The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-12-03
CHAPTER XVI.
Daring the Elements.

Earring Vic ElelntnbS.
"Give him drop of whisky. He is
not dead by any means"
"Raise him up-light in. boys, and
rub himl He is one of old Seadog's
slaves, but he is human and we will
treat him as SUCH"
Thus spoke the men who had rescued
Dan Lapham from the floating timber.
They worked with him sometime be-
fore he was restored to a thor ough con-
seriousness. The men knew him we'll
and treated him kindly, though they
now regarded him as a legitimate
"prisoner of war;
Lapham was favorably known by all
of the fishermen and boatmen of the
river. His extraordinary strength gave
him prominence among the toilers of
the river, while his courage and kind
ness gained for him their respect.
The half-drowned fisherman received
the same care and attention as would
one of their own number. One shared
dry vest with him; another had an
extra rain coat and with this garment
and that he was soon warmly clad, and
/
was soon himself again.
But the scenes we're rapidly shifting.
Dawn was breaking and the approach
of the northsiders had been discovered.
The boats began to line up for the cap
tune of the fishermen from the mort h
side who were supposed to be ignorant
of the presence of the southsiders.
Dan Lapham was placed in peculiar
position, but one common in war. He
was to sit side by side with the enemy
and receive the fire of his friends. He
knew what his companions in the boat
did not know. He knew that the north
side fishermen were armed, and that
they would come prepared to do wal
unto death. He knew that he would
soon be subjected to their fiGe and that
they would shoot to kill.
Closer and still closer the northsid.
ers approached. They lined up through
the gloom of dawn like so many specks
on the river ana bay. The southsiders
lay upon their oars with guns in hand
To row down upon them and captur,
them at given signal was the pre-
viously arranged plan.
The keen whistle of small launch
rang out over the water from the head
of the southside fotilla and the little
feet moved to the north under thu
steady strokes of the oarsmen.
"Bingl" rang out rifle shot from
the north side. 3
"Bingl Bingi Bing!" followed
succession of shots from the same di
, rection.
The southsiders were taken complete
ly by surprise. They had come t.
capture, not to fight. but now that tb
trouble was on, it was left to them t
fight or to flee. The bitter feeling 8
! long existing between the two stubborn
factions would not permit the latte
alter native, and as if fro = common
= command, the southsiders raised thei
: rifles and poured forth volley in tn
. direction of their competitors. Thi
, was returned by heavy volley fror
the north side, and then a desultol
firing began all along the line.
: The fishermen were not accustome
to the use OF fire arms nor this name
:. of warfare and it was better for theI
= that they were not. After the secon
: volley the members of each contendin
!; element began to fall back and th
: Doats scattered in every direction.
= = But neither side would abandon til
= struggle. 1t was the purpose of tn
& southsiders 10 destroy the traps, viii
- it was the determination of the nortl
= siders to defend them to the last.
:. At the very first volley from the mort
= rifle bullet struck the fisherman d
rectly in front of Dan Lapham, IL
y very man who had aided in resuscita
. ing their captive. He was wounded
:, the side and fell into Dams arms. De
begged them to pull for the island thi
q the wounded man might receive bett
care. His request was granted, for Il
t. fishermen now were anxious for an e,
ir cuse to get out of a fight that was
t. much more real than they had e
rs pected.