Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1912-04-18

". "You amt got the stren'th, oil
man. You don't know them mountains,
nuther. You'd be helpless on a pair O.
snow shoes; there amt anything you
could do, you'd jest be a drag on us.
Without sayin anything about myself,
witch I'm too modest for that, there
amt three better men In Colorado TO
tackle this job than Jim Armstrong
an Bob Maitland an Well, as l
said, won't mention no other names"
God bless you all, gentlemen" fall
tered Stephen Maitland. 81 think, per
haps, | may have been wrong, little
prejudced against the west. You are
men that would do honor to any family,
to any society in Philadelphia or any
where else"
Lord love ye," drawled Kirkby. his
eyes twinkIing. There amt no three
men on the Atlantic seaboard that kin
match up with two of us yere, to say
nothin' Of the third"
WELL" said Robert Maitland, the
thing now is to decide on what's to be
| DONE"
my PLAN" said Armstrong, "is to 60
to the old camp.
"Yep,p said Kirkby, that's a good
point of departure, as my seafarin' ia
ther down Cape Cod way used to say;
an wot's next?"
Il am going up the canon instead OF
down." said the man, with flash of
/ inspiration.
"That amt no bad idea, nuther,"
assented the old man. I'VE looked the
ground over pretty thoroughly down
the canon. Mebbe we can find some
thing up It,"
"And what do you propose to take
with your" asked Maitland.
"What we can carry on the backs Of
men. We will make a camp some
where about where you did. We can get
enough husky men up at Morrison who
will pack in what we want, and with
that as basis we will explore the up
per reaches of the range"
"And when do we start?"
"There is a train for Morrison in
two hours" answered Armstrong. 1--WE
can get what we want in the way of
sleeping bags and equipment between
now and then, If we hurry about II"
'Ef we are goin to do It, we might
as we'll git move on u.s." assented
Kirkby, making ready to go.
Right" answered Robert Maitland
grimly. when three men set out tC
make fools of themselves, the sooner
they get at 1t and get over will
It the better. I've got some bust
ness matters to settle. You two
get what's needed, and I'll bear m,
share"
A week later little band Of men OF
snow shoes, wrapped in furs to theil
eyes, every one heavily burdened Will
o pack, staggered into the clearing
where once had been pitched the Matt
= land camp. The place was covered
with snow, Of course, but on shelf O
rock half way up the hogback, the!
found a comparatively level clearing
and there, all working like beavers
: they built a rude hut which they GOV
cred with canvas and then with tight
ly packed snow, and which would
keep the three who remained from
freezing to death. Fortunately the!
were favored with a brief period o
pleasant weather, and a few day
served to make sufficiently habitabl,
I camp, Maitland, Kirkby and Arm
d strong worked with the rest. Their
| was no thought of search at first; thei
0 lives depended upon the erection of
suitable shelter and 1t was not unit
{ the helpers, leaving their burdens be
/ hind them, had departed, that tn
three men even considered what wa
t to be done next.
g I'VE must begin systematic scare
Q tomorrow" said Armstrong decisive
3 ly, as the three men sat around tn
s cheerful fire in the hut.
YES" assented Maitland. "Shall W
:. so together, or separately?'
Separately, of course. We are a
Q hardy ard experienced men. Nothin
II is apt to happen to us. We will NEE
a here every night and plan the mex
l. days work. What do you say, Kirl
8 byr ,-L.