River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-01-14


dawn a dozen boats were being loaded
with the precious outfits packed across
ChiIkoot They were clumsy. home
made boats. put together by men who
were not boat builders out OF planks
they had sawed by hand from green
spruce trees. One boat, already loaded.
was just starting. and Kit paused to
watch
This wind, which was fair down the
lake. here blew in squareIy ON the
beach. kicking up nasty sea In the
shadows The men OF the departing
boat waded in high rubber boots as
they showed it out toward deeper wa
Ter. Twice they did this Clanbering
aboard and failing to row clear. the
tnpat was swept back and grounded.
l.lt noticed that the spray on the sides
ri the boat quickly turned to ice. The
ihird attempt was a partial success.
The last two men to climb i'll were wet
10 their waists, but the boat was atioat.
They struggled awkwardly at the
heavy oars and slowly worked Oft
shore. Then they hoisted sail made
of blankets. had 1t carried away in
gust and were swept a third time back
on the freezing beach.
Kit grinned to himself and went on.
This was what be must expect to en-
counter. for he, too. in his new role OF
gentleman's man was to start from the
beach in similar boat that very day
Every where men were at work and
at work desperately, for the closing
down of winter was so imminent that
II was gamble whether or not they
would get across the great chain of
lakes before the freeZeup. Yet when
hit arrived at the tent of MeSsrs
Spragne and Slime be did not find them
stirring.
BY fire. under the shelter OF a tar
pau!in. squatted a short. thick man.
Hello" be said Are you Mr.
Sprague's new nanY
Kit nodded.
Well. I'm Doc Shines man." the
other went on. Pm i've feet two inch
es long an my names Shorty
short for short. Sit down an have
some grub. The bosses amt turned
out yet"
Thomas Stanley Sprague was q bud
ding mining engineer and the son Of
millionaire DR. AdOlph Slime was also
the son of wealthy father, and
through their fathers both had been
backed by an investing syndicate in
the Is londike adventure.
"Oh. they're sure made of money"
Shorty expounded when they hit
the beach at Dyea freight was 70 cents
but no Indians There was a party
from eastern Oregon. real miners.
that'd managed to get a team of In
dams together at 70 cents when along
comes Sprague an Slime. They of
fered so cents an 90. an at dollar
pound the Indians Jumped the con
tract an took off their straps. Slime
an Sprague came through, though it
cost them three thousand. an the Ore
gon bunch is still on the beach. They
won't get through till next year
Have another cup OF coffee. an
take IT from me that ! wouldn't travei
with no such outfit If J didn't want to
get to Klondike SO blamed bad They
amt hearted right Did you sign
contract?'
Kit shook his head
Then I'm sorry for you. pardner
They amt no grub In the country. an
they'll drop you cold as soon as they
hit Dawson. Men are going to starve
there this winter. What's your name,
pardnerY
Call me Smoke" said Kit
We'll. Smoke. you'll have q run for
your verbal contract just the same
They can sure shed mazuma. but they
can't work or turn ont OF bed In the
mornin We should have been loaded
an started an hour ago. It's yon an
me for the big work What dye know
about boatin' on the water? I'm a
cowInan an prospector. but I'm SURE
tenderfooted on water, an they don't
know punkins What dye known"
Search me-" Kit answered
1t was s O'Clock when the call for
coffee came from the tent and nearly
8 before the two employers emerged
Hello said Sprague. rosy cheek
ed. we'll fed young man Of twenty
Time we made a start, Shorty. You
and Here be glanced interrogative-
iy at Kit "a didn't quite catch your
name last evening"
Smoke"
Well. Shorty. you and Smoke had
better begin loading the boat"
Sprague stroiled away among the
tents. to be followed by DIR. Slime, a
slender. pallid young man.
To move 1900 pounds On the shout
ders 100 yards was no slight task, and
TO do 1t in half d gale was exhausting
Then came the loading AS the boat
settled it mad to be showed farther
and farther out, increasing the dis
tance they had to wade.
BY z O'Clock it had all been accom-
rliShed. and Kit was weak with the
faintnesS OF hunger His knees were
shaking under niul shorty in similar