Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1894-06-15

well. - said Jack. I'll ,cll you; don't
see why there need be any secret about
it. You We're quite right about that
Olier-you were. He's good for moth
ing fellow. and coolly refused this after
noon to paddle me when | wanted to go
down the river bit farther than usual :"
"And your
II ran the canoe upon a yard of bank
whether an island or not | cannot tell
gave the insolent rascal good bas-
tinado with the paddle and set him
ashore
Good heavensr' | exclaimed with
horror; don't you know, Jack-haven't
you sense enough to rnderstand-that
these Indian fellows are vindictive to
the last degree-that they will never
forget or forgive a blow
"Poohr' said he, getting up quite mer-
rily and marching homeward, saying
over his shoulder: "Oh, don't you bother
yourself! Olier will be down on his
marrow bones tomorrow-see if he isn't.
Besides, owe him half dollar
Tomorrow came, unfruitful with the
half breeds submission The story got
abroad among the huts, and the old set
tiers, who knew their man. shook their
heads ominously and BODIED no good to
my impulsive brother. However, two
days passed harmlessly, during which
Jack aud ! tished and shot together.
Olier had not reappeared, and | began
TO breathe more freely. Doubtless he
10, I La lsnt ,,t IL
tied fellow at any rate, and had no prop
erty or tie in the village to tempt his
stay.
Twenty miles below the village the
dark Scugog whitens into rapids, and is
hurled with gigantic power over lofty
precipice. had often wished to see the
falls. but it had been hitherto impossible
to accomplish the distance by my single
arm At last my wish was to be graft
fed A shooting party was made up by
some Of the villagers, and at my urgent
request | was included. The arrange
ment was to spend night at the falls.
camping ont on the bank and return tho
following day. Instead of canoes, we
We're to sail down i'll Il large fiat bot
toned boat, termed in Canadian par
lance IA scow. Strange to say. Jack did
not care about going, saying that he
would enjoy himself more III his own
canoe; and rs we were already crowded
for room we did not press him to change
his resolution.
Our expedition had little i'll it note
worthy. The river for over twenty
miles sail remained the same monoto-
nous, melancholy Scugog, never vary
ing for the space of "a hand. Not YES
tige of clearance was there between our
village and the falls, not Il glimpse of
bank The trees lined the waters like il
wall, and save TIN wild game no one
ever tried to force way through their
close knit ranks. woofed at the base by
tangle of unwholesome verdure. This
aspect | had stern reason for remember
ing. The only bright thing was the
patch of cloudless blue sky seen at the
extremity of this long reach of wood
and water Over all brOoded the in
| tensest silence. No bird trilled US a
single song; all was still, save for the
lugubrious wOodpecker, which, perched
on a rotting tree, hammered its hollow
sides with its beak. Tap, tap, tap!-it
was a most unearthly sound.
We had seen the stupendous falls in
their lonely majesty and We're steering
homeward in our scow. As we neared
the village again, distant only some five
or six miles, the sun was sinking behind
the tree horizon. A slight blue haze
bathed the long reaches of the river
with ineffable softness and beauty. We
voyaged on a liquid field of cloth Of
gold. But ever and again, marring my
intense perception of its loveliness, came
the CHASTITY tap, tap tap of the wood
pecker.
could not resist a chilly sensation Of
horror as listened to the measured ca
dence echoing through the solitude. 1t
sounded like coffin maker hammerlng
at his dismal task. A relief suggested
itself. Some of my companions We're
French Canadians, and the evening be
fore had cheered our bivouac with some
gay refrains of sunny France. | asked
them stave, but said nothing about
the woodpecker, whose note | wished
them to drown. A strong chorus soon
vanquished the bird of i'll omen and
rang up the vaulted river. | recollect
the strain well; it was favorite voy-
ageur's ditty, sung to the dash of the
oar.
Suddenly the song lulled, and again |
shuddered as | heard the reverDerating
tap, tap of the ominous bird aloft on a
spectral fir. My companions had ceased
rowing, too, and called my attention to
canoe which was floating down the
river few yards ahead of us. They
thought it was breakloose, and stood
by to strike boathook into it, with the
prospect of reward from the owner up
"a +Lo ,,;l1ooo II coon dronpad down tn