The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-10-01
"Whatr' Emerson felt himself sick

s. ~
mo; she won't call here TIL next
month. and then If it's storming she'll
go on to the westward and land on her
way back"
"How long will that be?' -
maybe seven or eight weeks"
In his weakened condition the young
man CROPPED for the counter to support
himself. So the storms delay at the
foot of the pass had undone him!
Fate. in the guise of winter, had un-
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 exerton.
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 deep sleep, and
it 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; bandaged
and smart1ng, was his old shrewd self
"Have you heard about the mail
boat?" asked Emerson.
mo"
"We've missed her."
"What d'you mean?" demanded Big
George blankly.
II mean that that storm delayed US
just long enough to ruin U.S."
"Why-er-let's wait till tho 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 a big boy in distress.
His face wrinkled as ii he were about
to burst into loud lamentations. Then
a thought seized him.
"Where in blazes is this steamer"
he cried.
"Out to the westward somewhere"
"Well, she's a mail boat, amt she7
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
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-on1y 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 straits-Shel-
ikof straits
"what Of that! We can hire a sail
boat and"-
Il amt got any sailboat. lost my
sloop last year hunting sea otter.'
1--WE 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 watt"
Emerson stared hopelessly at the
fire.
The disheartened man started at this
juncture as If sudden thought i'm
PEELED him and followed Bait out into
the cold. He turned down the bank to
the creek. however, and made care
full 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
":
1--WE got it! Well catch that boat
yetw
"How?" growled the big man sourly.
"There's large open skin boat, an
oomiak. down on the beach. Well hire
a crew Of Indians to put Us across *
Uyak."
Cant be DONE" said Big George
still grufdy. ITS the wrong season
You know the Shelikof straits is bad
place even for steamships at this time
Of year. They're like that pass W
yonder, only worse"
"But it's only fifty miles ACROSS"
FIFTY miles Of that kind Of water
In an open canoe may be just as ba(
as 500-unless you're lucky. And
amt noticed anything 80 darned lucky
about u.s.
TITS our only chance Are 70,
gamer :
Come on" cried Big George; '1et''
Ind Petellinr'
That worthy uttered shrek OF de
NAL.
I'm summer. yes, but now-you cam
do 1t. It has been tried too often. TIL,
straits is always rough, and tn,
weather is too cold to sit all day II
an oomiak; you'd freeze"
| "We'll chance it."
mo, no, no! II it comes on to storm
you'll go to sea. The tides are strong