Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1899-05-11
hated me and wished to have it out at

me, as | had feared.
"But this Nicholson is twice my size,
He could seize me and cut my throat
while l struggled helplessly," I re-
turned. 'It would not be fair fight"
"Zack has thought of that, and pro-
poses to fight like this: Each man
shall choose log, and set it afioat
behind the raft. Then you shall both
jump into the river and swim to the
logs, each seat yourself upon one, and
SO fight"
laughed.
"But if we fought with knives the
logs might be hundred feet apart, and
we could not do each other much
harm"
'The logs to be fastened together
by thirty feet of chain"
1t was plan to murder me; but
would die game.
"Agreed!' said I, hoarsely. "When
shall the duel take placer"
"Now," said Nickolson's friend. cts
as good time as any,
l bowed my head in silent consent.
"Who's your second?' said the man.
name him, and well fix things up
ready"
l chOked little, and a sense Of my
utter desolation amid this crew of
savage men afioat upon mighty river
swept over me; then the spirit of my
youth and independence arose again.
Il have no friend, and will fix things
for myself. Get your chair, and come
to the rear of the raft. We will pick
out the logs and fasten them together,
and then you can call Nicholson" and
turned away.
But you'll have some one to act for
you-to see fair play!'
'No" I cried, sharply-"no one! If
my knife cannot win for me fair play
I'll not look for it among this gang.
Get your chain!"
The man looked at me an instant as
if dazed, then, he left me, to rejoin me
a moment later, near the stern of the
raft with short chain and two iron
staples in his hands,
"Select your log" said I.
He did so, and selected a some
what smaller one, with a coarse bark.
A few blows of an axe released botn
logs from the Withes which bound
them to the others, about them, and,
uniting our strength, we dragged them
across the raft and launched them at
the stern. Then with the staples we
fastened the iron chain end and end
to the logs, binding each near the mid
de-
When pushed free from the raft,
they foated some twenty-five feet
apart, each following it's own motion in
the current and eddies, occasionally
swinging so close as almost to touch,
and again separating until restrained
by the chain.
They'll do" said my companion.
''I'H go for Nicholson"
I felt that had ben hunted down,
and fierce desire to kill inflamed me.
Had prayed, it would have been for
success in the coming combat, not for
simple safety.
A sound at my side caused ne to
turn. The man had returned, and my
antagonist was with him. A thrill Of
joy ran through me as noted the pal
lor of Nichoson's face.
'He is afraid! 1 shall kill himw I
whispered to myself.
''Now strip to your shirts and
breeches, take your knives in your
teeth, and when l give the word,
Jump and swim for the logs. Either
man to either log" said the third party
to this strange encounter.
Silently we obeyed, disrobing our
selves, and standing, a moment later,
side by side upon the edge Of the raft.
''Are you ready? Coz
Two plunges that were but as one,
two dark heads above the muddy foam
of the river, and, an instant later, two
men astride of two floating logs faced
each other, each with murder in his
eyes!
l had secured the smaller log, per-
haps by chance, perhaps because my
antagonist had sought the other one,
but l felt it to be an advantage. 1
could move my support more rapidly
and easily than he could his-could at
tack or retreat with less eXertion
Each held his knife in hand and set
tied himself on his log; then Nicholson
began with his unarmed hand to pad
die slowly toward ME.
Perhaps this motion of our logs af-
fected our relative position to the raft
perhaps some eddying current seized
u.s. but whatever the cause, just as
my enemy was almost within reach,
and both were preparing with tense
den plunge of the logs forced us both
to look to our individual safety, and
noticed, to my establishment, that in
stead of following in the wake Of the
great raft, we had drifted to one side,
and We're now abreast of it, moving
with much greater speed than the raft
itself, and evidently bound upon an
independent journey to the gulf:
The sight startled me, and | cried
OUT.