Mr. Gibney threw over a twenty-dollar bill, went to his room, packed all of his belong ings, paid his bill to Scab Johnny, and within the hour was aboard the schooner Rose of Sharon. Two hour later they towed out with the tide. Poor McGuffey was stunned when he heard the news that night from Scab Johnny. When he retailed the information to Seraggs next morning, Seraggs was equally perturbed. He guessed that McGuffey and Glbney had quarreled nnd he had the poor Judgment to ask McGuffey the cause of the row. Instantly, McGuffey informed him that that was none of bis dad fetched business and the Incident was closed. The three months that followed were the most hnrrowing of McGuffey's life. Captain Seraggs knew his .engineer would not resign while he, ' Scragga, owed htm three hundred dollars; wherefore he was not too particular to put a bridle on his tongue when things appenred to go wrong. McGuf fey longed to kill him, but dared not. When, eventually, the railroad had been . extended sufficiently far down the coast to enable the farmers to haul their goods to the railroad In trucks, the Maggie automatically went out of the green-pea ' trade ; simultaneously,. Captain Seraggs' note to McGuffey fell due and the engineer demanded payment. Seraggs de murred, pleading poverty, but Mr. Mc Guffey assumed such a threatening at titude thai reluctantly Seraggs paid him a hundred and fifty dollars on ac count, nnd McGuffey extended the bal ance one year and quit. "See that you got that hundred a&4 fifty an' the interest in your Jean the next time we meet," he warob4 Scruggs as he went overside. Time passed. For a month the Mag gie plied regularly between Bodega bay and San Francisco In an endeavor to work up some business in farm and dulry produce, but a gasoline schooner cut in on the run and declared a rate war, whereupon the Maggie turned her blunt nose rlverword and for a brief period essayed some towing and gener al freighting on the Sacramento and San Jouquln. It was 'unprofitable, however, and at last Cuplaln Seraggs was forced to lay his darling little Mngglc up and take a Job as chief olticer of the ferry steamer Encinal, plying between Sun Francisco and Oak land. In the meantime, Mr. McGuf fey, after two barren months "on the beach," landed a Job as second assist-, aut on a Standard Oil tanker running to the west coast, while thrifty Neils Ualvorsen Invested the savings of tea years In a bay scow known as the Wil lie and Annie, arrogated to himself the title of captain, and proceeded te freight hay, grain and paving stones frgin Petaluina. (To be continued next week.) Vegetable Bulletin Out The value of garden vegetables grown' in the state exclusively for sale amounts annually to approxi mately S 1.500.1X10. A. nuuu.n crops in the farm home garden the same or these products exceeds 2,750,0u0 yearly, according to a bulletin on Vegetable Gardening in Oregon, by A. G. B. Bouquet, pro fessor of ve&etllhlo frnrdtminc of tho college. Recommendations offered in this publication are based on in vestigational duta and general ob servations of crops in the field, greenhouse, and frame. Ue no potatoes for seed that bhow brown discolorations near the kurfuce when cut across the stem end. Such potatoes often have wilt, a distase that seriously reduces the yield of potatoes in many sections of Oregon. O. A. C. Experiment Slulloli. ; ii ! 5 . j ! n ; -i r V? I 4 il ; il n V I u