The Winslow mail., 1900-07-19
CHAPTER I.
TOM SCOTT TO THE RESCUE.

EIS1J pump over the mountains ike
this"
And the speaker made bold stroke
with huge piece of chalk with which
he was ornamenting the floor of the viii
lage store in Merriyale, where every
thing was dispensed from postage
stamps TO lace curtains.
Clustered about his kneeling figure
were a dozen men of all ages whose
eyes were eagerly following the rude
map of Alaska which Hank Merritt was
drawing for their benefit
For stories of the wonderful wealth
of this far-of Eldorado had penetrated
even this remote place among the hills
of New Hampshire, and the Globe re-
ports of the lucky strikes made by ven
turesome argonauts had stirred the
blood of every man in the village until
the riches of the Yukon valley had be-
come the all-engrossing topic among
those who met every evening at this
public rendezvous to pass an hour or
1.-TWO after their days toll was finished.
"This is where you strike the lake"
he continued, Han' then ito bout all
water the rest O. the way, near as can
make out. Gold is so plenty they dig
1t out jest as easy as we spade up worms
to 60 fishing with. Gee whizi I'd like
to try it if it warn't so darned far off
an didn't cost so much to git there"
The arrival of the mail interrupted
his artistic efforts, and when the hand
full of letters had been put away the
postmaster was called upon to read
aloud from the papers anything new
regarding the favorite topic.
THE steamer p. w. Weare had eight
miners on board who brought cut g
total of 100000. Others had $4,000 to
$4,000 apiece, and some refused to give
their figures. The steamer Portland
brought down 81, 900, 900. One man got
$216 from pan of dirt, and two miners
cleaned up $4,000 in a single days
work"
As the reader paused one nigh; have
heard pin drop, so intense was the 81
lence for fully a minute. Then dozen
voices broke out in eXclamations of
amazement and disbelief and in the
turmoil nothing Ineligible could be
distinguished.
There was one listener, however, who
said nothing, but after the rest had
calmed down a bit ne secured copy of
the paper and hastened to the farm
where he was employed with a wild i'm
pulse surging through his brain. In his
little room under the caves he eagerly
devoured the article he had heard at
l.
found an interview with one of tie pio-
reers of Dawson City, giving full de-
ills as to the proper outfit and its cost.
~A-gas midnight when the stalwart
Soung farmer sought his couch, and for
the first time in his healthy life sleep
refused to come to him, for he had mad {
up his mind TO leave the village where
the greater part of his youth had been
spent and seek his fortune in this dis
tant land, where a stout heart and
strong hands seemed able to force Ma
ture to relax her icy grip on her golden
stores.
Tom Scot 8 life had been an unevent-
full one. He was the only son of a sea
captain and until the death of his
an uncle took him on his farm at Mer-
rivale and his father continued his row.
ing life. n few years ago, however. Obed
Rider, a native of Merrivale, who had
sailed with Toms father as mate, re-
turned to the village with story which
made a great sensation at the time. 1t
was to the effect that Capt. Scott had
deserted his ship at San Francisco and
absconded with large sum of money
belonging to the owners.
Tom was lad of IS at the time, but
few eyewitness would ever forget the
scene when he hurled the lie at the
brawny sailor and fought like young
tiger until overpowered by the brute
strength Of his fathers defamer, whose
nose was disfgured for life in the en-
counter and who vowed vengeance for
his injury.
This was four years ago, but Tom
Scott still felt the disgrace cast upon
his name. His uncle had now been
dead over three years, and Tom had
saved the wages paid him by the farmer
for whom he had worked since that
time, until he possessed about $400
which was deposited in the village saw
ings bank. This would buy him min
er's outfit, but how to reach the far
northwest was the problem.
His sleep was troubled that night,
but with the morning came the de-
termination to start at once for Bos-
ton and trust to fortune to join one of
the numerous expeditions organizing
there.
His announcement was received with
nmazement, but Tom Scott was a man
of prompt action, and that afternoon
saw him in Boston. He had been in the
city several times before, and had no
difficulty in finding respectable hotel
where the rate was within his means,
but by the time he had eaten his supper
it was growing dark and a thick snow
storm set in. He determined, however,
10 lose no time in his search, and made
his way to the water front, where he
had no doubt he could obtain all the
needed information.
Atlantic avenue was practically de-
serted when he reached it, and the big
dakes had covered the ground with a
white mantle which made his footsteps
inaudible as he walked along, not with
out a slight feeling of uneasiness as he
thought of his little capital strapped
about his waist under his clothes in a
waterproof belt which had been his