The sea coast echo., 1905-12-16

Now go, sir, Go to Scott's!" Letters
picked up the rag, whined mournfully,
and trotted away over the edge Of the
gully.
One hour-two-three-the dog did
not return He was gone Would he
keep on the whole t3 miles? Would
he get through in spite of the dangers
by the way?
When two more days and nights
had passed with no rescue. Ben feared
that Letters was dead, and resolved to
start himself the next morning.
Bones knit all right" he thought,
after dressing his leg. "Darent try
any weight on it yet, but | reckon L
can travel on one foot, Guess l can
draw the mail sledge, a few rods at
time, quite a piece in all day. This
mail has got to go on somehow"
Thus resolved, he slept soundly. IN
the night he was awakened by
pounce upon his body. He started up,
grasping his revolver.
why. Letters!"
The dog barked, pranced, rolled over,
stood up on his hind legs, shook hands
and manifested delight in every dog
gish way. But Ben noticed that ne
did it lamely and with nice care. Max
ing his fire blaze, he saw that Letters
was badly scratched with sore scars,
besides being very tired.
No doubt the dog had been in fight
with some wild beast a day or two ago.
But the chip was gone-evidently Let
ters had lost ii.
Ben fed the dog literally, and the
two lay down together. They would
| start in the morning, and Letters
would help him.
Just after daylight Letters leaped
UP. barking. and ran cut of sight along
the trail. Ben heard him barking a
/ long way off. Soon q clear Hello ~
sounded above his bark, and presently
/ Letters reappeared at the brow OF the
guIch. proudly leading three stalwart
| settlers.
Hello, down there!" one cried. All
alive and clipper, eh? That's good!
We feared-How's this? We expected
to find Dick Garry! Well, we'll, And
you're getting on fine. Boy, you've
done a big thing; mighty few men
could have managed so we'll
Ben shook hands all round. Then
came a reaction. He buried his face
in his hands and sobbed for several
minutes.
Don't. now." "sho!" Your hard
times are all over now, youngster!"
Take it easy" With such assurances
the men soothed him until he became
! calm.
One of them. busy getting breakfast,
broke out: We'll, if the yOungster
/ hain't kept camp neater'n q we'll mani
Meat hung up. eevrything clean AID
handy. no litter. And he most too lame
! to STIR
"Sho! So he has, But see this here
| leg. Bill. If there's a doctor can do Up
broken limb in a handler job thai
| this l don't know him! Ben, you're a
! buster"
While eating, they told Ben how Let
| ters appeared at ScOtts, torn and
bloody. They inferred he had met mad
! fought off a wildcat. The chip which
|
| started as soon as they could get
ready. Letters wounds were dressed;
/ he was fed and given a bed by the
/ fire; but he soon started after the men.
and kept with them until they were
about a dozen miles from Whitewater.
when he dashed ahead alone.
After breakfast one of the men set
off with the mail The other two rugged
| a litter of two poles. with skins lashed
| across them. on which Ben lay COM
fortably. while the men shouldered the
poles and carried him.
The mail reached ScOtt's on the
morning of the day before Christmas.
What Christmas eve the settlers
| MADE for himi
There was not another stocking in
all that region so stuffed as his on
| Christmas morning, and there were,
besides, parcels that it could not hold.
He was given seat of honor at the
| Christmas dinner at Scott's, and when
the toast was given, The Whitewater
Mail" to which Ben was expected to
speak, all he could say, being greatly
abashed at the cheering. was:
Ladies and gentlemen. The mail
welI-er-the mail-she's bound to get
through. if the mountains don't fall on
us! Eh, Letters?"
Letters was seated in a chair where
he could catch morsels thrown to him.
At this appeal he barked right enthusi-
asticaIly plainly replying, Right you
are, Master Ben!'-YOuths Compan.
ion.