The Ladysmith news. [volume] (Ladysmith, Wis.) 1905-1905, 1905-04-01
We branched off into the woods.


starved an froze a hundred times,
but not word could I hear Of him,
so I suppose l am doomed to make
my last voyage from this port. When
I meet my captain on that unknown
sea to which we are all steerin', I'll
tell him kept my promise"
When the ex-sailor had finished his
story a silence fell on the group. No
one spoke for several minutes.
The youth, known only by the
sobriquet of ..'Crack Lash" sat gazing
abstractedly into the fire. He had
heard no part of the story, for his
mind was still on his far-away home,
where dwelt mother and the fair
being who had promised to be his
wife, for whom he had braved the
dangers of the wilderness.
At early morn the little camp on
the Yukon was astir. Paul was the
last to awake Youth is healthful
and innocent, so sleep fingers longer
about it's eyelids than those whose
bodies are freighted with disease or
minds burdened with cares.
where's George?" asked Gid, as he
toasted steaks.
"Been gone these two hours" Big
Port answered.
"Alone?"
eyes"
That's strange"
Breakfast was disposed of, the dogs
fed and harnessed and the party pre-
pared for their journey up the river
to Dawson City, then an insignificant
village, and yet lucky George had not
returned.
AS the sun rose higher the mud and
snow made travel more uncomfortable,
yet Paul trudged on, uncOmplainingly.
He could bear any burden or hard
ship without murmur when he re-
fected that it was for Laura. Her
presence gave strength to his arm
and keenness to his eye, squirting him
on to efforts more than superhuman.
When they halted at noon they were
compelled to get to leeward Of the
smoke to- protect themselves from the
mosquitoes. But little had been said
Of their missing companion, Lucky
George. Gid followed his trail through
the snow without difficulty, and gave
it as his opinion that he was going
straight to Dawson City.
Glum Ralston, who had not ex-
pressed an opinion on the subject for
some time, at last said:
Boys, l heard him say somethin'
one day bout goin' up the Klondyke."
what for?" asked Gid.
''Said a squaw man told him there
was heaps O. gold along that air
stream"
Glum informed him it was one Of
the tributaries of the Youkon which
had been but very lite explored. Gid
remained with his head bowed for q
few moments, his mind lost in thought.
At last he said:
Boys, he's tryin' to give us the
slip, l am afeard, or run a cold deck
on u.s." said Gid.
What if he does r asked Port.
1--WE don't lose much
eve might if he ST. lck pay dirt :"
said Gid.
Wont we be just as likely to strike
pay dirt as George"
''No."
"Why?"
Because George is alters in luck.
Every time he draws from the deck
it's a trump. If a Teller holds a
straight George has a flush. I'll gam
BILE my dogs an packs that he makes
a ten strick right now"
There was a silence, and the men
sat and smoked and steamed, to drive
away the mosquitoes. At last Paul
broke the silence by saying:
eff there is gold on the Klondyke
let us go and find it ourselves"
"Now yer shoutin'," cried the pros
pectors. why not so to the Klon-
dyke ourselve1?"
Truth is, boys said Glum, Give
never had any very exalted opinion O.
Lucky Georges honesty. If he makes
a big strike we can, o. course, come
in for a claim, but he'll strike out
the best an work on the others with
out us a-knowin' it,
They decided to set out at once for
the Klondyke. 1t was journey at
tended from beginning to end with
great danger and hardship. Glum
Ralston was the only member of their
party who had been on the stream,
and he acted as guide.
Again night came on, and they went
into camp and prepared their sup
pers. Paul was a little disheartened
on this night. Continual disappoint-
ment had made him heart-sick. R1s-
ing to relieve his cramped limbs, he
turned his back toward the fire and
gazed across the wood-covered hill
into the darkness beyond. To his sur
prise he discovered a glow on the
woods far in the distance. For a
moment he gazed upon it in doubt,
and then, touching Gid Myers, who
sat near, on the arm, he whispered:
'Look off there, Gid, in the direc-
ton I am pointing. Don't you see
anything suspicious?" Gid Myers did
as directed, and said: