The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-12-22
T0ILERS OF
THE COLUMBIA
BY PAUL De LANEY.
Author of Lord of ire Desert. "
Oregon Sketches" and other
Pacific Coast Stories.
OHAT Eh AA.
Sankala 10 the wheel.

ChpChln DuulOnR anu tne eueiHi hciu
q conference with Sankala. The girl
had much to tell them that was OF in'
terest 10 their mission.
She had heard all OF the plans OF the
Southsiders and had wached for the
approach Of the boat that she might
intercept it and inform the officers of
the treachery of the pilot and the pur-
poses OF the law breaking gillnetters.
She had heard them, long before
midnight, agree 10 postpone the attack
upon the Southsider until daylight on
account Of the delay of some OF their
reiniorcements and had also heard
them state that Gabe Jarvi, the pilot on
the boat to bring the soldiers, would |
keep away from them until they had
finished with the northside fisherman.
1t had been agreed by Gabe that he
would run about the river until day
light, pretending to be hunting for the
fishermen, when in fact he would be
studiously avoiding them. In the
rankness Of his treacbery he had prom
ised TO take the boat as near the bar as
he dared to approach where the sea
was rough and would upset the stom-
achs Of the citizen soldiers.
Sankala had escaped from the old
shack while the men were out on tho
beach arranging for the attack and had
wacthsd for the coming OF the boat. She
knew that ii would 90 ON the south side
OF the island in order to avoid an en-
counter with the fishermen who were
lined up on the northside, and when she
saw the light of the vessel far up the
river she launched boat which was
some distance from the plotting fisher
men and struck out 10 intercept the big
craft that she might inform the officers.
She had been successful, as the reader
knows, but a dilemma now confronted
the officers that was difficult to solve.
Neither Of the officers knew anything
about the river and none Of the men had
the slightest idea about navigation.
Sankala told them that the boat was
heading straight for the ocean and that
they had passed all Of the fishermen,
who were lined up at the head of the
island for the early morning attack.
"This fellow Jarvi is very mean
man." said Sankala ale is now
under bond for the murder OF his aged
father and III said to be the most brutal
Of the ignorant Finlanders on the south
side Of the river do not believe he
would stop at even running this boat
out over the bar where ii would surely
perish"
"What shall we do?" inquired Cap
tain Bulong to the sheriff.
"Arrest him and put him in irons"
replied the county official.
"But who would take care Of the
boat2" inquired the captain
The two men went out on deck. San
kala followed them. They could see
the breakers now leaped high in the air
far away to the front Of the vessel, and
knew that this was where the river met
the waves OF the ocean.
"The scoundrel seems to be carrying
us straight to oar DEATH" said the cap
tain.
1--WE will 90 to him and demonstrate, 4"
said the sheriff.
"And compel him at the muzzle Of a
gun to turn the course Of the vessel," "
replied the captain OF the militia.
The officers climbed the narrow stair.
way again and approached the pilot
house. Jarvi disregarded their coming
In sullenness. He held on to the wheel
and kept the nose Of the vessel pointing
toward the breakers. Sankala had
followed the officers and stood behind
the smokestack where she availed her
self of its warmth and at the same time
could listen TO the interview with the
pilot.
"You have brought Us past the fisher
men and are taking us toward the
scean," said Captain Budlong.
The pilot ignored him in the accus-
toned manner of.steamboat men.
"We want an explanation, demand
cd Budlong.
eyes, and we want it at once," spoke
the sheriff, who was man of personal
courage and accustomed to the nature
Of the rough men at the mouth Of the
river.
81 am running this boat" replied
Jarvp'
" But you are running her in the
wrong direction" said the captain.
"You had better run her yourself
then, since you know so much about
it," restored the pilot seorniully.
"We understand nothing about
steamboaing, but we do know that you
are going in the wrong direction" re-
piled the sheriff.
"Well, II you know nothing about
running boat yon had better 20 down
stairs" said Jarvi.
ave will do nothing Of the kind"
said Budlong who was also a spirited
fellow. ~, as commander of the forces
for which this vessel was chartered, de
mand that your turn back and proceed
to the head Of the island"
81 can't do it," replied Jarvi.
"Why" asked the captain.
81 am in the south channel and will
now be compelled to round the wei
point OF the island and return on tn,
north side," said the pilot.
"Why did you come SO far out of thu
wayf" asked the sheriff.
"Swept into the old south channel by