Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1901-03-29

fear he might alarm the party ne had
lust been watching. He became hope
lessly lost AT last and was about TO give
up the search until daylight when me
heard a horse stamping.
Confident there was no one but Rider
near him. ne called softly, and to his IN
tense delight the sailor answered from
point not % yards away;
"Is that YOU, Bowers
Yes" was the surly reply as the big
miner reached his side, land I've had a
nice time gittiu' here, too. I'm starved.
'Shall | light fire. asked Rider.
I've got it all ready, but l was skit'
fish about lighting it till l found out
what YOU had seen
you don't lightno fire here, 'growled
the other. We've got ter put up with
cold grub tonight. We've been regular
done for, we have
Whats the matter?"
MATTER enufT! In the ustplace, that
TarboN chap we see start for Dyea has
met a party an turned back. One O
Their men is named Avery
avery"
The mates teeth chartered as he
gasped:
"But | saw him buried at sea-"
Rot. Theremay be more'n one Avery
in Their world Didn't that letter say
somethin' bout a man named Bill that
was to come? Course it did! Mebbeit 5
the old chaps brother or cousin or
somethin'.
Then there's two young chaps that
looked like sailors an young gal that
take ter be Avery's darter by the way
she stayed round him. They've routed
out the chap as wrote the letter an
they've all gone into camp under big
cliff not more'n mile from where we're
sittin' this mint
THE young men must be Scott and
the second mate said Rider, land
don't you see these papers are no good
To us after all our trouble? We can't
do anything now but give the thing up
and make for the Klondike. We've got
good out"
MAKE for nothin'!" was the savage
interruption. Them men hev got a
gold mine right round here somewhcres
and I've as much right there as they
hev if | can only find it. I'd like ter
see 'em drive me off. You can go o the
Klondike if yer like, but yer don't take
any O. this stuff with yer. See?'
Like most DULLES, obed Rider was
easily cowed by bigger bully than
himself and he dared not make the re-
ply which came to his lips. Instead he
said:
But can't join these men after TAX
/ ing these papers from Scott. There'd
be trouble"
Il didn't say l was goin' to jine EN-.
Look here, Rider, are yer scared or not?
Here we are, two stout chaps with plen-
~ Of grub an the horses. We knows
jest whar them fellers are now, an
they don't know whar we be. If we
keeps our eyes open thar's sure ter be
chance for business. VIII yer stick
ter me or not?"
Rider had little choice He dared not
demand half the outfit his own money
had purchased, and was forced to sub
NIT, so with a show Of sincerity he ex-
] claimed;
"Of course III stick, Bowers."
All right. Now, you keep watch the
fust half Of Their night an call me for
Their last. We've got ter be movin'
bright an early"
In five minutes the hardened rascal
was snoring, while Rider stood guard
lie had no stomach for Bowers com
pany now, and would gladly have left
him, but the miner had gained such an
ascendancy over him that he dared not
attempt TO leave him now that he was
asleep. He had meant 10 assault Tom
Scott and take his papers, but his Gu
pidity was infamed, and he, had been
drinking then. lie was sober now, and
the evident intention Of his comrade 10
attempt to bully or rob five armed men
was quite another matter. Still, there
was DO help for it, and he tried to steel
his cowardly heart to- its work
Bowers relieved him at midnight, and
as soon as the first streak of daylight
could be seen he aroused the mate and
said:
I'm off again. Stay here and keep in
under this hill as much as you can till |
get back"
Once more he made his way TO the
bowlder and took up his station. From
his hiding place he could see the diff
| ferent members of the party as they
carried load after load out of sight
among the rocks, but suddenly one of
the men mounted a horse and drove the
rest directly toward the hidden watcher.
What's he drivin' at?" muttered
Bowers to himself.
AS the rider drew near the miner was
forced to throw himself at full length
on the ground to escape being seen, and
he fingered his revolver grimly. Tar
box was too busy with the horses TO look
very sharply about him, and soon
turned back after giving the animals a
few sharp blows, which sent them oil
at full speed.
Then he returned TO his party. and
at last they had all disappeared from
sight.
Bowers waited until he was satisfied