Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1908-12-02
..nMn TO wait.

Gown to wait.
This was the hardest part, bnt a
July night is short tere at Mackinac,
and the dawn came at last, gray and
dreary. A little later the five voy-
ageurs. burst through the bushes and
came running, down across the beach.
xi"Hold onl" said,. raising my gun.
They all stopped short. Francois,
with great volley of French oaths,
asked what-,I was doing.
SCI want you to go back to Mack
mac with, me-" I said. II told you
Francois, that I wouldn't tell Mr..
Crooks or Mr.. Stewart that you were
going. and, haven't told them; but
1 didn't suppose that you were going
to break into the warehouse and
steal the best of the furs. Now I've
taken your guns and your provisions
and oars and thrown them into the
lake. You can't 80 on without them.
II you'll go back to Mackinac and
give yourselves up, I'll try to get Mr..
Stewart to be, easy on you; but II
you won't, I'll go back myself and
tell him where you are"
"You will, hey?'t and Francois
dashed forward without needing my
gun. Before he could reach the
bateau 1 cut the cord, and with a
quick shove sent the canoe we'll out
from shore.
But Alec Prevanche caught up a
heavy stone and threw 1t. 1t struck
my paddle and grazed the gunwale
without doing any damage. Two
inches lower and it would have
crashed through the birch-bark sides
as if they had been paper.
TRY that again and I'll shoot
you!" remarked, and brought the
rifle to my shoulder.
Alec picked up another stone, but
the other men took him by the
arms and held him.
"I'll give you ten minutes to think
it over" 1 said, "and if you are not
ready to start by that time I'll CO."
The five went off among the bushes
to. hold consultation, but they soon
reappeared.
You've got us tight" Francois
said. eff we go back will you fix it
with Mr.. Stewart and Mr.. Crooks?"
1 told them I would try to do so,
and they took their places in the
bateau, looking sulky and muttering
French curses.
Alec stood in the stern and sculled
with the one oar that was left, and
1 followed in the canoe. The short
summer gale had nearly blown itself
out and the wind was rapidly sub
siding.
We had made our way several
miles up the shore of the island and
were nearing its southwestern point,
when Francois gave a shout. A
bateau full of men was coming round
the point, and in it's bow stood Mr..
Stewart. The sight was too much
for the deserters., They ran their
boat ashore and dashed across the
beach and into the woods.
never saw them again, but l
afterward learned from Indians that
they remained on the island for some
time. living on berries and a little
corn which they had carried up from
the bateau from the spot where l
had found them. They finally built
a raft of driftwood. crossed over to
the south shore, and made their way
through the woods and along the
beach to Detroit and Lower Canada.
No one ever knew how they got the
bale of furs out of the warehouse.
Well, that nights work helped me
to tell the whole truth to Mr.. Stew
art. Two weeks later my prepara-
tions were all made for going back
into the Indian country in charge of
two bateaux and half dozen men.
The brigade to which was assigned
was to leave the next morning, and
in the evening I was summoned to
the private Office. where found Mr..
Crooks and MIR. Stewart.
They both greeted me kindly, and
Mr.. Crooks handed me two letters
and told me to look them over. The
first, which had been brought by a
schooner just arrived from Buffalo.
was from my mother, and told me
that my sister had recovered. The
other was my commission, authoriz-
ing me to act as an agent Of the
American Fur Company in the In
dian country. I have never forgot
ten the concluding words Of the let
ter that accompanied it; they were:
Accept our individual thanks, as
we'll as those which we give on be-
half of the. American Fur Company,
for the zeal you have at all times
evinced, and your unremitting atten-
ton to the interests Of the concern. "
It was more than I deserved, for
1. had not been all the time jealous
and attentive. But it does come men
good to get more than they deserve.
felt bound to deserve after that.
The next morning took my seat
in my bateau AM sailed away up the
Straits. of Mackinac, my five years
service fairly begun. When 1t was
ended, 1 had done so well for John
Jacob Astor and his partners that I
found them disposed to do well by
me.-Youth's Companion.