The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-09-02
The Great Notchers Company.
"a story in four parts by Percival Rids-
dale in the New York Evening Post)
PART Nv.


=, cling shore for the old miner, bus there wa
no sign of life there. Hunger the previou
day was merely a discomfort; now IL wa
3 actual suffering. The island was searche
from end to end for something edible, bu
not as much as a berry could be found
The stream had risen, too, during tn
: night, and was more dangerous than eve,
Sick at heart at his discomfe:ture, an
weary with the continual complaints of tn
boys. Tommy seriously contemplated risk
Ing himself on the stream, but a glanc
!. at the jagged rocks around which the tor
rent dashed and sw:rled and the knowledg
that, hundred yards below, the Fort,
Foot Falls threatened a horrible death
were sufficient to dissuade him. Still, i
was hard to see the boys suffer. They hat
not thought of work, no desire for il; thel
pile of gold was of no service to them
One of the boys expressed the sentiment
of the others when he cried out in uttel
helplessness: Maybe / wouldn't give my
share for hunk of bread"
The day seemed never-ending, for the
minutes dragged as If they were being
counted. They heard the distinct toot OF
the breaker whistle at noon and thought
it was quitting time, and wondered why
the blazing sun hung poised in that one
spot right in the middle of the heavens over
|
the sun sank slowly in the sea Of red be-
low the hills on the other side of the val
ley The boys lay about in groups without
enough energy to talk. Tommy was watch
| ing the opposite shore with anxious eyes.
| Surely old Walker must return at last.
| He had had plenty of time, and once he
! did return the boys could march on 10
| Fairview at the head of the cutoff and get
something to eat. Denny Doris, the Treas
urer had four dollars. Tommy began
thinking what a great meal the boys could
! get with this; loaf of bread for each. a
| lot Of milk, some apples and bananas,
! some
well. Thomas" hailed voice from the
opposite shore.
| The boys jumped to their feet quickly,
| exultantly. Tommy arose slowly; he was
| trembling.
"Well, Thomas the voice repeated.
TITS me ole man." said Tommy with
faltering voice.
well, what dye want?" cried Tommy,
doggedly.
"Oh. nothin'. we'se only come to make
social CALL that's all
There was roar OF laughter at this, and
the boys to their dismay saw many we'll
known figures walking from the bushes to
the waters edge.
There's my dad cried one; and mine,
too" cried the others. in half whispers.
The whole hideous plot was now appar-
ent Old jim Walker having imprisoned
them securely on the island. had gone down
TO the Notch and informed. They would
attend 10 his case later. At present they
had plenty to contend with.
us youse havin' good t:me?" queried
hooking voice from the shore.
"Oh, don't know replied Tommy
bravely Won't you'se step over an see?''
Some of the boys laughed at this.
NO I guess not" answered the voice.
"Well jes' sit here an watch you for
few days.
There was silence for few minutes ana
then another voice cried: why don't
youse dig some more gol1?' There was a
burst of hearty laughter at this.
well, we Will, cried Tommy. Come on,
boys"
But in the cave they did not work. Tom
my had speech TO make.
"Fellers," he said, that Jim Walker has |
give US the throw-down, an our parint IS |
has riz against us. 1t is them as fired rocks |
al us from the cars; it is them as is over |
there watchin' us now. They is jealous of |
our enterprise, that's all, an they is goin' |!
TO keep us home, if they can. What say |
is this: Is you willin' to stay home? We |
has got enough here to carry all US TO |
Alasky in sofa cars, an when we gets |
there we can just pick up millions, an /
then when we comes back we can show
our parints what's what. Now. we has to
vote on this question. Is YOU for riches
or is you for poverty"
Riches, fiches,' cried the boys with en-
thus:asm. The two or three dissenting
Cd to,-f he
shout Of Riches. riches. you bet
Out they trooped into the open, and a
voice from the opposite shore cried. us you
ready TO go home an be sensible?''
Nope" answered Tommy. triumphant
ly, and the boys echoed his refusal in deri-
sive remarks.
There was a sound of talking on the op-
posite shore and then all was quiet; the |
men had gone away.
In the excitement the boys had forgotten
their hunger, but now, after their exer-
tons. their stomachs reasserted them
selves. They suffered in silence awhile
and then one boy exclaimed, Il wisht I'd
gone home" and fell to crying. This had
i bad effect on the others, and in few
minutes more thirty-eight of the forty
Tere ready to give up everything for home
md a meal. The ones who still held out
\
Denny Doris.
Even Tommy felt himself weakening, |
md made bold stroke TO regain his own
ourage and help the others TO strengthen |
heirs.
''Youse know what our cons tuition |
ays," he cried, that if any Teller backs |
ut, he loses his ten cents. So IL you fell
FRS 90 back. youse won't get any money"
"Oh, we'se won't, won't we?" Grief
)icky Ward. We'll. We'll see"
He gathered a crowd of ten or twelve
round HIM. whispered to them hastily.
nd suddenly headed them in a traitorous
Ush upon Tommy and Denny. Down the
NO went, kicking and struggling. but pow
rless in the hands of so many. In a
minute Denny had been searched and the
honey, in dimes and n;ckels and pennies
AIKEN from him. Then both boys were re- 6
-ased and the rest divided the money. but t
either Tommy nor Denny got his share. I
Then the boys shouted for the men 10 | l
hop down tree and let them get over, | 4
u the men had gone home. and there c
as nothing 70 DO but wait TIE bows | a
llked about that long night in whispers | :
rainei. a cold and chilling rain. agains; 5
nich the cave was not proof. as the water e
'ckled down the rocks or fell upon the r
,of IN big splashes. Never was there a a
u OF more miserable and desolate boys II
fter what seemed eternity. the morning s
lme. cold and gray. II was not until Z
lie rain had stopped and the sun had dis s
ailed the clouds that their fathers came 4
make another ''sociable call" b
The boys cried out that they were dying =,
nj begged that a tree be feiled. .
Dye want to so TO Alasky?" n
Ne they cried in a vigorous chorus q
''Will yez come back to the breaker M | ?
ickIes7" shouted Pegleg O'DonneIl, bran :,
shing his ever-ready switch | T