n enraged gorilla. This was sheer bluff, however, for while
there was not a drop of craven blood in the Gibney veins, he
realized that his footwork, in the event of battle, would be
sadly deficient and he hesitated to wage a losing fight.) "I got
my arms left, even if my feet is on the fritz, Scraggs," he
continued, "an' if you start anything I'll hug you an' your crew
to death. I'm a rip-roarin' grizzly bear once I'm started an'
there's such a thing as drivin' a man to desperation."

The bluff worked! Captain Scraggs turned to his retainers and
with a condescending and paternal smile, said: "Boys, let's give
the dumb fools their own way. If they insist upon takin' forcible
possession o' my ship on the high seas, there's only one name for
the crime--an' that's piracy, punishable by hangin' from the
yard-arm. We'll just let 'em stay aboard an' turn 'em over to the
police when we git back to the city."

He started for his cabin and the crew, vastly relieved, followed
him. The pirates once more sat down and permitted their hot feet
to loll overboard.

"It's cold down here nights, Gib," McGuffey opined presently.
"Where're we goin' to sleep?"

"In our old berths, of course." The success of his bluff had
operated on Gibney like a tonic. "Hop into your shoes, Bart, an'
we'll snake them two scabs out o' their berths in jig time."

"I'm dodgin' fights to-night, Gib. Let's borrow a blanket or two
from The Squarehead an' curl up on deck. It'll be warm over the
engine-room gratin'."

Mr. Gibney yawned. "I guess you're right, Bart. While you're at
it, make Scraggs come through with a blanket an' an overcoat for
a pillow. Run up an' threaten him. He'll wilt."

So McGuffey staggered forward. What arguments he used shall not
be recorded here. Suffice it, he returned with what he went
after.

CHAPTER XI

The pirates were early astir; so early, in fact, that long before
Captain Scraggs and his crew appeared on deck, Messrs. Gibney and
McGuffey had quietly cooked breakfast in the galley. They ate six
eggs each and consumed the only loaf of bread aboard, for which
act of vandalism they were rewarded half an hour later by the
sight of Captain Scraggs dancing on a new brown derby.

"It's a wonder that bird wouldn't get him a soft hat to do his
jumpin' on," McGuffey remarked. "He's ruined enough good hats to
have paid for the new boiler. Yes, sir, whenever ol' Scraggsy
gets mad he most certainly gets hoppin' mad."

"