The Savannah morning news., 1902-11-02
THE BLAZED TRAIL.
Bv STEWART EDWARD WHIT
(Author of the Westerners).
Copyright, 1902, by Stewart Edward White.

to land here nothing but NJ. & D. mer-
chandise."
Il have a right to land" answered
Thorpe THE shore belongs to me-"
This dock doesn't" retorted the
other sharply, "and you can't set foot
on her"
you have no legal status. You had
no business building in the first
place" began Thorpe, and then
futility Of arguing legality in such a
case.
The men had gathered interestedly
in the waist of the ship, cool impair
tial, severely critical. The vessel swung
her bow in towards the dock. Thorpe
ran swiftly forward, and during the
instant of rubbing contact, leaped.
lie alighted squarely upon his feet.
Without an instant's hesitation he
clean INFLOW stretched him stunned
on the dock. For a moment there
was a pause of establishment. Then
the Woodsmen closed upon him.
During that instant Thorpe had be-
come possessed of weapon 1t came
hurting through the air from above
to fail at his feet. Shearer, with the
cool calculation of the pioneer, had
seen that it would be impossible to
follow his chief and so had done the
next best thing-thrown him a heavy
iron Delaying pin.
Thorpe hit with all his strength and
qulckness. He was conscious once of
being on the point of defeat. Then
ne had cleared little space for him
self. Then the men Were on him again
more sayagely than ever. One fellow
even succeeded in hitting him a glanc-
ing blow on the shoulder.
Then came a sudden crash. Thorpe
was nearly thrown from his feet. The
next instant score of yelling men
leaped behind and ali around him.
There ensued a moments scuffle, the
sound of dull blows; and the dock
was clear of all but Dyer and three
others who were, like himself, I'M
conscious The captain, yielding to
the excitement had run his Prov
plump against the wharf.
Some of the crew received the moor
ing lines. All was ready for disem-
barkation.
Bryan Moloney a Swapping Irish
American of the big boned. red-cheek-
ed type, threw some water over the
four stunned combatants. Slowly they
came to life. They were promptly
yanked to their feet by the irate river
men, who commenced at once to be-
stow sundry vigorous kicks and shak-
ings by way of punishment. Thorpe
Quit it," he commanded. Let them
go!''
The men grumbled. One or two were
inclined to be openly rebellious.
If L hear another peep out of you.''
said Thorpe to these latter you can
climb right aboard and take the re-
turn trip" He looked them in the eye
until they muttered, and then went on:
Now, we've got to get unloaded and
our goods ashore before those fellows
report to camp. Get right moving and
hustle!"
So Dyer and his men picked them
selves out of the trouble sullenly and
departed. The ex-scaler had nothing
TO say as long as he was within reach,
but when he had gained the shore, he
shouted.
Thorpe made no reply.
With thirty men at the job it does
not take a great while to move a small
cargo thirty or forty feet. BY 8
o'clock the Pole Star was ready to con-
tinue her journey. Thorpe climbed
aboard, leaving Shearer in charge.
Keep the men at it, Tim,' said he.
Put up the walls of the warehouse
good and strong, and move the stuff
in. If you get through before l return
you might take a scout up the river
and fix on a camp site. Ill bring back
the lumber for roofs, floors and
trimmings with me, and will try to pick
up few axmen for swapping. Those
fellows won't bother us any more for
the present. l think; but 1t pays to be
on deck. So long"
When Thorpe returned to the bay he
found the warehouse complete.
Shearer and Andrews, the surveyor
were scouting up the river.
mo trouble from above, boys" asked
Thorpe.
Mary trouble" they replied.
The warehouse was secured by pad
locks, the wagon loaded with the tent
and the necessaries of life and work.
Early in the morning the procession
laughing, joking, skylarking-took it's
way up the river trail. Late that even
ing, tired, but still inclined to mischief,
they came to the first dam. where
Shearer and Andrews met them.
"How do you like it. Tim?" asked
Thorpe that evening.
She's all right" replied the river
man with emphasis: which. for him,
was putting it strong.
At noon the following daY the party
arrived at the second dam. Here
Shearer had decided to build the per-
manent camp. Injin Charley was con-
structing one of his endless series of
birch bark canoes. Later he would pad
die the whole string to Marquette.
where he would sell them to a hard
ware dealer for two dollars and a half
apiece.
Injin Charles looked up and grunted
as Thorpe approached.
How are you, CharleS?" greeted
Thorpe reticently.
You gettum pine? Good" replied
Charley in the same tone.
CHAPTER Is.
Two months passed away. Winter set
in. The camp was built and inhabited.
Routine had established itself. and all
was going we'll
The first move Of the NJ. & d. Com
pany had been one Of Cancellation.
Thorpe was approached by the walking
boss of the camps up-river. The man
did not pretend any hypocritical friend
ship for the younger firm. His PROPOSE
ton was entirely one of mutual ad-
vantage. The company had gone to
considerable expense in constructing