shrilled.

"And you're just as big a hornet as you ever was," replied Mr.
Gibney. "Always buzzin' around where you ain't wanted. But still,
what's the use of bawlin' over spilt milk? We'll drop into San
Diego for a couple of hours and take on coal, and about sunset
we'll pull out and make the run down to Descanso Bay in the dark.
We might as well forget the past and put this thing through as
per program. Only I saw visions of a schooner all my own,
Scraggsy, and--well, what's the use? What's the use? Scraggsy,
you're a natural-born mar-plot. Always buttin' in, buttin' in,
buttin' in, fit for nothin' but the green-pea trade. However, I
guess I can turn into my old berth and get some sleep. Put the
old girl under a slow bell and save your coal. We'll have to fool
away four or five hours in San Diego anyhow and there ain't no
sense in crowdin' the old hulk."

"Gib," said Captain Scraggs, "was that really your lay--to steal
the cargo, double-cross the insurrecto junta, and sell out to a
furrin' country?"

"Of course it was," said Mr. Gibney pettishly. "They all do such
things in the banana republics. Why should I be an exception?
There's half a dozen different gangs fightin' each other and the
government in Mexico, and if I don't deliver these arms, just see
all the lives I'll be savin'. And after I got the cargo into
Colombia and sold it, I could have peached on the rebels there,
and got a reward for it, and saved a lot more lives, and come
away rich and respected."

"By the Lord Harry," said Captain Scraggs, "but you've got an
imagination, Gib. I'll swear to that. Gib, I take off my hat to
you. You're all tight and shipshape and no loose ends bobbin'
around _you_. Don't tell me th' scheme's got t' fall through,
Gib. Great snakes, don't tell me that. Ain't there some way o'
gettin' around it? There _must_ be. Why, Gib, my dear boy, I
never heard of such a grand lay in my life. It's a absolute
winner. Don't give up, Gib. Oil up your imagination and find a
way out. Let's get together, Gib, and make a little money. Dang
it all, Gib, I been lonesome ever since I seen you last."

"Well," replied Mr. Gibney, "I'll turn in and try to scheme a way
out, but I don't hold out no hope. Not a ray of it. I'm afraid,
Scraggsy, we've got to be honest."

Saying which, Mr. Gibney hopped up into his berth, stretched his
huge legs, and fell asleep with his clothes on. Captain Scraggs
looked him over with the closest approach to aff