Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1910-09-29

I
lowed suit
Emerson fell into a deep sleep. and
IL was late in the day when he awoke.
every muscle aching. every joint stiff.
every step attended with pain. He
found his companions up and already
brea tasted. Big George none the worse
for his ordeal while Fraser. bandaged
and smarting was his old shrewd self
Have you heard about the mail
boat:'' asked Emerson
NO"
We've missed her"
What dyou 2" demanded Big
George blankly.
IL mean that that storm delayed us
just long enough TO ruin US"
"Why-er-let's wait till the next
trip" offered the fisherman.
Emerson shook his head. she may
not be back here for eight weeks. No!
We're done for"
Bait was like big boy in distress.
His face wrinkled as If he were about
TO burst into loud lamentations. Then
thought seized him.
W mere III bIdHSS II bLlS STEAMER.
he cried
"Out TO the westward somewhere"
We'll. she's a mail boat. amt she?
Then why don't she stop here coming
back? Answer me-"
| The rotund man shrugged his fat
shoulders. She's got to call at Uyak
I bay going east"
Emerson looked up quickly. Where
is Uyak bay"
Over on Kadiak island"
When is the boat due at Uyak?"
! Emerson asked.
Most any time inside Of week"
/ How far is that from here?"
1T amt so far-only about fifty
miles" Then. catching the light that
famed into the miners eyes, Petellin
FASTENED 10 observe: But you can't
get there. It's across the straits-Shel-
ikof straits"
What of that! We can hire sail
boat and
Il amt got any sailboat. lost my
sloop last year hunting sea otter"
I'VE can hire small boat of some
sort. can't we. and get the natives to
put us across There must be plenty
of boats here"
Nothing but skin boats. kayaks and
bidarkas, you know Anyhow. you
couldn't cross at this time OF year
it's too stormy. These straits is the
worst piece of water on the coast.
No; you'll have to wait"
Emerson stared hopeIessly at the
fire.
The disheartened man started at this
juncture as if Il sudden thought i'm
PEELED him and followed Bait out into
the cold. He turned down the bank to
the creek. however, aud made care
full examination of all the canoes that
went with the village Fifteen min
utes later he had searched out the dis.
grunted fisherman and cried excited
ly:
1--WE got it, Wen catch that boat
yetv'
Howl" growled the big man sourly.
There's large open skin boat. an
oomiak. down on the beach Well hire
crew Of Indians to put us across to
Uyak."
Cant be DONE" said Big George.
still gruf1y. ITS the wrong season
You know the Shelikof straits is a bad
place even for steamships at this time
of year. They're like that pass up
yonder, only worse"
But it's only fifty miles across"
of 49, III,
in an open canoe may be just as bad
as 500-unless you're lucky. And
amt noticed anything so darned lucky
about u.s."
Its our only chance. Are you
gamer
Come on" cried Big George; let's
find Petelllnv
That worthy uttered a shrek Of de-
NAL.
In summer, yes but now-you can't
do 1t. 1t has been tried too often. The
straits is always rough. and the
weather is too cold to sit all day In
an oomiak; you'd freeze"
well chance It."
mo. no, no! If it comes on to storm
you'll 60 to sea. The tides are strong;
you can't see your course and
We'll use a compass. Now. you get
me enough men to handle that oomiak;
that's good fellow. I'll attend to the
rest"
But they won't co." declared the
little fat man. They know what it
means Why
"Call them In. I'll do the talking"
And accordingly the sfnrakee ner went