Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1907-11-15

trail on the run, and here also Old
( Cy found where this enemy had halted
beside trees evidently while watching
them. as the tracks indicated. When
the bordering swamp was reached, the
trail turned ID = westerly direction,
skirting thus for half a mile. ana mere.
also, evidences of skulking along were
-osible.
another trail was now come upon.
but leading directly over the ridge. and
lust beyond this juncture both the
rails now joined, entered the swamp,
and ended at a lagoon opening out
from the stream. Here, also, evidences
/ 9f a canoe having been hauled up into
the bog were visible
THAT sneakin' pirate come up this
stream" Old Cy observed to Ray. as
the two stood looking at these unmis-
taxable signs. He left his canoe here
n crossed the ridge above us n down
to whar we left the otter n on to cur
canoe. Then he come back the wav
we follered, n my idee is he had his
eye on us most o. the time. callate
he has been laughin' ever since at
what we'd say when we found that
mud daub on our canoe, durn him!"
But their canoe was now a half-mile
away, and for a little time Old c.
looked at the black, curreatless stream
and considered. Then he glanced up
at the sun.
I've a notion we'd best fetch our
canoe over. here" he said at last. IAN
follow this thief a spell farther. We
may come on to suthin"
Wont he shoot at u.s." returned
Ray, more impressed by this possible
danger than was Old Cy.
Wal, mebbe and mebbe not" an
swered the old man. "Shootin's a game
two kin play at, an we've jist ez good
a right to foller the stream ez he has"
But when their canoe had been car
ried over and launched in this lagoon,
Rays spirits rose. 1t was an expedi-
ton into new waters, somewhat ven
turesome, and for that reason it APP
pealed to him.
Then they had two rifles; Old Cy
had taught him to shoot; he had al
ready killed one deer and some small
er game, and the go-west-and-kill-1n
dian impulse latent in all boys was q
part Of Rays nature Besides, he
had an unbounded faith in Old Cy's
Skill with the rife.
For two hours they padded along
this serpentine highway, and then the
vastness of this morass began to i'm
press them No sign of current had
been met All view of the spruce
grown upland they had left was OBJ
scured by distance. Now and then
dead tree, bleached and spectral,
marked turn in the stream, and hun
dreds OF them, rising all about above
the low green tangle, added a ghostly
haze. 1t was as if they were ventUring
into a new world-a boundless morass,
covered by an impenetrable tangle,
and made grewsome by the bleaching
trunks of dead trees.
No halt for dinner had yet been
made They were both faint from need
of food, and SO Old Cy reached for q
small wooden pail containing their
sole supply of provisions. Neither
80 It = luSxsiO@s repast yA.s was
low eaten. A couple of hardtacks
munched by each and moistened with
a cup of this swamp water and bit
of dried deer meat was all, and then
Old Cy lit his pipe, dipped his paddle
in the stream, and once more they
pushed on. Soon low mound of hard
soil rose out of the tangle just ahead,
an oasis in this unvarying mud swamp.
and gaping at them from amid its
cover of scrub birch and cedar stood
a deadfall 1t faced them as they
neared this small island, and with log
appraised between a pen of stakes it !
much resembled the open mouth Of
huge alligator.
"F5ain't been built long" Old Cy ex-
claimed, after they had landed to eX-
anime it. I've a notion it's the doin's
# our pirate friend, an he's trappin.
round about this swamp. He's had !
-ood luck lately. anyhow. for he's got
six o our pelts to add to his string"
From here onward signs Of human
presence in this swamp became more |
visible Now and then an opening cut
through the limbs of lopped-over !
spruce was met; a spot where drift |
had been pushed aside to clear the
stream was found at one place; signs !
Of a canoe having been nosed into the |
bog grass were seen; and here were |
also the same footprints they had fol- !
lowed
Another bit of hard bottom was
reached, and here again was another
deadfall Tracks evidently made with
in a few days were about here. and |
tied to its figure-four spindle was
freshly caught brock sucker.
1.-The scents gettin' warm" Old Cy !
muttered, as he examined these signs
of a trapper's presence, and then,
mindful of the sun. he padded on |
again.
And now an upland growth OF tall |
spruce was seen ahead, the banks be-
came in evidence, and slight current |
1ry In a