The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-01
cHAPTER XIV.
THE PLUME HUNTERS DINNER
PARTY.


THE PLUME HUNTERS DINNER
" PARTY - -
The one eyed man. Billy Mutt, and his
friend and partner, whose name was
apparently Hank, without further at
tachment, made a livelihood by trans
crossing the laws of the United States
and supplying a strong demand Ladies
OF society wished for egret plumes and
other feathers for external adornment.
and the Seminole of the Everglades
desired corn whisky for his stomachis
sake. and white game regulations for
bade collection OF the first, Indians pro-
lection acts vetoed lawful distribution
OF the second. And for the transgres-
sor there were distinct and heavy PEN
alties. &.@ E..
But, to begin with, States law does
not cary very far in the Everglades OF
Florida, which is the home OF outlaws,
and in the second place Mr.. Mutt and
friend were both wanted" on several
counts already, among which untustifi-
able homicide ranked high, so that they
were men entirely reckless and inclined
to look upon rcaching and Illicit whisky
pedling to the aboriginal as the mildest
of mild peccadilloes. Moreover, as in
furtherance OF their business they were
extremely well armed and apt to shoot
first and reflect afterward when an
noyed, they were not persons to be
argued with by any Of the more gentle
methods. 20
The three men on the steamer were in
no way prepared to receive these du-
bious visitors-were, in fact, completely
oblivious of their approach, being still
chained in the deepest slumber. The
sun had dropped below the tree tops,
and already the night noises of the
forest were beginning-the rattle Of
crickets and toads in the trees, the
grunting Of the bullfrog in the swamp,
the dry rustic of the jar flies and the
warm hum of the never sleeping mo-
squito. In the darker tree aisles there
commenced the brief light snappings Of
firefiies, and in the black Swallowed
water of the bayous were other phos-
phorescent glows, like these, only COM
ing from the eyes OF some prowling al
ligator Ea
The sloop ran down her jibtopsaIl,
and as the iron hanks screamed along
the stay a negro trotted nimbly out
along the fiat bowsprit top to secure the
sail in its gaskets. The wind was drop
ping with the sun, and because the cur
rent raced manfully down the blight
where the stranded steamer was lying
the sloop made but a fathom or so to
the good by every board across the
river. The one eyed man danced q
a barefoot tattoo OF fury on the ffoor
boards of the cockpit at this slowness,
anu MS loose uupeu partner, VINO BIlll
sprawled on the cabin roof, chuckled
with easy amusement. But the breezo
held long enough for their purpose.
They ran up above the steamer, and tho
stream ground their planking against
the rust streaked iron. A pair of davft
falls hung down, with the blocks weed
covered In with water, and overhauling
one of these they made II fast round
the bits. Then, swarning up the other
fall, the whole five OF them gained the
bridge deck above.
Instinctively when once their feet
were on the warm gray planks each
man, black and white, handled his
weapon ready to fight any one, as
might be demanded Of him, but no one
appeared to seek explanation of their
presence, and from starting about
them they took to staring at one an
other rather foolishly. II one has been
expecting a brisk game OF murder, and
one meets with empty silence, 1t rather
spoiis the sequence OF ideas.
Come to think Of It," said Hank In
an oppressive whisper, IF there'd been
an anchor watch, they'd have hailed us
before we got this far. bet the old
mans asleep IN the charthouse.
'Twouldn't be bad idea to bottle him."
Continued Next Weekly