The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-11-08
Copyrighted 1898. By s. S. Mcclure Col



most dead north by the compass. About
so miles before II. 5reaches the fort it
splits OF to the left. A big white cliff
faces the trail. You can't mistake 1t.
The main trail keep on to the right
Take the other. It only goes about 30
miles and leaves you at the entrancesof
a. big gorge. Camp there and make g
big smoke. II you have to bring any
one to help. be sure OF your man. We
have grub enough to last till spring.
and then my partner. Joe Tarbox, 10
coming to Dyea for supplies. He'll get
there in April or May, I expect. There
Is gold here by the ton II we only had
water to wash 1t out. I IN sending
this from the fort by ar Indian packer.
Came here after candles and flour.
Your old friend. Dick Taylor"
Toms heart was beating like O trip
hammer as he finished the letter, for he
now realized that the old miners words
wer not Of light import. The note bore
the imprint of truth 1 n every line. and
for awhile he could scarcely realize
what he had read.
He had no suspicion that the mate
vas at that moment gluing his eye to
a crack in the bulkhead and vainly try
ing to get a glimpse of the paper VI
W1lACll 1S Udu uSdEu IltS GyAAlS AAAhAA
speak h night before. In his villain
Jus heart, he had sworn that Tom Scott
should neye grasp h golden treasure,
but how to prevent him was the Ques-
ton. Clearly he must obtain possession
Of the precious paper. u how was this
to be done?
Ills peephole was too small to enable
him to tell where Tom kept 1t, but as he
heard the: lid Of the chest closed he
drew a long breath and muttered:
Its in his donkey! I'll find a way to
have q peep inside OF 1t before we get
to Frisco. It would never do to trouble
1t now. He'd suspect me h first thing
II he missed 1t. / must rig some kind
Of a derrick on him, that's sure!"
For the next few days he cudgeled
his brains for some safe mean OF at
tanning his ends. but without success.
Then chance did what he had failed
to do.
Land ho!" was the welcome Try
from aloft one morning just after sun
rise, while the captain and second mate
were asleep, the mate was stamping
the deck and Tom. who had turned out
earlier than usual, was standing on the
topgallant f%orecastle watching a school
of fish play about the bows. He ran
glimpse OF the welcome sight.
"Now's my time" said the mate, un-
der his breath, as Tom went over the
foretop and began to swarm up the
topmast rigging. Hell go clean up to
the man on the gallant yard before he
sees It,"
The mex moment he had stolen soft
ly down the cabin stairs. entered Toms
room and tried the lid Of the chest.
To his surprise 1t was not locked, and
there on top, half hidden by the sleeve
of an old coat, lay John Avery's belt
before him. His fingers trembled as
with feverish haste he pulled 1t open,
and then a furious oath came through
his bristling beard.
The belt vas empty!
A rapid search convinced him that
the object he sought was not in the
chest, and hastily rearranging the arti-
cles as he had found them, he closed
the lid and stepped out Of the room to
meet Captain Coffin face to q c in the
narrow passage. @
What are you doing in there?" de-
manded the latter.
sWe're going to wash decks and the
portfolio was open." he stammered. 81
Just stepped down to close 1t"
Whatever comment the old skipper
was about to make was Interrupted by
the man aloft, who again gave that
long drawn out, indescribable cry, so
dear to the sailors heart:
Land ho!"
The captain forgot everything else
Instantly and sprang on deck at once,
exclaiming:
"It's the Golden Gate or I'm a lub-
Der! I've made q record passage this
time for the old bark! We're only 90
days from Boston and well keep 1t
down to two figures IL the wind holds
and have a day to spare! Slap the
canvas on her, Mr. Rider! There's. LETT
tiers and fresh grub waiting for us over
the starboard bow! Sweat her for all
she's worth"
His orders were promptly obeyedj
and as Tom reached the deck and came
aft the captain added:
Well soon be ashore, Mr.. Scott. II
my reckoning's right, that is the en-
trance to 'FricO harbor and we ought
to pc tied: up alongside the dock to-
night. You've " been there. have
you?"
Tom replied In the negative and the
captain continued:
We'll, see here. I don't know how
you're fixed, but I always live aboard
when TIM In port. It's cheaper and +
you can stay with me andit won't. cost
you q red. I've made q rafting trip
Ind you are welcome"
THANK you,'' said Tom. .T'l do so
until I start north. ! shall be glad to
have a. familiar face with me. This Is
my first trip. you know"
Hes going to- live aboard chuckled
sObed Rider, who was standing close by,
and It'll be queer II he gdosn't run into
trouble coming down through Tar fla
some dark night. Things are coming
that paper somewhere about him and
Il can easily find some one tn helm me