The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-03-22
i the 6rst steamboat that cAanced

rection or the other BY tomorrow at
--latest, or, II not, she and Poleon could
Isend back succor to him from the first
habitation they encountered The two
men disappeared again, and her fears
had begun to prey on her second
time when she beheld the big Cana
dian returning. He was hurrying a
Lbit, apparently to be rid of the mos
quitoes that swarmed about him, and
she marked that, in addition to whip
hping himself with handful Of black
/ berry bushes, he wore Runnion's coat
to protect his shoulders.
Wool! Dose skeeter bug is hon
cry" he cried.
aDis nice batteau,v Poleon remarked
critically; II max it 60 fas',"< and be-
gan to row swiftly, seeking the breeze
of the open river in which to shake
off the horde of stinging pests that
thad risen with the sun. II come way
queeck without t'inkin' bout gun or
skeeter net or not'in'. Runnion she's
lem me dis coat, so mebbe dom look
so worse lax do JUS now, eh?"
| I1OW ulu yOu lCdtC 40 AC
badly injured?'
"No; l bus it up on de face an de
rib, but she's feelin' good now. Yes,
I'm leave i'm nice place for stop an
wait on de steamboat-plaintee spruce
bough for set on"
She began to shudder again, and,
sensitive to her every motion, he asked
solicitously if she were sick, but she
shook her head.
'I-I-was thinking what-supposing
you hadn't come! Oh, POleon, you
don't know what you saved me FROM"
She leaned forward and laid tiny,
grateful hand ON the huge brown paw
that rested on his oar. II wonder IL
can ever forget!'
She noted that they were running
with the current and inquired:
Where are we going?"
WAL, / can't pull dis boat 'gainst
dat current, so l guess we pass on till
l fin my shirt, den bimeby we pick it
up some steamboat an go home"
Five miles below his quick eye de-
tected his half submerged bark
lodged beneath some Overhanging frs
which from the waters action had
fallen forward into the stream, and by
rare good fortune it was still upright,
although awash. He lowed it to the
next sand bar, where he wrung out
and donned his shirt, then tipped the
water from the smaller craft and
making it fast astern Of the Peterbor
ough, set out once more. Toward
noon they came in sight of little
stern wheeled craft that pulled and
battered manfully against the sweep
ing current, hiding behind the points
and bars and following the slackest
water.
'.It's the mission boat!' cried Necia
Its the mission boat. Father Barnum
will be aboard"
She waved her arms madly and min
gled her voice with PoleOn'S until a
black robed figure appeared beside the
pilOthousc.
Father Barnumw she screamed. and
recognizing her. he signaled back.
Soon they were alongside, and pair
of Siwash deck hands lifted Necia
aboard, Doret following after, the
painter CT the Peterborough in his
teeth. He dragged both canoes cut of
the boiling tide and laid them bottom
up ON the forward Geek. then climbed
the narrow little airs to find Necia
in the arms of a Genignunt. white
haired priest, the best beloved man on
the Yukon, who broke away from the
girl to greet the Freno Imam. his kind
face aIight with establishment.
"What is all this | hear? Slowly,
Doret, slowly. My little girl is talk
ing too furiousIy for these poor old
wits to follow. | can't understand.
am amazed What is this tale:'
Together they told him. while his
blue eyes now opened wide with Won
der, now grew soft with pity. then
blazed with Indignation. When they
had finished he laid his hand upon
Doret's shoulder
my son, thank God for your good
body and your clean heart. You saved
our Necia, and you will be rewarded.
/ AO W tHlo--iliui 1Aulli1Ohs wv
must find him, and he must be scgt
out of the country
/ 1t required some pressure to per-
suade the trenchman, but at last he
consented, and as the afternoon drew
to close the little steamboat came
squattering aud wheeling up to the
bar where Runnion had built his fire
that morning, and a long, shrill blast
summoned him from the point above.
When he did not appear the priest took
Poleon and his round faced. silent
crew Of two and went up. the bank,
but they found no sign of th4 Grip
pied man-only a few rags, trampled
patch Of brush at the forests edge,
and that was ALL The springy moss
showed no tran. The thicket gave no
answer to their cries, although they
spent an hour In a scattered search
and sounded the steamboats, whistle
again and again.
Hes try for walk it back to camp"
said Doret. 'Mebbe he ain hurt SO
much, after ALL"