The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-12-17
vance.
CHAPTER XIX.
A Traitor at the Helm.


ly after dark. 1t was special char
tered by the state. The sheriff of Pa
cific county was there to meet it and
had been waiting many hours. Mat
ters managed by state are always de-
layed.
Kalama is on the banks of the Co
lumbia river and also on the line of
railroad that crosses from north to
south.
An old fashioned boat was tied up
at the decaying and totteiing wharf.
A dark form sat in the pilot house
looking out at the crowd as it emerged
from the train. A danger light hung
from the port side, and at the APP
proach of the train, dark smoke, in
termingled with bright red sparks,
shot skyward from the smoke-stack.
Contemplate tin-soldiersl" NUT
tered the man in the pilot house.
Zine lot of dudes come here to shoot
down our fishermen. But they will
not shoot them tonight"
Then he turned the pilot wheel
back and forth to see that the rudder
was in working order. The boat gave
lurch and trembled as if frightened
at being disturbed while swinging so
quietly to its moorings.
81 will give these assassins trip
for their money tonight" mutteIed
the man at the wheel in meditative
tones. "When they find the fisher
men they will be 80 sick of the sea
that they will do we'll to handle
themselves let alone a gum"
A company of the state national
guard filed off the train at the COM
mand of their officer, Captain Bud
long. The sheriff of the county led
come under indefinite orders as to
time and brought along a sufficient
amount of luggage for a siege. Most
of the men we're clerks in stores, and
some of wealthy men who had Joined
the guard for a good time and they
were poorly drilled. 1t required more
than an hour tc get their baggage
aboard the boat. The man in the pilot
house watched them patiently. He
did not care how long they were kept
there. He was out for delay and
would just as lief have it at one point
as another.
The pilot of Columbia river boat
is universally called captain" He
is acquainted with the river as one is
acquainted with his own neighbor-
hood. He knows every snag in the
river and every point, as is required
OF river pilot.
When the soldiers were aboard it
was found that it only contained the
pilot, engineer and one deck-hand.
There was no one to instruct the off
GERS as to the point at which the fish
eImen were assembled.
This is strange remarked the
sheriff to Captain Budlong. 81 ex-
pected a man here to give us the in
formation as we should proceed. We
will go aloft and inquire of the cap
. tain"
The boat was now pulling at its
mornings. The steam was up and the
captain was trying the wheel. 1t was
stern-wheeler and the great, wei
thing turned over like a sea monster
as the long arms from the engine-room
played on the crank at it's axis.
The sheriff and military commander
ascended the little iron stairway which
led to the roof Of the boat and ap
preached the pilot house.
Sorry, gentlemen, but you can't
1 enter," said the pilot.
a But this is the commander of tn,
. militia and he wishes to direct tn,
1 course of the boat when the scene O
the trouble is reached" said the sher
s iff.
. "The government regulations pro
e from riding in the pilot house," sale
. the pilot. Besides, there is NJ
= necessity for it. l know where tn,
a fishermen are and will take you t.
1 them. They are harmless, hard
= working set of fellows like myself anC
will give you no trouble. They will
q dispense as soon as they see us com
d ing"
= Why have the owners of the boa
y which we have chartered through tn,
I state sent a southsider as a pilot
s inquired the sheriff.
e because there is not man on tn,
nerth side of the river whom the own.
q ers would risk with the boat" was tn,
t quick reply.
d The secretary of state had wired
i big company at Portland to supply tn,
r militia with boat to convey it to tn,
II seat of the trouble between the fish
ermen of the two states and which thu
7 northside state chartered for an in
: definite time. The steamboat men al
+ lived on the south side of the river
4. | Tho aoan nrtn all hoinr IN thnt nido