Part 34 (2/2)
”How about Neils?” queried Captain Scraggs. ”Do we continue to let that ex-deckhand in on our fortunes?”
”If Neils Halvorsen had asked _you_ that question when he come to rescue you the day you lay a-dyin' o' thirst on that desert island, wouldn't you have said yes?”
”Sure pop.”
”Then don't ask no questions that's unworthy of you,” said Mr.
Gibney severely. ”I don't want to see none o' them green-pea trade ethics croppin' up in you, Scraggsy. If it wasn't for that Swede the sea-gulls'd be pickin' our bones now. Neils Halvorsen is included in this syndicate for good.”
”Amen.” This from the honest McGuffey.
”Meetin's adjourned,” said Captain Scraggs icily.
CHAPTER XXIX
Under the direction of the crafty commodore, the valuable cargo of the _Maggie II_ was disposed of in Honolulu. During the period while the schooner lay at the dock discharging Captain Scraggs and McGuffey prudently remained in the cabin with the perfidious mate, in order that, should an investigation be undertaken later by the Treasury Department, no man might swear that the real Phineas Scraggs, filibuster, had been in Honolulu on a certain date. The Kanaka crew of the schooner Mr. Gibney managed to s.h.i.+p with an old s.h.i.+pmaster friend bound for New Guinea, so their testimony was out of the way for a while, at least.
When the _Maggie II_ was finally discharged and the proceeds of her rich cargo nestled, in crisp bills of large denomination, in a money belt under Mr. Gibney's armpits and next his rascally skin, he purchased tickets under a.s.sumed names for himself, Scraggs, McGuffey, and Halvorsen on the liner _Hilonian_, due to sail at noon next day.
These details attended to, the _Maggie II_ backed away from the dock under her own power and cast anchor off the quarantine station. The mate was then brought on deck and made to confront the syndicate.
”It appears, my man,” the commodore began, ”that you was too anxious to horn in on the profits o' this expedition, so in a moment o' human weakness you did your employers an evil deed. We had it all figgered out to feed you to the sharks on the way home, because dead men tell no tales, but our sufferin's on that island has caused us all to look with a milder eye on mere human shortcomin's. The Good Book says: 'Forgive us our trespa.s.ses as we forgive those what trespa.s.s agin us,' an' I ain't ashamed to admit that you owe your wicked life to the fact that Scraggsy's got religion an' McGuffey ain't much better. But we got all the money we need an' we're goin' to Europe to enjoy it, so before we go we're goin' to pa.s.s sentence upon you. It is the verdict o'
the court that we present you with the power schooner _Maggie II_ free gratis, an' that you accept the same in the same friendly sperrit in which it is tendered. Havin' a schooner o' your own from now on, you won't be tempted to steal one an' commit wholesale murder a-doin' it. You're forgiven, my man. Take the _Maggie II_ with our blessin', organize a comp'ny, an' go back to Kandavu an' make some money for yourself. Scraggsy, are you a-willin' to prove that you've given this errin' mate complete forgiveness by shakin' hands with him?”
”I forgive him freely,” said Captain Scraggs, ”an' here's my fin on it.”
The unfortunate mate hung his head. He was much moved.
”You don't mean it, sir, do you?” he faltered.
”I hope I may never see the back o' my neck if I don't,” replied the skipper.
”Surest thing you know, brother,” shouted Mr. McGuffey and swatted the deluded mate between the shoulders. ”Take her with our compliments. You was a good brave mate until you went wrong.
I ain't forgot how you sprayed the hillsides with lead the day Gib an' Scraggsy was took by them cannibals. No, sir-ee! I ain't holdin' no grudge. It's human to commit crime. I've committed one or two myself. Good luck to you, matey. Hope you make a barrel o'
money with the old girl.”
”Thanks,” the mate mumbled. ”I ain't deservin' o' this nohow,”
and he commenced to snivel a little.
Mr. Gibney forgot that he was playing a hypocrite's part, and his generous nature overcame him.
”Dog my cats,” he bl.u.s.tered, ”what's the use givin' him the vessel if we don't give him some spondulicks to outfit her with grub an' supplies? Poor devil! I bet he ain't got a cent to bless himself with. Scraggsy, old tarpot, if we're goin' to turn over a new leaf an' be Christians, let's sail under a full cloud o'
canvas.”
”By Neptune, that's so, Gib. This feller did us an awful dirty trick, but at the same time there ain't a cowardly bone in his hull carca.s.s. I ain't forgot how he stood to the guns that day off the Coronados when we was attacked by the Mexicans.”
”Stake the feller, Gib,” advised McGuffey, and wiped away a vagrant tear. He was quite overcome at his own generosity and the manner in which it had touched the hard heart of the iniquitous mate.
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