Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-07-20
He pointed to card tackled on the
side, which bore in scrawling charac-
tiers the following address:
CARL vANDEKBECK,
Dealer in Wild Varmints,
PARK Row, NEW Y DIRK CITY.

Just then Spitfire uttered blood
curdling yowl. and Mr.. Drewitt backed
hastily away from the cage.
s'The varmint IL make nice company
fur raftin' trip" grumbled Hackett-
s. Specially if he gets loose" supple
mented Fosdyke.
''In that there event we'll kill and eat
him." said Grubb, jocularly, as he
peered through the lats. ''He looks
mighty plump"
.:And SO would you If you'd been fed
on venison an bars meat all winter"
declared CARING. But there amt no
danger of the crittur gettin' loose. The
cage is as strong as nails an stout tim
Der can make it. The door is padlocked,
an there's q trap-door in the top just
big enough to shove meat and drink
through
Observing the still doubtful express
sion on Mr.. Drewitt's face, the trapper
turned to Mel and me. eff you lads IL
take care of the BEAST he said, 'I'n
give you five dollars apiece when you
come back"
This was a tempting offer, and Mel
at once began to coax his father for
permission. Mr.. Drewitt at first shook
his head, but after examining the cage
with critical eye he changed his mind.
THE beast seems safe enough" he
said. 81 can't well refuse, CARING, be-
caaSe you've sent me more than one
haunch of venison. The boys can take
charge of the panther as far as Column
bia, if they wish. I don't want them
to have the key in their possession,
though
The trapper was profuse in his graft
tude.
''As fur the key" he added, 'I'll
send that to New York in letter, and
the cage can't be opened till it gifts
there
Well, this settled the question, great
~ to our delight. Eight men carried
Spitfire's cage aboard the raft and
stood it up against the end OF the cabin.
The trapper handed me four silver
dollars.
Buy fresh meat with two of 'em
when you tie up at nights he said
You kin use the rest fur the freight.
If the express company IL ship the
beast better, let 'em do it,
He hurried over the plank, as Hackett
cast off the mooringlines. A moment
or two later the raft was gliding swift
ly down the river. and the creaxing of
the sweeps mingled with the cheering
OF the crowd on shore.
During the first two days Spitfire was
sulky and little cowed. He seemed
to realize the oddity of his position.
His appetite was good, however, and
Mel and I took d keen delight in watch
ing him devour the chunk of raw
meat Grubb was constantly m a good
humOr, but Hackett and Fosdyke
seemed to resent the presence of the
beast, and were inclined to vent their
ill-feelings on US. l suspect that our
promised reward had something to do
with it. But by the time we reached Lock
Haven their surliness had worn Off, and
they began to treat us in a spirit of
good-comradeship. Mel and l found
life on board the raft almost as pleas
ant as we had pictured it. BY day
there was always something to be seen,
and occasionally we were allowed to
take turn at the sweeps. In the even
ing, we sat around the cabin stove,
listening to tales of adventure mar
rated by our companions We We're
always hungry for Grubb's palatable
and well-cooked meals.
Owing to the windings of the river,
the current was none too swift, and
forty miles was fair days run. Early
on the morning of the third day we
passed Williams port, and that evening
we tied up a few miles below Lewis
burg. Spitfire had been snarling and
yowling all day. and he screeched with
fury when we dropped his supper
through tie trap-door; and his eyes
shone like huge yellow diamonds. In
the morning he was even worse tenn
pered, and we were almost afraid to go
near the cage.
About nine o'clock the raft passed the
mouth of the North Branch at North
cumberland, and we were on the main
river. A little later we ran the shute
of the big dam below Sunbury. The
river had fallen somewhat, and to navi-
gate safely required constant care and
watchfulness.
We made better speed than usual that
day. By eight o'clock in the evening
we were at Clark's Ferry, forty miles
below Sunbury. The raft was moored
not far above the big dam Mel and 1
hurried into the village. We found a
butcher shop open and purchased half
dozen pounds of raw meat.
Spitfire welcomed our return with a
blood-curling screech, and yowled like
an angry cat all the time he was eating.
The cutlery brought crowd of village
poyS 10 tue TdIC. anu Lney became so
annoying that Hackett was compelled
to drive them off. They shouted insult
ing names at us from shore, and threw
a few stones. When Hackett started
after them with club they fed into
the darkness.
Occurrences of this kind were COM
mon, and we thought no more of it.
About ten o'clock we hauled in the
plank, and went to bed. Nothing less
than a gunshot had power to rouse the
men when once they were sound
asleep. During the night was wax
ened by a wailing cry from Spitfire;
but the sound ceased, and dozed off
again.
had forgotten the incident by morn
ing, but it was recalled to me when we
came to feed Spitdre. The balance of
the meat was missing. It had been
placed under a wooden bucket, near the
rear end of the raft.
1t was impossible to buy more until
evening, for the raft was already
through the shute of the dam and glid-
ing rapidly down mid-channel.
Them young rascals must "a waded
on board last nightr exclaimed Hack
ett II reckon they fed meat to the
varninf viSb crof ,s+ood