There's a deal
of fine liquor in the wardroom, and I suggest that we nominate
Phineas Scraggs, late master of the battleship _Maggie_, now second
in command of the _Maggie II_, to brew a kettle o' hot grog to
celebrate our victory. Mac--Scraggsy--your fins. I'm proud of you
both. Shake."
They shook, and as Captain Gibney's eye wandered aloft, First
Mate Scraggs and Chief Engineer McGuffey looked up also. From the
main topmast of the _Maggie II_ floated a long blue burgee, with
white lettering on it, and as it whipped out into the breeze the
old familiar name stood out against the noonday sun.
"Good old dishcloth!" murmured Mr. Gibney. "She never comes
down."
"The _Maggie_ forever!" shrieked Scraggs.
"Hooray!" bellowed McGuffey. "An' now, Scraggsy, if you've got
all the enthusiasm out of your blood, kick in with a hundred an'
fifty dollars an' interest to date. An' don't tell me that note's
outlawed, or I'll feed you to the fishes."
Captain Scraggs looked crestfallen, but produced the money.
CHAPTER XX
"Well, Scraggsy, old hunks, this is pleasant, ain't it?" said Mr.
Gibney, and spat on the deck of the _Maggie II_.
"Right-o," replied Captain Scraggs cheerily, "though when I was a
young feller and first went to sea, it wasn't considered no
pleasantry to spit on a nice clean deck.
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