The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-09

worse for his adventure save slight
sensation of dizziness. A dark figure
was visible some distance away and an
instant later he was clasping hands
with Platoff.
"Phil-where is Phil?" he demanded
anxiously.
Platoff made no reply, and together
they ran over the crust. A black hole
yawned before them, and leaning over
the brink Platoff inserted his arm and
helped out the missing boy. Phil open
ed his eyes and then his mouth. "Well,
that beats all the toboggan slides ever l
saw" he said, looking up at the hills
behind him with such comical ex-
preston that his companions laughed.
'"Thank heaven we are safev' said
Platoff. THAT was "a perilous trip. -.
And he pointed to the sharp cliff 90 feet
above them over which the sleds had
plunged.
"'All's well that ends we'll, A" re-
piled Maurice. II wonder if we lost
anything on the way" Nothing was
missing, however, and, after briei
rest, all were ready for the start A sue
cession of slight hills and ravlnes now
separated the party from the river.
Somewhere below us lies the post
road said Platoff. 1T will not be
safe to approach any nearer. We must
keep back along the edge of the valley.
Our ride down hill has given us big
start We can gain a safe hiding place
before daylight.
The journey was resumed i'll single
file, Platoff assuming the lead, and for
hours they travelled over slippery ridges
and through dark, thickly wooded hol-
lows. The cold was intense, but they
moved at too rapid pace to suffer from
it. At the first appearance Of dawn
Platoff cast his eyes about for hiding
place, and finally chose deep, secluded
valley with a forest of spruce and fiji
on all sides. They slept at intervals
during the day, and in spite of the risk
s. fire was kept up and fed with branch
es from the trees. One of the party re-
NAMED constantly on guard. At night
the journey was resumed over the hare
crust.
For nearly two weeks the weather re-
manned pretty much the same, and the
fugitives made satisfactory progress
They kept far back fiom ,he river, anC
although they frequently saw wolves a
distance and heard them bowling
among the hills the brutes made no at
tempt to modest them. No signs OF pur
suit were encountered, and with eacl
nights journey they felt more hopeful
of ultimate escape.
1t was now early in the month o
Marcia whole year since the boy
had first crossed the Russian frontier
Their main suiferings had been from
cold, but they were cheered by the hop
of warmer weather. In month
more, Platoff said, spring would come
and their discomforts would then b
over. By great economy the supply o
provisions had been made to last, bu
now, in the beginning of the third wee
of their flight, barely enough food wa
left to last them two days, and the III
ture outlook was dark.
The day had been spent in hiding a
the foot of rocky hill Water wa
close by-a mountain spring that wa
too cold and rapid to freeze. AT sunst
Platoff shared with the boys a scan
supper of bread and dried meat.
'fTomorrow, he said, 1--WE must OF
tain food in some way. II we do ne
} succeed in shooting any deer, extrem
measures will be necessary. shall Ell
deayor TO find village and buy pre-
visions. "
"Are there people living near here!
asked Maurice.
"Oh, yes, replied Platoff; siberia
} towns are scattered all along the pos
: ing route, at distant intervals,
course. We have seen nothing OF inc
l because we have kept far back IN {
r forest. 1t may not be necessary je
, tn take any such risks. who ~
what a day may bring with 1t:
Platoff spec tkrs hCrc'c-r :" 9
1 courage the boys. In his own No. ID
: prospect was gloomy enough, and th'
fore what happened in the course O. l.
. next few hours was all the greater
surprise.
o They travelled rapidly that nigh
covering mile after mile of forest lai
s and hearing constantly the howling
o wolves in different directions. The a
u counts of the ferocity OF Siberl'
: wolves, however, are greatly exagge
g ated. 1t is seldom that they attack me
and the government sleighs that IRA
: erse the post road have never been M
Q Tested.
d thereafter, said Platoff, u thu
o we will sleep at night and travel IN !
!; DAYTIME. The risk will be little create
k and we can make much better speed
i "That will be splendid, " said Ma
Il rice. at always makes me weary
o hear the wolves bowling"
II "They are more than usually mo-
IL tonight" replied Platoff, land I'd
:, will become more dangerous as we ne
10 the Pacific. In daylight they lose TN
II courage and are towards"
d They travelled on in silence for a TIN
l. Suddenly Platoff halted and raised
hand. Far off in the forest great
p multi was heard. 1t swelled in volul
N oaob moment. until the boys could d