Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-12-14

! sIeet, followed by freezing weather,
which put strong crust on the snow.
Seeing Letters frolic over this crust
gave Ben an idea.
IF | could send message for help
| by the dog! Why not? He's used to
being sent on errands. So he heated
the tongue of a buckle, and burned on
a chip these words
Xmas mail stopped at Whitewater
| broken leg. Send help. Garry"
! Paper might get wet. This chip
could neither tear nor fade. He tied it
to Letters neck. Then he tried patient
| ly all day to start Letters. But Letters
| could not understand, although no evil
| IDENTIFY tried hard. He was wanted to
20 somewhere; so he went down the
gulch, up the gulch, out on the trail
! forward and back a mile or so. and re-
! turned.
Finally, near night, Ben ostentatious-
| ly tied up the chip in a rag, put the
package in Letters mouth, and or
dered: GO Letters! Go to SCOTS,
| Take it to Scotts! Go!"
| Scott was the name of the postmas-
ter where the mail was due Letters
knew him. He looked grieved, it was
such a long way off He seemed to
think for a moment; then be laid down
the rag and put out his paw for a
good-by shake.
Ben shook, then said: "Good-by!
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- dog did
not return. He was gone. Would he
keep on the whole 43 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. "Daren't try
any weight on it yet, but ! reckon
can travel on one foot Guess | can
draw the mail sledge, few rods at IL
time, quite a piece in all day. This
mail has got 10 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, ptanced. rolled over,
stood up on his hind legs, shook hands
and manifested delight in every dog.
gish way. But Ben noticed that he
did it lamely and with nice care. Max.
ing his fire blaze he saw that Letters
was badly scratched with sore sears,
besides being very tired.
No doubt the dog had been in a fight
with some wild beast day or two ago
But the chip was gona-evidently Let.
ters had lost it.
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 out of sight along
the trail Ben heard him barking a
long way off. Soon a clear "Hello!"
sounded above his bark, and presently
Letters reappeared at the brow Of the
| gulch, proudly leading three stalwart
settlers.
"Hello down there!" one cried. "AIl
alive and clipper, Ell? That's goodi
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 a well man!
Meat hung up, eevrything clean and
handy. no litter. And he most too lame
| to stiT!"
"Sho! So he has. But see this here
| leg, Bill If there's a doctor can do up
broken limb in a handler job than
this | don't know him! Ben, you're
! buster!"
While eating, they told Ben how Let.
ters appeared at Scott's, torn and
bloody. They inferred he had met mad
fought off a wildcat. The chip which
he carried was read, and three men
started as soon as they could get
ready. Letters wounds were dressed:
he was fed and given 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 sci
off with the mail The other two rugged
a litter of two poles, with skins lashed
across them. on which Ben lay com