Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-01-14
ceived of the presence of these two men

MAX 'um canoe" replied Charley
rather obviously.
$50 see. But what do you expect to
get in this God forsaken country"
"Benver. muskrat, mink, otter"
Trapping, chi" the man gazed keen
~ at Thorpe's recumbent figure. who's
the other fellow?"
Thorpe held his breath, then exhaled
1t in a long sigh Of relief.
Him white man." Injun Charley
was replying. Him hunt too. He
maxi 'um buckskin."
The land locker arose lazily and
sauntered toward the group.
"Howdy" he drawled. "Got any
smokin'?"
"How are you" replied one Of the
scalers, eying him sharply and tender.
ing his pouch. Thorpe filled his pipe
deliberately and returned 1t with a
heavy lidded glance Of thanks. To all
appearances he was one Of the lazy,
shiftlcss hunters of the backwoods.
Seized with an inspiration. he said:
"What sort of chances is they at your
camp for little -four? Me and Char
ley's about out. I'll bring YOU meat, or
III make you boys moccasins. I got
some good buckskin."
1t was the usual proposition.
pretty good. guess Come up and
see," advised the scaer "The crews
right behind u.s."
"I'll send Charley" drawled Thorpe.
I'm busy now maxim traps" He
waved his pipe. calling attention to the
pine and rawlide deadfalls.
They chatted few moments. Then
two wagons creaked lurching by, fol-
lowed by fifteen or twenty men. The
last of these, evidently the foreman,
was Joined by the two scalcrs.
Injun Charley was setting about the
splitting Of q cedar log.
You see," he remarked. II big
frien'."
In the days that followed Thorpe
cruised about the great woods. 1t was
slow business, but fascinating. He
knew that when he should embark on
his attempt to enlist considerable cap
ital in an "unsight. unseen" invest
ment he would have to be well sup
piled with statistics.
First of all he walked over the coun-
try at large to find where the best tim
Der lay. This was n matter Of tramp
ing, though often on an elevation he
succeeded in climbing tall tree
whence he caught brdseye views Of
the country ut large. lie always car
ried his gun with him and was pre-
pared at moments notice to seem en-
gagged in hunting
Next he ascertained the geographical
location Of the different clumps and
forests. entering the sections. the quar-
ter sections. even the separate forties
in his notebook, taking in only the de
scriptions'' containing the best pine.
Finally he wrote accurate notes con
corning the topography Of each and
every pine district-the lay Of the land
We hills. ravines. swamps and valleys
The distance from the river. the char
acter OF the soil. In short. he accounts
lated all the information he could by
which the cost Of logging might be es
timated.
For this he had really too little ex
perience. He knew it. but determined
to do his best. The weak point Of his
whole scheme lay in that 1t was going
to be impossible for him TO allow the
prospective purchaser chance to ex
anime the pine. That difficulty Thorpe
hoped to overcome by inspiring per-
sonal confidence in himself II he
failed to do so he might return with q
land locker whom the investor trusted,
and the tho could re-enact the comedy
Of this summer. Thorpe hoped. how
ever, to avoid the necessity. He set
about rough estimate Of the timber.
One evening just at sunset Thorpe
was helping the Indian shape his craft.
The two men bent there at their task
the dull glow Of evening falling upon
them. Behind them the knoll stood
out in picturesque relief against the
darker pines. The river rushed by
with a never ending roar and turmoil
Through it's shouting one perceived. as
through mist, the still lofty peace Of
evening.
A young fellow, hardly more than a
boy, exclaimed with keen delight of the
picturesque as his canoe shot around
the bend into sight of it.
The canoe was large and powerful
but we'll filled. An Indian knelt in
the stern. Amidships was well laden
with dufile of all descriptions. The
young fellow sat in the bow. He was
Il bright faced. eager eyed, curly haired
young fellow. all enthusiasm and fire
His figure was trim and clean, but
rather slender, and his movements
were quick. but nervous. When he
stepped carefully out on the fiat rock
to which his guide brought the canoe
with swirl Of the paddle one initial
cd would have seen that his clothes
while strong and serviceable, had been
bought from n sporting catalogue.
"This is a good place." he said to the
guide. Wen camp here" Then lie
turned up the steep bank without look
ing back.
Hello" he called in cheerful, I'M
embarrassed fashion to Thorpe and
Charley. How are you? Care II
camp here? What you making? BY
Jove. | never saw canoe made be
fore. I'm going to watch you. KeeI
right at it,"
lie sat on one Of the outcroppine
powders and took Off his hat
Say. you've got great place here
You here all summer? Hello! You've
got deer hanging up. Are there