cGuffey hurry right over to the warehouse
an' butt in on the sale when they come to them two boxes. The
sale is just about startin' now. Go as high as you think you can
in order to get the ginseng at a profitable figger, an' pay the
auctioneer fifty dollars down to hold the sale; that will give
you boys time to rush around to dig up the balance o' the money.
Tack right along now, lads, while I go down the street an' get me
some breakfast. I don't want Blumenthal to see me around that
sale. He might get suspicious. After I eat I'll meet you here
aboard th' _Maggie_, an' we'll divide the loot."

With a fervent hand-shake all around, the three shipmates parted.

After disposing of a hearty breakfast of devilled lamb's kidneys
and coffee, Mr. Gibney invested in a ten-cent Sailor's Delight
and strolled down to the _Maggie_. Neils Halvorsen, the lone
deckhand, was aboard, and the moment Mr. Gibney trod the
_Maggie's_ deck once more as mate, he exercised his prerogative
to order Neils ashore for the remainder of the day. Since
Halvorsen was not in on the ginseng deal, Mr. Gibney concluded
that it would be just as well to have him out of the way should
Scraggs and McGuffey appear unexpectedly with the two cases of
ginseng.

For an hour Mr. Gibney sat on the stern bitts and ruminated over
a few advantageous plans that had occurred to him for the
investment of his share of the deal should Scraggs and McGuffey
succeed in landing what Mr. Gibney termed "the loot." About
eleven o'clock an express wagon drove in on the dock, and the
mate's dreams were pleasantly interrupted by a gleeful shout from
Captain Scraggs, on the lookout forward with the driver. McGuffey
sat on top of the two cases with his legs dangling over the end
of the wagon. He was the picture of contentment.

Mr. Gibney hurried forward, threw out the gangplank, and assisted
McGuffey in carrying both crates aboard the _Maggie_ and into her
little cabin. Captain Scraggs thereupon dismissed the expressman,
and all three partners gathered around the dining-room table,
upon which the boxes rested.

"Well, Scraggsy, old pal, old scout, old socks, I see you've
delivered the goods," said Mr. Gibney, batting the skipper across
the cabin with an affectionate slap on the shoulder.

"I did," said Scraggs--and cursed Mr. Gibney's demonstrativeness.
"Here's the bill o' sale all regular. McGuffey has the change.
That bunch o' Israelites run th' price up to $10.00 each on the