Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-12-07

did just now, anyhow
Meanwhile, the subject of these COM
ments betook himself to the general
store, and g~laddened the heart Of the
storekeeper by a large order for sup
plies Of all sorts, from -four and timed
meats to tea and tobacco.
"SouW have to send the stuff on to
Joe Marshall's shanty at Thirty-Mile
Creek" he remarked, as he paid the
bill. "My pack horse knocked up there
on the way in"
"All right was the reply. TO whom
shall / consign itg'
The other hesitated a moment. s'To
Louis Arnott-A-r-r-n-o-t-t,' he said,
spelling the name for the storekeeper's
guidance. He then turned to leave the
store, but, as though struck by an af-
t~erthought, returned and announced
his ~intentiCn Of taking two bottles of
brandy with him. These having been
carefully packed in the thick digger's
blanket that was strapped to the pom
mel OF the saddle. he mounted and set
forth, in a southwesterly direction. at
h best pace of which the lean horse
was capable.
Some five hours later a man. almost
his counterpart in general appearance,
and OF about the same age, was seated
upon q log outside a ramshackle shell
ter that was half-tent, half-hut. smok-
ing and applying himself with suspi-
clons frequency to a tin pannakin be-
side him.
Ought to be back by this time" he
muttered, unless he got on a spree
last night and slept it out this morn
ing. That's what I'd have done, most
likely. Anyhow, l wish he'd turn up"
Within a few minutes, and as though
in answer TO his wish, a shrill. pro-
longed whistle resounded through the
glen, upon one side of which the hut
had been built.
There he is, by thunder" exclaimed
the watcher, delightedly. And, placing
two fingers in his mouth. his reply rang
forth as shrilly as the summons. Then
he FASTENED TO a sheltered nook hard
by, where a large kettle, hung gypsy
fashion over some smouldering EN-
bers. seemed to represent the kitchen
of this establishment, patched up the
~haif-extinc fire, and awaited his ex-
pected mates arrival.
why, where's the tucker?' he in
quired, after a brief, but apparently
friendly, greeting had been exchanged.
The Co explained: The stuff
won't reach old Joe's till late tonight"
he aGded, land we must do the best we
can without ii until tomorrow"
A sigh that was almost a groan greet
ed this assurance. Hang it all! You
might have brought me a pint to go
on, anyhow"
faint Gnnnr nr,r1nI fhA nn--un-,a.s.
lip. 81 did better than that, mate" he
said, quietly. You'll find two bottles
OF 'Martelf slowed away in my swag."
Bravo, NatH' cried the other, joy
ously. you're a real brick, We've
got plenty of grub left for a day or
two"
The preparations for supper were as
simple a. the meal itself. A couple OF
handfuls of tea thrown into a gallon OF
boiling water, tin plates and panni-
kins, salt beef and doughty damper,
pickles, and-for cutlery-jack knives.
just a digger's ordinary fare, minus a
few simple iuxuries which had run out.
The nights are chilly, even in North
ern Queensland, in July (Which there,
or course, represents mid-winter), and
thet two Adventures preferred the shell
ter OF the tent-hut to smoking their in
terminable pipes in the open. One of
the bottles of "Martelr' was opened,
and, beneath the dim light Of a very
diminutive swinging lamp, they drank
and smoked for some time in almost
unbroken silence, as tired men are
wont to do after a hearty meal. Look
ing at them as they lay-each on his
rough, blanket-covered bunk-they
might easily have been taken for
brothers. Both were tall, wiry speci-
mems of the ordinary b~lue-eyed, brown
haired Anglo Saxon type. There did
not seem to be more than a. year or
two between them in point of age;
they both wore boards, and the resem-
blanee was still further heightened by
their similarity in dress. 49,
"How's the water in the shaft?'
queried the returned wayfarer, pres
entity. "Gaining?"
"Yes, confound itr' was the reply.
"One can get it down by working like
q niger at windlass and bucket for q
good long spell, but as o as ever you
knock of, up it rises again. These last
rains have put a stopper upon our
game, Nat, for the present, at all
events"
Looks like it," assented Nat, grufHy.
"What them"
well" replied the other, "T've been
thinking all day whether 1t wouldn't
be just as well to chuck up the claim
for, say, a couple of months, and start
again with the dry weather"
PITY You didn't think OF that before
| ordered all that stuff" said Nat.
There's been no more rain since [
left"
mo; but I didn't realize how thor
oughly soaked the high ground must
be until to-day" explained his COM
rade. "As for the tucker, most of it
will keep well enough at Jack Mar
shalrs for a month or two
See here, Lon Arnot," rejoined Nat,
drily. you're not a bad sort OF chap
at bottom, and you and / have pulled
along well enough so far. But you've
an alfred bad habit OF beating
around the bush. Why don't You say,