just to show you it ain't possible for a dirty bay pirate like
you to skin the likes o' me an' Flaherty we purpose hangin' the
seat o' your pants up around your coat collar. Face him about,
Gibney."

Jack Flaherty raised his voice in song:

Glorious! Glorious!
One kick a piece for the four of us!

With a quick twist, Mr. Gibney presented Captain Scraggs for his
penance; Flaherty and McGuffey followed Dan Hicks promptly and
Captain Scraggs screamed at every kick. And now came Mr. Gibney's
turn. "For failin' to stand up like a man, Scraggsy, an' battle
Hicks an' Flaherty," he informed the culprit, and tossed him over
to McGuffey to be held in position for him.

"Don't, Gib. Please don't," Scraggs wailed. "It ain't comin' to
me from you. I never heard you callin' a-tall. Honest, I never,
Gib. Have mercy, Adelbert. You saved the _Maggie_ last night an'
a quarter interest in her is yours--if you don't kick me!"

Mr. Gibney paused, foot in mid-air; surveyed the _Maggie_ from
stem to stern, hesitated, licked his lower lip, and glanced at
the common enemy. For an instant it came into his mind to call
upon the valiant and able McGuffey to support him in a fierce
counter attack upon Hicks and Flaherty. Only for an instant,
however; then his sense of fair play conquered.

"No, Scraggsy," he replied sadly. "She ain't worth it, an' your