Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-06-02

a cabin load of sleepy directors. they
suddenly perked up with a chorus Oh
questions concerning the ~irresponsl-
Bile little scamp"
Yes, | had found him in the interior
of the island. He had fallen In Win
some Indians, and, well, to be quite
frank, he had asked me II the man
agement and directors missed him,
and if | would convey to them his
apologies for leaving camp without
the usual polite exchange Of a good
bye and 30 forth.
This twaddle ~exasperated them as
had intended. Their language OF and
concerning little Dickson shall have
to be fumigated before public use can
be made Of 1t.
My violent and obsequiops friend,
Captain Furioso, and | were alone In
the wheel house where he kept his
eyes on the company's mail bag. AS
espied the bag a villainous idea seized
upon me.
Have a smoke, Cap'n?' I offered
the bandit this bit of eastern hos.
pitality in my most persuasive
pianissimo.
"Cap'n," l began, leaning over his
smelly, little black and tan figure IN
a confidential, warm-hearted manner,
"Cap'n, l wrote DR.. Bumpus OF Juneau
a letter at the mine which l think
ought not to send him until | have
seer some one In Seattle. Just let me
open that bag a minute and I'll with
draw it before 1 forget 1t in the rush
at K~etchikan."
Cert" piped the captain, like the
good, brave soul that he Is, heres
the key" Then looking around fierce
ly at nothing, he half whispered:
Just turn the key in the wheel
chewsitt might butt in afore you
done it."
So, having done it" in a jiffy, I felt
assured that the temporary custody OF
DR.. Bumpus' letter gave me control OF
the situation created by my all-too-
p%recipitate friends. the directors.
Just before we sailed from Ketchi-
kan I enclosed the Bumpus letter In
one of my own and addressed 1t back
to the company's manager at the mine.
These letters, therefore, went to the
mine on the Mary AIMS return trip
and were In the managers hands on
the fourth day following u depar-
ture from Ketchikan for Vancouver.
This is what I wrote the manager,
a man preposterously jealous Of his
official prerogative:
IT beg to enclose the letter you ad-
dressed to DR.. Bumpus pursuant to the
direction Of your board while I was In
camp. In a fortnight ID. Dickson will
return and explain the important service
he has been rendering your company.
"InaSmuch as my counsel and ADVICE
concerning your company has been the
object of my examination of its proper
ties and affairs, ] suggest that nothing
be said to apprise DR.. Dickson OF the
action Of your board, nor of It's injustice
to him. I should regard the doctors
resignation from your staff. at this time,
as a serious calamity.
Meantime, I am explaining the doc
tors absence to the directors while they
are on their way to Vancouver.
Great little runt, that camp doctor
at the mine" I s~oliloquized, as we
finally debarked from the steamer and
settled into a Pullman bound for Sc
attic.
whats that?" came a ~screeching
and derisive chorus. Hes a little
beast, and If"
Nov, see here, gentlemen, I've de.
termined to raise o to the lofty level
of that little cut, between here and
Seattle, or wreck this train In the at
tempt"
So l told them Of the heroism OF
this runt of the wilderness, n heard
" --.u11. o-I eow THAR fooro THAR
hedging and squirming and justifying
and all that men do whose conduct
should bring regret and remorse.
A month thereafter I received this
assuring report:
"Ketchikan. IS. Alaska
Dear Mr.. Bobs:
"I,m we'll againf btu badly pocked. Got
away from the Cape as soon as ! dared,
and came here. The squaw pulled
through, but her Riddles died. I envy
them, The buck was almost decent while
T was down. Still, I've a mind to lick
him aplenty when I get strong again.
1.-TWO of the Boys went to the mine,
sneaked my things aboard the Mary Ann,
and left my written respects FOR that
manager. 1 shall have him also to bea'
up when he comes my way. There's g
rrmor here that he has been discharged
i've heard something of what you die
for me with them chronological gents
from the East. Much obliged I'm COINS
to hammer the binacle off the one with
the blue whiskers when he comes &c
Alaska again. Keep this quiet. so IL
have him to look forward to.
Much obliged for the port wine and
other good things from New York. In
going on the staff Of the Nellie Mine mex
month. A big bunch of the boys at the
Coplan Mine want to go with me, but ]
won't do that sort of thing.
Yours In Iodoform,
Doc"
Eleven lays later l received the
following telegram from the jubilan'
Dickson:
Met ard mangled the manager to
day. He's in hospital. I'm in jail
All the boys satisfied.