River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-01-21

II plumb forgot that man was to
meet In the Tivoli He's got some
spoiled bacon he'll sell for dollar an
a half pound. We can feed 1t to the
dogs. So long"
Hardly had Shorty left the place
when a fur clad man entered through
the double storm doors. His face light
ed at sight of Smoke. who recognized
him as Breck. the man whose boat
they had run through the Box canyon
and the White Horse rapids.
al heard you were In town" Breck
said hurriedly. Been looking for you
for half an hour. Come outside; /
want to talk with you
Az they emerged Smoke drew of
one tnitten. lighted a match and glanc
ed at the thermometer that hung be
side the door He renittened his max
ed hand hastily, as If the frost had
burned him.
What did 1t say? Breck asked
Sixty below. An houl ago it was
only 81 Don't tell me it's stampede"
1T is" Breck whispered back eau
tiously. "You know Squaw creek
empties in on the other side the Yu
kon. thirty miles up?'
Nothing doing there" was Smokes
Judgment. at was prospected years
ago
$50 were all the other rich creeks
Listen. It's big Only eight TO twenty
feet TO bedrock There won't be
claim that doesn't run to half a million
It's dead secret Two OF three of my
close friends let me In on it, | told
my wife right away that | was going
TO find you before | started Now, so
long. My packs hidden down the
bank In fact. when they told me they
made me promise not TO pull out until
it means if you're seen with STAN
peding outfit. Get your partner and
follow You ought to stake fourth or
fifth claim from Discovery. Don't for
get Squaw creek. It's the third after
you pass Swede creek"
When Smoke entered the little cabin
on the hillside back Of Dawson he
heard a heavy. familiar breathing.
Jaw. go to bed" Shorty mumbled as
Smoke shook his shoulder.
Kick into your clothes" Smoke
said. We've got to stake couple of
claims
Shorty sat up and started to explode
Ssh" Smoke warned. IT'S a big.
strike. Squaw creek. Breck gave me
the tip Shallow bedrock. Cold FROM
the grass roots down. Come on. Well
sling couple of light packs together
and pull out"
With small stampeding packs on their
backs they closed the door behind
them and started down the hill Shorty
6Oundered off turn of the trail into
deep snow and raised his voice in
blessing Of the date OF the week and
month and year.
Cant you keep still?" Smoke child
ed. you'll have all Dawson awake
ynd after U.s."
Huh. See the light in that cabin !!
All in that one over there? An hear
that door slam! Oh. sure. Dawson's
asleep: Them lights! Just buryin
their dead. They amt stamped1n /:
betcheT life they ain't.'
by the time they reached the main
street hundred men were in line be-
hind them. and while they sought in
the deceptive starlight for the trail
that dipped down the bank to the river
more men could be heard arriving.
Shorty slipped and shot down the
thirty foot chute into the soft snow
Smoke followed. knocking him over as
ne was rising TO his feet The next
moment they were scrambling wildly
out OF the way of the hurting bodies
of those that followed.
ITS a sure stampede Shorty de-
cided ''Or might all them be sleep
walkersY'
Were at the head of the process
sion at any rate" was Smokes an
swer
ION, don't know. Mebbe that's a
FREELY ahead there. Mebbe they're ali
firefiies- that one. an that one. Look
at EN-. Believe me. they is a whole
string of professions ahead"
It was a mile across the jams to the
west bank of the Yukon. and candles
fiickered the full length Of the twist
ing TRAIL Behind them-clear to the
top of the bank they had descended
were more candles,
Smoke Quickened and was soon at
the rear of the nearest bunch of stam-
peders. He counted eight men and
two women In this party, and before
the way across the jam Ice was won
he aud Shorty had passed another par
ty twenty strong.
Within a few feet of the west bank
the trail swerved to the south, emery.
ing from the jam npon smooth ice
The ice. however. was buried under
several feet of fine snow. Through
this the sled trail ran. narrow rib
bon of packed footing barely two feet
in width On either side one SANK to