Part 26 (1/2)
”Pa.s.sin' over the fact, Scraggs, that you ain't got no call to jerk me up on sea ettycat, more particular since I'm the master and managin' owner of this here schooner, I'm free to confess, Scraggsy, that your observation does you credit. I just did that to see if you was goin' to take as big an interest in the new _Maggie_ as you did in the old _Maggie_, and the fact that you object to me expectoratin'
on the deck proves to me that you're leavin' behind you all them bay scow tendencies of the green-pea trade. It leads me to believe that you'll rise to high rank and distinction in the Colombian navy. Your fin, Scraggsy. Expectoratin' on the decks is barred, and the _Maggie II_ goes under navy discipline from now on. Am I right?”
”Right as a right whale,” said Captain Scraggs. ”And now that you've given that old mate of mine the course, and we've temporarily plugged up the holes in this here Mexican gunboat, and everything points to a safe and profitable voyage from now on, suppose you delegate me as a committee of one to brew a scuttle of grog, after which the syndicate holds a meetin' and lays out a course for its future conduct. There's a few questions of rank and privileges that ought to be settled once for all, so there can't be no come-back.”
”The point is well taken and it is so ordered,” said Mr. Gibney, who had once held office in Harbour 15, Masters and Pilots a.s.sociation of America, and knew a fragment or two of parliamentary law. ”Rustle up the grog, call McGuffey up out of the engine room, and we'll hold the meetin'.”
Twenty minutes later Scraggs came on deck to announce the successful concoction of a kettle of whisky punch; whereupon the three adventurers went below and sat down at the cabin table for a conference.
”I move that Gib be appointed president of the syndicate,” said Captain Scraggs.
”Second the motion,” rumbled McGuffey.
”The motion's carried,” said Mr. Gibney, and banged the table with his h.o.r.n.y fist. ”The meetin' will please come to order. The chair hereby appoints Phineas Scraggs secretary of the syndicate, to keep a record of this and all future meetin's of the board. I will now entertain propositions of any and all natures, and I invite the members of the board to knock the stopper out of their jaw tackle and go to it.”
”I move,” said Captain Scraggs, ”that B. McGuffey, Esquire, be, and he is hereby appointed, chief engineer of the _Maggie II_ at a salary not to exceed the wage schedule of the Marine Engineers'
a.s.sociation of the Pacific Coast, and that he be voted a one-fourth interest in the vessel and all subsequent profits.”
”Second the motion,” said Mr. Gibney, ”and not to hamper the business of the meetin', we'll just consider that motion carried unanimous.”
B. McGuffey, Esquire, rose, bowed his thanks, and sat down again, apparently very much confused. It was evident that he had something to say, but was having difficulty framing his thoughts in parliamentary language.
”Heave away, Mac,” said Mr. Gibney.
”Cast off your lines, McGuffey,” chirped Scraggs.
Thus encouraged, McGuffey rose, bowed his thanks once more, moistened his larynx with a gulp of the punch, and spoke:
”Feller members and brothers of the syndicate: In the management of the deck department of this new craft of ourn, my previous knowledge of the worthy president and the unworthy secretary leads me to believe that there's goin' to be trouble. A s.h.i.+p divided agin herself must surely go on her beam ends. Now, Scraggsy here has been master so long that the juice of authority has sorter soaked into his marrer bones. For twenty years it's been 'Howdy do, Captain Scraggs,' 'Have a drink, Captain Scraggs,' 'Captain Scraggs this an' Captain Scraggs that.' I don't mean no offense, gentlemen, when I state that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. No man that's ever been a master makes a good mate. On the other hand, I realize that Gib here has been a-pantin' and a-bellyachin' all his life to get a s.h.i.+p of his own an' have folks call him 'Captain Gibney.' Now that he's gone an' done it, I say he's ent.i.tled to it. But the fact of the whole thing is, Gib's the natural leader of the expedition or whatever it's goin' to be, and he can't have his peace of mind wrecked and his plans disturbed a-chasin' sailors around the deck of the _Maggie II_. Gib is sorter what the feller calls the power behind the throne. He's too big a figger for the grade of captain. Therefore, I move you, gentlemen, that Adelbert P.
Gibney be, and he is hereby nominated and appointed to the grade of commodore, in full command and supervision of all of the property of the syndicate. And I also move that Phineas Scraggs be appointed chief navigatin' officer of this packet, to retain his t.i.tle of captain, and to be obeyed and respected as such by every man aboard with the exception of me and Gib. The present mate'll do the navigatin' while Scraggsy's learnin' the deep sea stuff.”
”Second the motion,” said Captain Scraggs briskly. ”McGuffey, your argument does you a heap of credit. It's--it's--dog my cats, McGuffey, it's masterly. It shows a keen appreciation of an old skipper's feelin's, and if the move is agreeable to Gib, I'm willin' to hail him as commodore and fight to maintain his office. I--I dunno, Gib, what I'd do if I didn't have a mate to order around.”
”Gentlemen,” said Mr. Gibney, beaming, ”the motion's carried unanimous. Captain--chief--your fins. Dook me. I'm honoured by the handshake. Now, regarding that crew you brought down from San Francisco on the old _Maggie_, Scraggs, they're a likely lot and will come in handy if times is as lively in Colombia as I figger they will be when we arrive there. Captain Scraggs, you will have your mate pipe the crew to muster and ascertain their feelin's on the subject of takin' a chance with Commodore Gibney. If they object to goin' further, we'll land 'em in Panama an' pay 'em off as agreed. If they feel like followin' the Jolly Roger we'll give 'em the coast seaman's scale for a deep-water cruise and a five per cent. bonus in case we turn a big trick.”
Captain Scraggs went at once on deck. Ten minutes later he returned to report that the mate and the four seamen elected to stick by the s.h.i.+p.
”Bully boys,” said the commodore, ”bully boys. I like that mate.
He's a smart man and handles a gun well. While I should hesitate to take advantage of my prerogative as commodore to interfere with the normal workin's of the deck department, I trust that on this special occasion our esteemed navigatin' officer, Captain Scraggs, will not consider it beneath his dignity or an attack on his office if I suggest to him that he brew another kettle of grog for the crew.”
”Second the motion,” replied McGuffey.
”Carried,” said Scraggs, and proceeded to heat some water.
”Anything further?” stated the president.
”How about uniforms?” This from Captain Scraggs.
”We'll leave that to Gib,” suggested McGuffey. ”He's been in the Colombian navy and he'll know just what to get us.”