The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1906-06-29
for The Term of Ills Natural Life
~r~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-~~~ ~>~r~o~~~~~o~~l
CHAPTER xv.-,continued.,
By MARCUs CLARKE

Kill Nanny! oh. Mr.. Dawes! what
for?'
II am going to make boat for you"
he said, 'and want hides and thread
and tallow"
few weeks back Maurice Frere
would have laughed at such sentence;
but he had begun now to comprehend
that this escaped convict was not a man
to be laughed at, and though he detested
him Tor his superiority, he could not but
admit that he was superior.
You can't get more than one hide off
a goat, man?' he said, with an inquiring
tone In his voice--as enough it were
Just possible that such a marvellous being
as Dawes could get second hide by
virtue Of some secret process known only
to himself.
II am going to catch other goats at
the pilot station"
but how are you going to get there"
Float across. Come, there is no time
FOR questioning Go and cut down some
saplinss, and let MS begin"
The lieutenant master looked at the
convict prisoner with establishment, and
then gave way to the power of knowl-
edge, and did as he was ordered. Be
fcrc shutdown that evening, the carcass
Of poor Nanny, broken into various most
unbutchery fragments, was hanging on
the nearest tree; and Frere, returning
with as many young saplings as he could
drag together, found Rufus Dawes en-
gagged in curious occupation. He had
killed the goat, and, having cut off its
head close under the jaws, and Its legs
at the knee joint, had extracted the
N aa oh oItf fah ali h. hoH
now sewed together with strings. This
proceeding gave him a rough bag, and
he was busily engaged in filing this bag
with such coarse grass as he could col
lect. Frere observed, also, that the fat
of the animal was carefully preserved,
and the intestines had been placed In a
pool of water to soak.
The convict, however, declined to give
Information rs to what he intended to
do. "It's my own notion" he said. LET
me alone. may make failure of it."
Frere, on being pressed by Sylvia, af-
fected to know all about the scheme. He
was CALLED to think that a convict brain
should contain a mystery which he could
not share.
On the next day, by Rufus Dawes
directions, Frere cut down some PUSHES
that grew about a mile from the camp
Ing ground, and brought them in on his
back. This took him nearly half day
to accomplish. Short rations were be-
ginning to tell upon his physical pow
ers. The convict, on the other hand,
trained by a woful experience in the
boats to endurance OF hardship, was
slowly recovering ha original strength.
What are they forT' asked Frere
~ he flung the bundles down.
ITO make float. Yon are very dull,
Mr.. Frere. am going to swim over to
the pilot station and catch some of those
goats. l can get across on the stuffed
skin, but must foat them back ON the
reeds"
Frere saw that his companion was
cleaning the intestines Of the goat. The
outer membrane having been peeled off,
Rufus Dawes was turning them inside
out This he did by turning up a short
piece Of It, as though it were coat
sleeve, and dipping the turned-up cuff
Into pool of water. The weight Of the
water, pressing between the cuff and
the rest of it. bore down a further por-
ton; and SO, by repeated clippings, the
whole length was turned inside out. The
Inner membrane having been scraped
away, there remained fine transparent
tube, which was tightly twisted and set
to dry In the sun.
There Is the catgut for the moose"
said Dawes. II learned that trick at
the settlement. Now, come here"
Frere, following, saw that a fire had
been made between two stones, and that
the kettle was partly sunk in the ground
near 1t. On approaching the kettle, he
found 1t full Of smooth pebbles.
Take out those stones" said Dawes
Frere obeyed. and saw at the bottom of
the kettle quantity Of sparkling white
powder, and the sides of the vessel
|crusted with the same material.
whats thatT he asked.
"Salt"
slow did you get it?'
II filed the kettle with sea water. and |
then heating those pebbles red hot In the |
Pre-, dropped them into 1t. We could
pave caught the steam In cloth and |
vruns cut fresh water, had we wished |
10 do So"
Frere burst out In sudden, fretful |
dmiratio1: what q fellow you are. |
pawesi What are you'll mean. what |
ave you beenT
A triumphant light came into the 9th |
70 face, aud for the instant he seemed
bout to reply by some startling reveia-
on. But the light faded, and he check
himself with a gesture of pain.
II am a convict. Never mind what
have been. A sailor, shipbuilder, prod
al vagabond-what does 1t matterP
won't alter my fate, win it?'
IF we get safely back" says Frere
II ask for free pardon for you. You
serve it"
II don't want favor at your hands.
US get to work. Bring up the PUSHES
Re, and tie them with fishing line"
1t this instant Sylvia came up. Good
ernoon, Mr.. Dawes. Hard at work?
what's this in the kettle?
he voice of the child acted like a
rm upon Rufus Dawes. He smiled
te cheerfully.
Salt, miss. am going to catch the
~ Is with that"
Catch the goats! How? Put II on
tails p she cried merrily.
Goats are fond of salt, and when I
over to the pilot station. shall set