Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-07-28

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Have you heard about the mail
boat?"
mo"
We've missed her."
what d'you mean?" demanded Big
George, blankly.
Il mean that the storm delayed us
just long enough to ruin U.s."
"Why-er-let's wait till the next
trip" offered the fisherman.
Emerson shook his head, "She may
rot 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
q thought seized him.
"I'll tell you what we'll do" he
cried with heavy attempt at meeting
the problem. We'll put off the scheme
for q year. Well take plenty of time
and open up year from next spring"
NO" said Emerson, with detected
shake of the head. IF can't put 1t
through on the flash, can't do 1t at
all. My time Is up. I'm down and out.
All our pretty plans have gone to
smash. You'd better go back to Kalvik,
George"
At this suggestion, Bait rose pom
derously and began to rave. To see his
vengeance slip from his grasp enraged
him. He cursed shockingly, clinching
his great fists above his head, and
grinding forth imprecations which
caused Fraser to quail and cry out
aghast:
Hey, you! Quit that! D'you want
to hang Jonah onto us?
But the fisherman only goaded him
self into a greater passion, during
which Petellin, the storekeeper, en-
tered, and forthwith began to cross
himself devoutly. Observing this fer
vent pantomime, Bait turned upon the
trader and directed his outburst at
him:
Where in hell is this steamer"
"Out to the westward somewhere"
"Well, she's mail boat, amt she?
Then why don't she stop here coming
back? Answer mel"
The rotund man shrugged his tat
shoulders. "She's got to cali at Uyak
Bay going east"
Emerson looked up quickly. Where
is Uyak Bay?"
"Over on Kodiak Island" Big George
answered. then turned again to vent
his spleen upon the trader.
what right have them steamboat
people got to cut out this place for an
empty cannery? Why, there amt no.
body at Uyak It's more of that damned
company business. They own this
whole country, and run 1t to suit them
selves"
"She amt my boat" said Petellin.
you'd ought to have got here few
days sooner"
'My God! I'm sorry we waited at
the pass" said Emerson. "The
weather couldn't have been any worse
than 1t was when we came across"
Detecting in this remark criticism
Of his caution. Big George turned
about and faced the speaker; but as he
met Emerson's eye he checked the ex-
plosion, and, selling his cap. bolted
out into the cold to walk of his mad
rage
when is the boat due at Uyak?'
Emerson asked.
Most any time inside OF a 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 to observe: "But you can't
get there. It's across the Straight =
Shelikof Straits"
what Of that! We can hire sail
boat, and"
~ amt got any sail-boat. los. my
sloop last year hunting ses-otter."
1--WE can hire small boat OF some
sort, cant 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 sank hack into his chair,
and stared hopelessly at the fire.
Better have some breakfast the
trader continued; but the other only
shook his head. And after a farewell
squirt of curiosity, the fat man rolled
out again in pursuit Of his duties.
"I've heard tell of these Shelikof
Straits" Fraser remarked. Il bunked
with bear-hunter from Kodiak once,
and he said they was certainly some
hell in winter. When Emerson made
no reply, the fellows colorless eyes
settled upon him with trace of solicit
tude, and he resumed. I'm doggone
sorry you lost out, pal, but mebbe
somethingll turn up yet" Then, see
ing that. the young man was deaf to
his coincidence he muttered: $50 you've
got 'em again, Ell? y AS usual on
such occasions, he fell into his old
habit OF reading aloud, as it were, an
imaginary scene to himself.
eyes, I've got EN- again. says Mr..
Emerson, always eager to give entc--
tainment with the English language.
I am indeed blue this afternoon
Won'tyou talk to me? feel that tho
sound Of 2 dear friends voice ill
drive dull care away
Gladly says L; I am silent man
by birth and training, and my thoughts
is Jewels, but for you. I'll scatter them
at large, and you can take your pick
Now, this salmon business amt what
it's cracked up to be, after all. It's