The Red Cloud chief., 1911-12-14
CHAPTER iv.-contlnusd.

In the meantime there was naught
to show for Il but hunch. -. But II was
coming. AS he would stake his last
ounce on a good poker hand. SO he
staked his life and effort on the hunch
that the future held in store q big
strike on the Upper River. So he and
his three companions. with dogs. and
sleds. and snowshoes. toiled up the
frozen breast OF the Stewart, toiled
on and on through the white wilder.
ness where the unending stiffness was
never broken by the voices Of men.
the stroke OF an ak, or the distant
crack OF a rife. Gold they found on
the bars. but not in paying quantities,
and In the following May they re.
turned to Sixty Mile.
Ten days later. Harper and Joe La.
due arrived at Sixty Mile. and Day.
light. strong to obey the hunch that
had come to him. traded a third in.
terest in his Stewart town site for
third interest In theirs on the Klondike.
They had faith In the Upper Country,
and Harper left downstream. with a
raft.load Of supplies. to start a small
post at the mouth Of the Klondike.
why don't you tackle Indian River.
Daylight" Harper advised, at part.
Ing. There's whole slathers OF creeks
and draws draining in up there, and
somewhere gold just crying to be
found. That's my hunch. There's
big strike coming. and Indian River
aint going to be million miles
away"
And the place Is swarming with
moose" Joe Ladue added. Bob Hen.
derson's up there somewhere. been
there three years now. swearing
something big IL going to happen.
living of'n straight moose and pros
pecting around like q crazy man."
Daylight decided to 60 Indian River
q hutter. a. he expressed It: and lin.
gered few days longer arranging his
measer OUTFIT He planned to 90 in
light. carrying pack Of seventy.Hve
pounds and making his I'VE dogs pack
a. we'll. Indian fashion. loading them
with thirty pounds each. Depending
on the report OF Ladue. he intended to
follow Bob Henderson's example and
live practically on straight meat.
When Jack Kearns' scow. laden with
the sawmill from Lake Linderman.
tied up at Sixty Mile. Daylight bun.
died his outfit and dogs on board.
turned his town-site application over
to Elijah to be flled. and the same day
was landed at the mouth Of Indiah
River. He continued down Hunker
to the Klondlke. and on to the sum.
mer fishing camp Of the Indians on
the Yukon.
Here for day he camped with Car.
mack. q squaw.man. and bis Indian
brother.in.law. Skookum Jim. bought
boat. and. with his dogs on board.
drifted down the Yukon to Forty Mile
Then It was that Carmack. his broth.
er-in.law. Skookum Jim. and Cultus
Charlie. another Indian. arrived In a
canoe at Forty Mile. went straight to
the gold commissioner. and recorded
three claims and discovery claim on
Beaanza Creek. After that. in the Sour.
dough Saloon. that night. they exhibit.
ed coarse gold to the skeptical crowd.
Daylight. too, was skeptical. and this
despite his faith In the Upper Coun.
try. Had he not. only few days be.
fore. seen Carmack loafing with his
Indians and with never a thought OF
prospecting? But at eleven that night.
sitting on the edge of his bunk and
unlacing his moccasins. thought
came to him. He put on his coat and
hat and went back to the Sourdough
Carmack was still there. flashing his
coarse gold In the eyes of an unbe.
lieving generation. Daylight ranged
alongside OF him and emptied Car.
macks sack into blower. This he
studied for long time Then. from
his own sack. into another blower. he
emptied several ounces OF Circle City
and Forty Mile gold. Again. for q long
time, he studied and compared. Final.
ly, he pocketed his own gold. returned
Carmacks. and held up his hand for
silence.
Boys. | want to tell you.ail some.
thing he'said. "She's sure come-the
up-rtver strike. And tell you.all.
clear and forcible. this is It. There
Amt never been gold like that In. q
blower in this country before. It's
new gold. It's got more silver In It.
You-all can sec II by the color. Car
mack's sure made strike. Whoall's
got faith to come along with met"
No one volunteered.
Then who-all II take Job from
me. cash wages In advance. to pole up
. thousand pounds Of grub!"
Curly Parsons and another. Pat
Mouahan. accepted. and. with his Gus.