of his
coat. "That settles it," Gibney declared. "We've skipped two
meals but I'll be durned if we skip another. We'll ride out to
the San Mateo county line on the trolley with that dime an' then
hoof it over the hills to Halfmoon Bay. Scraggs won't git away
from the dock here until after twelve o'clock, so we know he'll
lie at Halfmoon Bay all night. If we start now we'll connect with
him in time for supper. Eh, Bart?"

"A twenty-mile hike on a tee-totally empty stomach, with a battle
royal on our hands the minute we arrive, weak an' destitoote,
ain't quite my idea o' enjoyment, Gib, but I'll go you if it
kills me. Let's up hook an' away. I'm for gittin' back to work
an' usin' moral persuasion to git that new boiler."

They took a hitch in their belts and started. From the point at
which they left the trolley to their journey's end was a stiff
six-hour jaunt, up hill and down dale, and long before the march
was half completed the unaccustomed exercise had developed sundry
galls and blisters on the Gibney heels, while the soles of poor
McGuffey's feet were so hot he voiced the apprehension that they
might burn to a crisp at any moment and drop off by the wayside.
Men less hardy and less desperate would have abandoned the trip
before ten miles had been covered.

CHAPTER X

The crew of the _Maggie_ had ceased working cargo for the day and
Captain Scraggs was busy cooking supper in the galley when the
two prodigals, exhausted, crippled, and repentant, came to the
door and coughed propitiously, but Captain Scraggs pretended not
to hear, and went on with his task of turning fried eggs with an
artistic flip of the frying pan. So Mr. Gibney spoke, struggling
bravely to appear nonchalant. With his eyes on the fried eggs and
his mouth threatening to slaver at the glorious sight, he said:

"Hello, there, Scraggsy, old tarpot. How goes it with the owner
o' the fast an' commodious steamer _Maggie_? Git that consignment
o' post-holes aboard yet?"

Mr. Gibney's honest face beamed expectantly, for he was
particularly partial to fried eggs. As for his companion in
distress, anything edible and which would serve to nullify the
gnawing at his internal economy would be welcome. Inasmuch as
Captain Scraggs did not readily reply to Mr. Gibney's salutation,
McGuffey decided to be more emphatic and to the point, albeit in
a joking way.

"Hurry up with them eggs, Scraggs," he rumbled. "Me an' Gib's
walked down from the cit