Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-09-22
Maybe seven or eight wceks"

nun CROPPED Tor the counter to support |
himself. SO the storms delay at the
FOOT Of the pass had undone him! |
rate. IN the guise of winter. had I'M
furled those floating snow banners |
from the mountain peaks to thwart
him once more.
Out of consideration for his compan-
ions Emerson did not acquaint them /
with the evil tidings until the next |
morning; moreover, he was swallowed
up In black despair and had no heart
left In him for any further exertion
He had allowed the Russian to show
him to bed. upon which he flung him
self. half dressed. while the others fol-
lowed suit
Emerson fell into n deep sleep. and
1t 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
breakfasted. Big George none the worse
for his ordeal, while Fraser. bandnged
and smarting, was his old shrcwd self
"1lave you heard about the mail
boat?" asked Emerson.
NO"
"We've missed her"
What d'you mean" demanded Big
George blaukiy
II mean that that storm delayed us
just long enough to ruin u.s.
"Why-er-let's wait till the next
trip" offered the fisherman.
uh
not be buck here for eight weeks NO.
We're done for
Bait was like q big boy in distress
His face wrinkled ns if he were about
to burst into loud lamentations. Then
thought seized him.
"Where in blazcs Is this steamer"
he cried.
"Out to the westward somewhere"
well. she's mail boat. amt she?
Then why don't she stop here coming
back? Answer me"
The rotund man shrugged his Fat
buy going east"
Emerson looked up quickly. "Where
is Uyak bay"
over on Kndiak island"
when Is the boat due at Uyak?"
Emerson asked.
Most any time inside Of week"
How far is that from here?"
ut amt so far-Only about fifty
miles" Then. catching the light that
famed into the miners eyes. Petelin
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
II amt got any sailboat l 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 lat 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 hopelessly at the
! fire.
| The diSheartened man started at this
juncture as IL sudden thought i'm
PEELED him and followed Bait out into
! the cold He turned down the bank to
the creek. however and made a care
ful examination OF all the canoes that
went with the village. Fifteen min.
utes later he had searched out the dis
gruntled fisherman and cried excited
":
i've got It,. Well catch that boa,
YETI"
How" growled the big man sourly
There's II large open skin boat. ar
oomiak. down on the beach Well hire
a crew Of Indians to put us across to
Uyak."
Cant be DONE" said Big George
still gruffly. Its the wrong season
You know the Shelilof straits is bad
place even for steamships at this time
Of year. They're like that pass VI
yonder. only worse"
Tut it's only fifty miles across"
Fifty miles of that kind of water
in an open canoe may be just as bad
rs 5O0-unless you're lucky. And
mint noticed anything SO darned lucky
about u.s."
ITS our only chance. Are you
game?"
Come on" cried Big George; "let's
find Petellin"
That worthy uttered shrek Of de
NAL.
in summer. yes. but now-you cant
do It, 1t has been tried too often. The
straits is always rough. and the
weather is too cold to sit all day in
an oolniak; you'd freeze"
well chance It,"
mo. no. no. II it comes on to storm
you'll go to sea. The tides are strong
you can't see your course and
"We'l use a compass. Now. you ge
me enough men to handle that oomiak
that's a good fellow. I'll attend to tho
rest"
But they won't co." declared The
little fat man. "They know what i
means. Why
"Call them in. I'll do the talking.
And accordingly the storekeeper Wen
in search OF the village chief. shakin:
his head and muttering ut the mad
ness OF these people.
But 1t all proved useless. The ma
tives would not risk it. Desperate thu
three men fitted up boat themselves
and resolved to make the attempt