The Grit-advocate., 1903-01-09

beads for a good many years. Then
| went into the interior to try to
find him. | got in with some moose
hunters and travelled one whole sum-
mer and part of winter and nearly
starved an froze a hundred times,
but not word could | hear of him,
SO | suppose l am doomed to make
| my last voyage from this port. When
meet my captain on that unknown
| sea to which we are all steerin', I'll
| tell him | kept my promise"
When the eX-sailor had finished his
story silence fell on the group. No
one spoke for several minutes.
The youth, known only by the
sobriquet of Crack Lash" sat gazing
abstractedly into the fire. He had
heard no part of the story, for his
mind was still on his far-away home.
where dwelt mother and the fair
being who had promised to be his
wife, for whom he had braved the
dangers of the wilderness.
At early morn the little camp on
the Yukon was astir. Paul was the
last to awake. Youth is healthful
and innocent, so sleep fingers longer
about its eyelids than those whose
bodies are freighted with disease or
minds burdened with cares.
where's George?" asked Gid, as he
| toasted steaks.
Been gone these two hours" Big
Port answered.
"Alone?"
Yes"
That's strange"
Breakfast was disposed of. the dogs
fed and haTnessed and the party pre-
pared for their journey up the river
to Dawson City, then an Insignificant
village. and yet lucky George had not
returned.
AS the sun rose higher the mud and
yet Paul trudged on, uncomplainingly.
He could bear any burden or hard
ship without murmur when he re-
tlected that it was for Laura. Her
presence gave strength to his arm
and keenness to his eye, squirting him
on to efforts more than Superhuman.
When they halted at noon they were
compelled to get to leeward of the
smoke to protect themselves from the
mosquitoes. But little had been said
of their missing companion, Lucky
George. Gid followed his trail through
the snow without difficulty, and gave
it as his opinion that he was going
straight to Dawson City.
Glum Ralston, who had not ex-
pressed an opinion on the subject for
some time, at last said:
Boys, l heard him say somethin'
one day bout goin' up the Klondyke." !"
What for?" asked Gid.
"Said a squaw man told him thare
was heaps O gold along that air
stream"
Glum informed him it was one of
the tributaries of the Youkon which
had been but very lite explored. Gid
few moments, his mind lost in thought.
At last he said:
Boys, he's tryin' to give us the
slip, l am afeard or run a cold deck
on u.s." said Gid
What if he does asked Port.
I'VE don't lose much.'
I'VE might if he struck pay dirt "
said Gid.
Won't we be just as likely to strike
pay dirt as George?'
No"
Why"
Because George is alters in luck.
Every time he draws from the deck
it's trump. If a feller holds a
straight George has flush. I'll gam
BILE my dogs an packs that he makes
ten strick right now
There was silence. and the men
sat and smoked and steamed. to drive
away the mosquitoes. At last Paul
broke the silence by saying:
IF there is gold on the Klondyke
let us go and find it ourselves"
Now yer shoutfn'," cried the pros
pectors. why not go to the Klon-
dyke ourselveT?"
Truth is, boys" said Glum, 1--WE
never had any very exalted opinion o.
Lucky Georges honesty. If he makes
big strike we can. @ course. come
in for a claim. but he'll strike out
the best an work on the others with
out US a-knowin' it."
They decided to set out at once fer
the Klondyke. 1t was a journey at
tended from beginning to end with
great danger and hardship. Glum
Ralston was the only member Of their
party who had been on the stream,
and he acted as guide.
Again night came on. and they went
into camp and prepared their sup
pers. Paul was a little disheartened
on this night Continual disappoint-
ment had made him heart-sick. Ris-
ing to relieve his cramped limbs, he
turned his back toward the fire and
gazed across the wood-covered hill
into the darkness beyond. To his sur
DriSe he discovered glow on the