The San Francisco call., 1910-06-12
By ARTHUR i. PRIcE

Frank as he hoed his row Of potatoes,
heard the sound of firing coming from
Dwiggins wood lot.
There, he thought, was some one
ahead of him shooting all the rabbits
in the country, and there would be
none left for him that afternoon when
he would have his time to hunt 1t
was on Saturday and the hunt had
been promised him long before And
even though 1t was to be a short after
noon in the woods with his gun, and
not the bear hunt in the timber that
he had planned for that spring, still it
would be something to enjoy, some
thing to remember. and the rabbits
would add to the Sunday dinner table.
Later on, when the potatoes were har-
vested and sold AMI he had all the
money from the crop he could get off
on his bear hunting trip.
A IA year old boy like Frank can go
far on the proceeds of a crop Of pota-
toes
Often during the morning he had to
grip his hoe with determination to keep
from obeying the restless impulse and
running to Dwiggin's lot to see the
hunters. After he had heard the vol
leys repeated time and again he con-
cluded that they could not be hunting
rabbits. The shooting was confined to
too small a spot. Sometimes he heard
pack of dogs barking and baying and
that added to the mystery Of the hap
penings.
In a drowsy spring time with the
sun shining overhead and few weeds
to slaughter with the keen blade of the
hoe, there is much time for musing
Frank mused all over the country side.
and particularly on the mysterious
sounds that came from Dwiggin's wood
lot.
When he reached the house for din
ner. after he had sluiced off layer upon
layer of caked dust and sweat that en-
crusted his forehead. he found that his
elder brother also had a mystery to
present to the family.
tThere must be. bunch of white
gipsies camping overs at Dwiggin's
place." he said. II met the funniest
outfit in the county this morning as I
was driving out with the mail. There
was a wagon loaded with apparatus
that looked like big cameras with
strong legs, lot of guns and band
of about 80 people. including several
pretty girls with fluffy hair. and be-
hind came man leading a trained
bear with muzzle on. was going to
stop and asked them what the picnic
was, but as soon as the sorrel mare
sighted the bear she went on her hind
legs, and by the time l had got her
quieted down again the parade was
passed. They turned into Dwiggins
place and I drove on.
mo one met along the road seemed
to have any idea of what this company
was. Some people thought they were
a travelling theatrical company, but If
they were that why did they turn into
Dwiggin's lot. unless they were busted
and had to camp until they would get
money enough to get back to San Fran
cisco. where all those theatrical people
come from?'
Further expression of opinion was
stopped and the mystery OF the strange
company was deepened sby the sudden
entrance of Joe, the hired man. Joe
had. been over on the upper part of the
ranch, and he had the most wonderful
story OF all to tell
"Why. those woods over at Dwiggin's
ave full of Indians and cutthroats and
robbers" he shouted. "They are shoot
ing each other full of holes. i swear.
l looked across the canyon and 1 saw
lot of Indians doing war dance,
while some white men looked on and
yelled at them"
what were they yelling?" asked
Frank.
81 cnnldn,t hear much rnnlina L.