River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-02-25
sIeus was soap Doxes-teeny WOODEN

| in the middle Of the river an busted If
open. Eggs-full of 'em, all packed in
sawdust- Smoke. you an me lost
| We've been gamblin'. Dye know what
| be had the gall to say to me? That
they was all ourn at SO a egg. Dive
| know what he was dom when l left
his cabin? Drawn a sign of eggs for
sale. Said he'd give US first choice at
ten a throw till 2 p. NJ. and after that
! if we didn't come across he'd bust the
market higher u kite"
Its all right" Smoke said cheer
fully. Quick action and team play is
all that's needed. III get Wild Water
here at o'clock to take delivery Of
eggs. You buy that Gautereaux's
eggs. Even if you pay $40 apiece for
them, Wild Water will take them off
our hands at the same price. If you
can get them cheaper-why, we make
a profit as we'll Have them here by
not later than o'clock. Borrow Colo
mel Bowie's dogs and take our team"
Smoke found Wild Water at the NJ.
& NJ, and q stormy half hour ensued.
Il warn you we've picked up some
more eggs" Smoke said after Wild
Water had agreed to bring his dust to
the cabin at 2 o'clock and pay on deliv-
cry.
you're luckier at finding eggs than
me-" Wild Flower admitted. 'Now,
how many eggs have you got now-an'
how much dust do tote up the hfllY'
Smoke consulted his notebook. LAS it
stands now, according to Shorty's fig
ures, we've 1862 eggs. Multiply by
ten"-
Forty thousand dollars!' Wild Wa
ter beloved. "You said there was only
something like 900 eggs, It's a stick
up. l won't stand for itv'
Smoke drew the contract from his
pocket and pointed to the pay on deliv-
cry. mo mention is made of the num-
Der of eggs to be delivered. You agreed
to pay $40 for every egg we delivered
to you. Well, we've got the eggs, and
signed contract is a signed contract.
Honestly, though, Wild Water, we
didn't know about those other eggs
until afterward. Then we had'to buy
them in order to make our corner
good"
For five long minutes, in choking
silence, Wild Water fought battle
with himself, then reluctantly gave in.
'I'm in bad" he said brokenly. I'll
be there at o'clock. But $4O,0OO!'
At 80 Shorty arrived with Gaute-
reaux's eggs. I'VE pretty near double
our winnings" Shorty told Smoke as
they piled the soap boxes inside the
cabin. II holds 'em down to $S, and aft
er he cussed loco in French he falls for
it. Now, that's So clear profit to US for
each egg"
Promptly at 2 O'Clock Shorty, peep
ing, saw Wild Water coming up the
hill When he entered he was brisk
and businesslike.
Bring on them eggs, you pirates"
he commenced AN after this day, If
you know what's good for you, never
mention eggs to me again"
They began on the miscellaneous as
sortment of the original corner, all
three men counting. When 200 had
been reached Wild Water suddenly
cracked an egg On the edge Of the table
and opened it deity with his thumbs.
"Hey, hold onl'' Shorty objected.
"It's my egg, amt itT' Wild Water
snarled. "I'm payin' SO for it, amt I?
But amt buyin' no pig In a poke.
When / cough up ten bucks an egg
want to know what I'm gettin'."
Wild Water looked and smiled.
That's Sood egg. Gimme pail I'm
goin' to eat it myself for supper"
Thrice again WNd Water cracked
good eggs experimentally and put them
in the pah beside him
1.-TWO more than you figured.
Shorty" he said at the end OF the
count. mime hundred an gixty-four.
not sixty-tw0"
my mistake" Shorty acknowledged
handsomely. We'll throw 'em IN for
good measure"
'+Guees you can afford to-" Wild
Water accepted grimiy. Pass the batch
SO, go TIL pay for It now. Write
receipt, Smoke"
Going to his fur coat, from each OF
the side pockets he drew forth two
sacks Of dust, so rotund and long
that they resembled bologna sausages.
When the first batch had been paid
for there remained in the gold sacks
not more than several hundred dollars.
A soap box was carried to the table.
and the count Of the $4,000 began. At
the end Of 100 Wild Water struck an
egg sharply against the edge of the ia
BILE. The resultant sound was like that
Of the striking Of a sphere Of solid
marble.
Frozen Solid" he remarked
"Ruhr' said Shorty. ut ought to
be solid, SEEM 1t has just been freight
ed up from Forty Mile. It'll take
ak to bust II"
Smoke brought the Ak and Wild Wa
ter split the egg cleanly In half. The
appearance Of the eggs interior was