Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-05-02

Uncle Eb gave 1t q lift then that
brought it ashore, and good bit Of
water with 1t. remember how the
fish slapped me with its wet tail and
sprinkled my face shaking itself be-
tween my boots. 1t was 4 big bass.
and IN little while we had three Of
them. Uncle Eb dressed them and laid
them over the fre on a gridiron Of
green birch, sailing them a. they cook
ed. remember they went with a dne
relish, and the last of our eggs and
bread and butter went with them.
Our breakfast over, Uncle Eb made
me promise to stay with Fred and the
basket while he went away to ind q
man who could row us across. In about
an hour heard boat coming and the
dog and l went out on the point Of
rocks, where we saw Uncle Eb and an
other man heading for US, half over the
cove. The bow bumped the rocks be-
meath us in minute. Then the stran-
ger dropped his oars and stood staring
at me and the dog.
Say, mister" said he presently,
cant go no further. There's reward
offered fer you an thet boy"
Uncle Eb called him aside and was
talking to him long time.
never knew what was said, but they
came at last and took us into tho boat,
and the stranger was very friendly.
When we had come near the landing
on the york state" side, I remember
| he gave us our bearings.
Keep t the woods" he said, ''till
you're out O. harms way. Don't go
near the stage road fer awhile. Yell
ind store little way up the noun
! tain. Git yer provisions there, am about
eighty rod further yell strike the trail.
It'll take ye over the mountain north
an t. Paradise road. Thou talks the
white church on yer right shoulder an
60 straight west"
] would not have remembered It 20
well but for the fact that Uncle Nb
wrote 1t all down in his account book,
and that has helped me over many q
slippery place in my memory Of those
events. At the store we got some crack
ers and cheese, tea and coffee, dried
! beef and herring, q bit Of honey and q
loaf of bread that was sliced and but
tered before it was done up. We were
off in the woods by o'clock, according
to Uncle Eds diary, and remember
the trail led US into thick brush, where
had to get out and walk a long way.
It was smooth underfoot, however, and
at noon we came to slash In the tim.
Der full Of briers that were all aglow
with big blackberries. We filed our
hats with them, and Uncle BIB found q
spring, beside which we built Ere and
had memorable meal that made me
glad of my hunger.
down for another sleep. We could see
the glow Of the setting sun through the
tree tops when we woke and began
our packing.
well hev t. hurry" said Uncle Eb,
"er we'll never git out o the woods
! t'night. IS bout six mile er more t
| Paradise road, es I mex it. Come, yer
slower'n toad In tar barrel"
We hurried off on the trail. and I re-
member Fred looked very crestfallen
with two big packages tied to his col
lar. Ho delayed bit by trying to
shake them off, but Uncle Eb gave him
q sharp word or two and then he walk
ed along very thoughtfully. Uncle Eb
was little out of patience that even
ing, and thought he bore down too
harshly in his rebuke Of the old dog.
"You shif'less cuss," he said to him,
| 'yed jes' dew nothin' but chase SOUR
rels an let me break my back + carry
| yer dinner"
1t was glooming fast in the thick
timber, and Uncle BIB almost ran with
| me while the way was plain. The last
ringing note Of the wood thrush had
died away, and In little while 1t was
80 dark could distinguish nothing but
the looming mass Of tree trunks.
He stopped suddenly and strained hia
eyes In the dark. Then he whistled q
sharp. sliding note, and the sound Of II
gave me some hint Of his trouble.
cit down. WILLIE" said he. IAN tex
my hand. I'm 'fraid we're lost here n
the big woods"
| We CROPPED about tor minute trying
to find the TRAIL
"No use," he said presently, "we'll
hev t. stop right here. Oughter known
better'n t. come through g. near sun.
| down. Guess it was more'n anybody
| could do"
/ He built fire and began to lay out
q supper for us then, while Fred SAT
/ down by me to be relieved of his bun,
dies. Our supper was rather dry, fol-
we had no water, but 1t was only two
hours since we left the spring, 80 we
were not suffering yet. Uncle Eb took
out Of the fire burning brand Of pine
and went away into the gloomy woods
holding it above his head, while Fred
and sat by the fire.
as lucky we didn't 60 no further
he said as he came in after few min
1 utes. There's big prec'pice owe,
| yender. Dunno how deep It's. Guess
we'd "a found out purity soon."
4 He cut some boughs Of hemlock grow
ing near us and spread them in a little
follow. That done, we covered them witt
the oilcloth and sat down comfortably
by the fire. Uncle BIB had serious
look and was not inclined to talk Of
story telling. Before turning In hi
asked me to kneel and say my praye,
as I had done every evening at the fest
Of my mother. remember clearly
! kneeling before my old companion ant
hearing the echo Of my small voics
there In the dark and lonely woods.
remember, too. and even more clear
y, how he bent his head and coveret
his eyes in that brief moment. I had ,
| great dread Of darkness and imagined
NnNch evil 0f tha forAst h1t eop, ohon