Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-18
The Basin Of Gold.
By j. A. MARKS.
Tin Two Parts.l

PART l.
.'Huhte Big white man never find 1t. Great
Spirit no like him; white man spoil deer.
moose, forest" grunted Red Face Cheif
1.-THE earth, 1t know the secret. Great Spirit
burn fire thousand fathoms deep; always 1t
blaze. like million summer suns. and boil
with gold and red iron. Red Face know:
once in hundred years Great Spirit I'LL
veins of earth with gold and iron. and this
come with first night of new moon in sum-
mer. Great Spirit cut up all old moons for
hundred years: some pieces he put in
heaven, stars to light Red Face: most pieces
Great Spirit put in earth and turn to gold
and iron in boiling fire. Little white faces
laugh: Red Face know"
The birch trees stretched white arms In
the shadows of freight. and full moon; in
the forest the cuckoe's weird hammering
notes sounded-tut-tut, tut-tut, tut-tut
Observation-Disclosures, caow, caow.
Red Face know. Great Spirit run gold
and iron into earth like Red Face mold bull
let's. Night of summer new moon when it
| rises Great Spirit watches by Digby strait,
watch for boat racing through and he guide
| boat to where gold bubble up from the
earth. Great Spirit give Silent One this
| gold, and he rich forevermore; but Silent
One laugh, he die
| AIT this the boys who were listening to
Old Jim huddled closer together.
But Silen One laugh-he die, repeated
| ed Red Face Hundred years ago Red
| Face father father found yellow gold; this
| year Red Face find it,
| "Old JIM" his common Dlgby name, the
| boys had known for years. They had found
| him a companion on hunting and fishing
! trips, and sometimes a kind friend. They
| had never heard him speak in this slow,
| monotonous voice before. Without another
word Red Face stepped into his canoe and
| padded swiftly and silently toward the
| other side of Digby basin. Farther and
| farther away they sped, canoe and old In
| dian chief; flash of the paddle in the
| moonlight and dark speck alone marking
| the swift progress.
! 'Whewr' exclaimed Frank Bacon. at
| pulls on my nerves to hear him speak that
| way"
| II wonder what has come over old Red
| Face?" said Johnny Grendon.
| II think he meant what he said," declared
little Tim Field
| Maybe it's true, basin of gold and all,
| added Johnny Grendon. IF 1t is, wish
could get there. That would put end to
mothers washing for summer folks"
'And l guess Sue would get her leg
| Strengthened out in Boston, chimed in Tim,
PA would have brand new boat and
| barn. said Frank Bacon.
| Say, fellows, do you think it's true?r
| wistfully asked little Tim, the patient, Grip
| pied figure of his sister before him.
Well" replied Frank, weighing his
| words carefully, 81 dont-know; why not?
Old Jim never told US lie yet. Why
| not?"
! The three boys looked at one another
| eve ell, maybe 1t isn't continued Frank
land maybe it is
| Maybe it ISL echoed little Tim.
| What are you going to do about 1t,
| Frank?" asked Johnny.
"oh. don't know Let's clean these
| fish and get home"
The rim of a red-hot sun was setting be-
! hind the western uplands when three boys
( in q large doTy rowed away from the Dig
| by shore toward Digby strait, where the
| tide rushed into the Bay of Fundy From
| an Indian encampment on the opposite
| shore, out of sight of the boys a canoe
| shot like an arrow into the water; a pair
| OF eyes cast an anxious look upon the an
| CRY appearance of the sky
| Tides going out; that's good!" exclaim-
ed Frank.
| No further remarks were made Johnny
| and Frank rowed vigorously. Little Tim,
| rather white, sat silent in the stern. The
| Digby wharves slipped farther and farther
| away as the tide carried the boat rapidly
| toward the strait. For week the boys
| had hesitated, now deciding to go, then
| deciding not to go. They knew 1t would
| mean being out over night and that they
could never get permission from Mrs.
! Field for that
But at last they were actually on the way
and nearing the swirling water, where Red
| Face said the Great Spirit watched. AL
| ready they could hear the rush of the water
| ahead AS they struck the inner end of
| the strait the boat. trembling like a nervous
| horse, was sucked a foot deeper into the
water For an instant it was stationary,
| then with a spring leaped forward through
the seething gorge. the waves bubbling,
| whirling and Kissing over the Jagged SUBJ
| merged rocks AS they were passing out
of this perilous place the color came back
| to Tins face and Johnny sighed with
| lief.
Remembering the Indians words, they sat
| hushed and sober. The sky grew darker
every minute. The tide, which with terrify
| SDpa1 q uaa
forty and fifty feet high at the extreme up
per end of the Bay of Fundy, bore them
| resistlessly toward the open sea. The
| crashes of thunder came nearer and nearer;
sheets of forked lightning showed them the
distant land. Tins plucky manhood had
by this time forsaken him; big tears rolled
| out of his frightened eyes. Cowed and self
| accused. the older boys sat facing Tim
Never mind. Tim; we must get to shore
and let the Basin of Gold alone"
| Yes, cheer up, Tim; We'll head for shore
| and have a fire and something to eat when
| we get there"
Tim Strengthened up.
Head in" commanded Frank. Straining
| every muscle thew rowed trying to keen
the bow we'll in. But tide and wind took
| them farther and farther out. Johnny and
| Frank were fast exhausting themselves.
Frank knew, in dazed, worn-out fashion,
| that they could never make the shore in the
boat. Ordinarily clear-headed, as well as
| courageous, this time his presence of mind
deft him. He thought no further than that
| they must leave the boat. A strong SWIM
| mer, he did not stop to think how much
! greater the dangers and difficulties of swim
ming against the tide would be than the
| strain of remaining quietly in the boat.
| ITS no use," gasped Frank, I'VE must
| take our chances"
"Oh, is it our only chance?" whispered
| Johnny.
| Come now" encouraged Frank. I'VE
| have swan two miles before this Jump in"
| AS the elder boys sprang overheard they
| heard Tim cry out: Il can't swim! Frank,
| Johnny, 1 can't swim! l can't swim"
(To be concluded next week.