ain Scraggs. "One on him! It's two
on you, you bloody-handed ragpicker. I suppose that other case
contains opium, too! If there ain't another dead corpse in No. 2
case I hope my teeth may drop overboard."

"Shut up!" bellowed Mr. Gibney, in a towering rage. "What howl
have you got comin'? They're my Chinamen, ain't they? I paid for
'em like a man, didn't I? All right, then. I'll keep them two
Chinamen. You two ain't out a cent yet, an' as for this five I
wins off you, Scraggs, it's blood money, that's what it is, an' I
hereby gives it back to you. Now, quit yer whinin', or by the
tail o' the Great Sacred Bull, I'll lock you up all night in th'
cabin along o' them two defunct Celestials."

Captain Scraggs "shut up" promptly, and contented himself with
glowering at Mr. Gibney. The mate sat down on the hatch coaming,
lit his pipe, and gave himself up to meditation for fully five
minutes, at the end of which time McGuffey was aware that his
imagination was about to come to the front once more.

"Well, gentlemen" (again McGuffey nodded approvingly), "I bet I
get my twenty bucks back outer them two Chinks," he announced
presently.

"How'll yer do it?" inquired McGuffey politely.

"How'll I do it? Easy as fallin' through an open hatch. I'm
a-goin' t' keep them two stiffs in th' boxes until dark, an'
then I'm a-goin' to take 'em out, bend a rope around their
middle, drop 'em overboard an' anchor 'em there all night. I see
th' lad we opens up in No. 1 case has had a beautiful job o'
embalmin' done on him, but if I let them soak all night, like a
mackerel, they'll limber up an' look kinder fresh. Then first
thing in th' mornin' I'll telephone th' coroner an' tell him I
found two floaters out in th' bay an' for him to come an' get
'em. I been along the waterfront long enough t' know that th' lad
that picks up a floater gets a reward o' ten dollars from th'
city. You can bet that Adelbert P. Gibney breaks even on th'
deal, all right."

"Gib, my _dear_ boy," said Captain Scraggs admiringly. "I
apologize for my actions of a few minutes ago. I was unstrung.
You're still mate o' th' American steamer _Maggie_, an' as such,
welcome to th' ship. All I ask is that you nail up your property,
Gib, an' remove it from th' dinin' room table. I want to remind
you, however, Gib, that as shipmates me an' McGuffey don't stand
for you shoulderin' any loss on them two cases o'--Oriental
goods. We was t' share th' gains, if any, an' likewise