The Garland globe. [volume] (Garland, Utah) 1906-191?, 1909-03-13


ciphered this message:
the dav Jones is up st francis River. |
II was not signed and the writing
showed that its author was in no
sense a scholar. | was bordering over
II when Parlow came in to tell me that
the gasoline launch was ready for my
derar'--e whenever ! wished to set
out. had not really intended going
on q cruise, as | thought the boat
would be found in day or so. but the
anonymous letter had put the idea In
my head I showed the note to Par
low and he became highly excited.
He swore. That's just what thought
they'd do. They've run out there In
the swamps to pick the boat to pieces
so that they can find my gold. There
amt no gold aboard 1t, but them thiev-
ing river-rats think there is, and this
Amt the first time they've tried to
get at it.
We lef. about one O'Clock AMI made
RAPID time down the river ] had Oft
en- seen the Mississippi river during
flood but | had never fully Understood
its Irresistible force until this trip
down 1t in the 30foot launch We
travelled at the rate of rsce'horse.
Parlow wanted to run after nishifall,
and white was more In favor OF tying
up, he and Wastrow assured me that
travelling was absolutely safe ana, as
they were experienced river men and
seemed 10 understand the boat and
the river, too, | consented and turned
in making a bed on the locker seat OF
the forward cabin. My bed was little
cramped and the situation was novel
one bat soon dropped asleep and
dent wake until It was broad day
light next morning.
1t was close to noon when we turned
sharp bend in the river, which Par
low told me was 30 miles from the
Mississippi. On tho farther shore there
was a depression In the treeline, which
Parlow said indicated that slough or
lead put out there. and that If II were
followed up one would probably ind
lake back in the timber. I looked
at Il curiously, and was on the point
of asking some question when Was
trow, who was steering, became great
ly excited and called Parlow TO his
side. He pointed across the river at
the mouth of the slough and seemed
to be endeavoring to show some OBJ
ject to his companion. Parlow saw 1t
in an instant, and the boats Prov was
headed for It, | couldn't make out
what they had discovered, although
strained my eyes, as ] asked what 1t
was.
Parlow pointed with his long, skinny
arm at tree limb which had been
broken half off near the trunk and
which dangled down, hanging by a
strip of bark. saw, even al that dis
lance. that the break was white and
/ fresh. My companions seemed TO at
tach the greatest weight to It, for they
gesticulated and pointed at 1t, talking
excitedly all the while.
We were now approaching II closely,
and | suddenly saw Parlow grab up
his rife and point II at streak on
the trunk of the tree in which hung
the broken limb. saw what he re-
ferred to, and as we ran close beside
Il | saw that II was a smudge of paint
and splinters of wood as IL something
had rubbed against II. Then | real
lied the purport Of these signs and did
not need the excited explanation that
the rivermen gave me. We slowed the
engine down until its mufiied exhaust
was scarcely audible and stealthily
crept into the narrow slough that ran
back into the timber. The men were
sure that some boat had run up this
slough, and felt that they were right,
and that IL must be the vessel that
we were after for no sane pilot would
drive boat into such channel un'
less he We're endeavoring to find a
place of conceament
1t was tortuous course through the
forest, by this narrow slough, or lead
fringed with stately cypress trees
standing as straight as arrows. Ever
my inexperienced eye could detect tha
the boat had surely passed alonl
the channel ahead of us. The drift
was disordered and willows and sap
lings were broken off here and there
AS we proceeded. the rivermel
gripped their rifles nervously an
r peered ahead through the open wiz
dow of the cabin with baleful glare O
! nanthers. They swept every bit of tn