Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-07-28
well, that puts 1t up to me. sup
,ose. I'm always the fall guy, damn

"Well, that puts 1t up to me. sup
pose. I'm always the fall guy, damn
it,"
you! You got" cried Emerson, as
tonished beyond measure at this offer,
and still doubling. The fellow had 80
consistently shirked every hardship,
and so systematically refused every
hazard, no matter how slight!
"Well, don't want to-" Fraser fiared
up, you can just lay bet on that.
But these siwashes won't stand the
gait, they're too wise; SO I've got to,
amt II" He glared belligerently
from one to the other.
Can you handle boat demanded
Big George.
Can I handle alumni" shifted
the fellow.
"say just because you've got corns
on your palms as big as pancakes,
you needn't think you're the only
human that ever pulled an oar. ! was
the first man through Miles Canon.
During the big rush In '9S ran the
rapids for living. got fifty dollars
a trip, and II, took me three minutes
by the watch. That was the only
easy money ever picked up. Why,
them tenderfeet used to cry Ike
babies when they got peek at them
rapids Can handle D. Yes,
and wish was back there right now
instead Of hitched up with pair OF
yaps that don't know when they're
we'll off"
But, look here. Fraser" Emerson
spoke up, IT don't think you are
strong enough for this trip. It may
take us forty-eight hours Of constant
padding against wind and tide to
Uyak George and are fit enough,
but you know you aren't"
"Fingerless" Fraser turned violently
upon the speaker.
Nov, for Heavens sake. cut that
out, will you? Just because you
happened to give me a little lift on
this cussed Katmai Pass. l spose
you'll never get done throwing 1t up
to me. NV feet were sore; that's why
I petered out. If it hadn't been for
my bum dogs I'd have walked both
|of you down; but they were sore
Can't you understand? My feet were
Sore"
He was whining now, and this
unexpected angle of the mans dis,
position completely confused the
others and left them rather at loss
what to say. But before they could
make any comment, he rose stiffly and
blazed forth:
But | won't start today. hurt
100 much, and my mits la froze. II
you want to wait till I'm healed up sc
can die In comfort, why, go aheao
aed buy that fool-killer boat, and vel
all commit suicide together. He
stumped Indignantly out of the room
his friends too greatly dumfoundec
even to smile.
For the next two days the meI
rested replenishing their strength;
but Fraser developed wolfish tempel
which turned him into verttable
chestnut burr. There was no handlinf
him. His scars were not deep no.
his hurts serious, however, so by thu
afternoon Of the second day he an
nounced, with surly distemper, that NJ
would be ready to leave on the fol
lowing morning, and the others &C
cordingly made preparation for an earl!
start. They selected the most sea
worthy canoe, which at best was
treacherous craft, and stocked 1t wei
with water, cooked food, and stimu
llants.
Since their arrival at Katmai the
weather had continued calm; ant
l,although the view they had through
| the frowning headlands showed the
Straits biz * and angry, they prayed
that the wind would hold OF for an
| other twenty-four hours. Again
Petellin importuned them to foregt
this journey, and again they turned
deaf ears to his entreaties and retired
early, to awaken with the rickety los
store straining at its cables under
the force of blizzard that had blottet
out the mountains and was rousinf
| the sea to fury. Fraser openly rejoicet
and Balt's heavy brows, which hat
carried a weight Of trouble, cleared
hut Emerson was plunged into as black
mood as that of the storm which
had swallowed up the landscape. Fol
three days the tempest held then
prisoners, then died as suddenly a:
| it had arisen; but the surf continued
to thunder upon the beach for many
hours. while Emerson looked on will
hopeless, cullen eyes. When at las
they did set out-a week, to q day
from their arrival at Katmai--it wal
to find snch a heavy sea running out
side the capes that they had hare
shift to make 1t back to the village
drenched, dispirited. and well-nigf
dead from the cold and fatigue. AL
though Fraser had fully recovered
from his collapse, he nevertheless
complained upon every occasion, ant
whined loudly at every ache. HI
voiced his fortunes eloquently. ane
bewailed the fate that had brough
| his fortunes to such an ebJ, burden