Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-01-21


dressed himself for information.
Tho proprietor. still sleepy was mop.
ping out the place.
Does that boat stop hcrc?" shouted
Thorpe across the stlls.
Sometimes" replied the man SOM
violently.
mot alwaysw
"Only when there's freight for her"
Doesn't she stop for passengers?'
"Nope."
''How does she know when there's
freight"
"Oh. they signal her from the mill"
But Thorpe WAS gone.
At the mill Thorpe dove for the en-.
CINE room. He knew that elsewhere
the chang of machinery and the hurry
of business would leave scant attention
for hiiv; and. besides. from the engine
room the signals would be given. He
found, as is often the case in north
country sawmils, Scotchman in
charge.
'Does the boat stop here this morn
ing?" he inquired.
'Weel,' replied the engineer, with
I haze received ma orders to that effect"
Cant You whistle her in for me?"
asked Thorpe.
~ Gamma" answered the engineer,
promptly enough this time.
"Why not?'
"Ye're ma what body might call
freight
"NO other Way out of it?"
"Na''
Thorpe was seized with an idea.
''Here" he cried. See that bowlder
over there? l want to ship that to
Mackinaw City by freight ON this
boat
The Scotchmans eyes twinkled APP
preciativcly.
I'm dootn' ye haze tn freight bill
from the Office he objected simply.
''See here replied Thorpe, i've got
to get that boat. It's worth $50 to me.
and I'll square it with the captain.
There's your twenty"
The Scotchnan deliberated, looking
aslant at the ground and thoughtfully
oilng a cylinder with Il greasy rag.
1T II ma be Il matter of life and
dcath:" he asked hopefully. "She aye
stops for life and DEATH"
NO. replied Thorpe reluctantly.
Then, with an explosion: Yes, by
heaven, it is! If l dont make that
boat I'll kill YOU"
The ScotcAlnan chuckled and pocket.
ed the money.
I'm dootin' that's in order" he re.
Piled. I'm be no party to any such
proceedings. I'm coin moo for fresh
palt OF waiter" he remarked. pausing
ut the door, but as a wee item of in
formation yandor's III whcestle rope,
and Il mon Whccstles one short and one
long for tn boat"
He disappeared. Thorpe seized the
cord and gave tho signal. Then he
ran hastily to tie end of the long luln-
Der docks and pcerPd with great eager
moss in the direction OF the black
smoke.
The steamer was as yet concealed I've,
hind a low spit OF land which ran out
from the west 10 form one side of the
hArbOr. In moment, however, her
bows appeared. headed directly down
toward the strait of Mackinaw. Whcp
opposite the little bay, with grand
free sweep she turned and headed di-
rectly for him.
lie negotiated briefly with the cap
tain, pad $50 more for speed and the
privilege of landing at Mackinaw City
Then lie slept for eight hours on end
and was awakened in time to drop into
q small boat, which deposited him on
the broad sand beach Of the lower pen
Ursula.
The train was just lesurcly making
up for departure. Thorpe, dressed MS
he was in old pepper and SALT gar
ments patched with buckssin, his hat
Topping trayoaty on hcadgcar, his
mOcCasins worn and dirty. his face
bearded and bronzcd. tried as much
as possible to avoid attention. He sent
an instant telegram to Wallace Carpen-
ter conceived as follows:
Wire thirty thousand my order care land
office. Detroit, before o'clock tomorrow
morning. Do 1t II you have to rustic all
night. Important.
Then hc took Il scat in the bagga co
car on pile OF boxes ana philosopls
ically waited for the train TO start. lie
knew that sooner or later the man, pro
vidcd he We're on the train, would stroll
through the car, and he wanted to be
out of the way. The baggage man
proved friendly, SO Thorpe chattcd
with him Til after bedtime. Then he
entered the smoking car and waited
patiently for morning.
At the last thought Thorpe decided
TO send second message from the
next station. He did so. 1t read:
Another buyer OF timber on same trair
with me, Must have money at O'CLOCK
or lose land,
He paid day rates on 1t to insure i'm
mediate delivery. suppose the boy
should be away from home
Everything depended on Wallace
Carpenter and Thorpe could not hu'
confess the chanre slender. One Other
thought made the night seem long
Thorpe had but $50 left.
Morning came at last, and the tral
drew in and stopped. Thorpe, bein
in the smoking ear, dropped off frs
and stationed himself near the OK
where he could look over the passeu
gers without being seen. They file,
past. TO two only he could accord lii
role of master lulnbermen, and in tines
two Thorpe recognized DAILY and Nor
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