The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-03-24

far shore was a full mile away, while be-
tween the island and the near shore lay
a back channel perhaps a hundred yards
across At first sight of this Montana
Kid was tempted to take his dogs and
escape to the mainland, but on closer in
spection he discovered a rapid current
flooding the top. Below, the river twisted
sharply to the west, and in this turn its
breast was studded by a maze of tiny ISL
ands.
That's where she'll JAM" he remarked
to himself.
Half dozen sleds, evidently bound up
stream to Dawson, were spashing
through the chill water to the tail of the
island. Travel on the river was passing
from the precarious to the impossible,
and it was nip and tuck with them till
they gained the island, and came up the
path of the wood choppers toward the
cabin. One of them, snow blind towed
helplessly at the rear of sled. Husky
young fellows they were, rough-garment-
ed and trail-worn, yet Montana Kid had
met the breed before and knew at once
that it was not his kind.
Hello! How's things up Dawson
way?" queried the foremost, passing his
eye over Donald and Davy and settling 1t
upon the Kid.
A first meeting in the wilderness is not
characterized by formality. The talk
quickly became general, and the news of
the Upper and Lower Countries was
swapped equitably back and forth. But
the little the newcomers had was soon
over with, for they had wintered at
Minook, a thousand miles below, where
nothing was doing. Montana Kid, how
ever, was fresh from Salt Water, and
they annexed him while they pitched
camp swapping him with questions con-
corning the outside, from which they had
been cut off for a tweivemonth.
A shrieking split suddenly lifting itself
above the general uproar on the river,
drew everybody to the bank The surface
water had increased in depth, and the
ice, assailed from above and below, was
struggling TO tear itself from the grip OF
the shores Fissures reverberated into
life before their eyes, and the air was
filed with multitudinous cracking, crisp
and sharp. like the sound that goes up
on a. clear day form the firing line.
From up the river two men were rae
ing a dog team toward them on an un-
covered stretch of Ice. But even as they
looked. the pair struck the water and
began to founder through. Behind, where
their feet had sped the moment before,
the ice broke up and turned turtle.
Through this opening the river rushed
out upon them to their waists burylhs
the sled ana swinging the dogs off at
right angles in a drowning tangle. But
the men stopped their flight to give the
animals a fighting chance, and they
groped hurriedly in the cold confusion
slashing at the OBTAINING traces with
their sheathknives Then they fought
their way to the bank through swirling
water and grinding Ice, where. foremost
An leaping to the rescue among the jar
ring fragments, was the KID.
'Why. bllme me. II It Amt Montana
Kidp' exclaimed one OF the men whom
the Kid was just placing upon his feet
al the top OF the bank He wore the
scarlet tunic Of the Mounted Police and
PECULIARLY raised his right hand in sa-
lutte.
"Got A warrant for you, KID he con-
tinued, drawing bedraggled paper from
his breast pocket. AN ] 'ope as you'H
come along peaccnble.'
Montana Ria looked az the chaotic riy-
er and shrugged his shoulders, ana the
poiicemsn, following his glance, smiled
where ore the dogsY his companion
asked
"Gsntlomen." interrupted the police
man. "thls 'crc mate " milne o. JOCK
Sutherland. owner ~ twenty-five Edo
ra1o|"
moi suthoslsnd Of 'afT broke 10 me
snow -bllnded Minsok man. Eroping feeoly
toward him