The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-02-24


dried salmon and sort of pemmican,
which the Indians added to their packs.
From this camp trail OF many snow
shoes led off-Shorty's captors, was
Smokes conclusion-and before darE-
ness fell he succeeded in making out
the tracks Shorty's narrower snowshaas
had left.
Always in the days that followed
they pointed north. and always the
trail, turning and twisting through
jumble Of outstanding peaks. trended
north
In six days they gained and crossed
| the central pass. low In comparison
with the mountains 1t threaded. yet
formidable in itself and not possible
for loaded sleds. Five days more OF
tortuous winding. from lower altitude
TO lower altitude, brought them to the
| open, rolling and merely hilly country
La Perle had found ten years before.
Smoke knew it with the first glimpse.
Far as he could see rolled the open
country. High in the east the Rockies
still thrust their snowy ramparts heaV'
onward To the south and west ex-
tended the broken ranges of the pro-
i jecting spur system they had crossed
And in this vast pocket lay the coun-
try La Perle had raversed-snoW
blanketed. but assuredly fat with game
at some time in the year and In the
summer a smiling. forested and flow
cred land.
Before midday. travelling down
broad stream. they came upon the site
of large camp. recently abandoned
Glancing as he went by 1t, Smoke es-
timated 400 or 500 fires and guessed
the population to be In the thousands
So fresh was the trail and SO well
packed by the multitude that Smoke
and his captors took of their snow
shoes and In their moccasins struck
swifter pace. 49,.
In the long twilight no sign was man.
ifested of making camp, They held
steadily on through a deepening gloom
that vanished under a sky OF light
great glittering stars. half veiied by
greenish vapor Of pulsing aurora bore
ais His dogs first caught the noises
of the camp. pricking their ears and
whining in low eagerness. Then 1t
came to the ears of the humans-a
murmur dim with distance.
The men about him quickened. The
legs that had lifted through u dozen
strenuous hours lifted in still swifter
pace that was half Il run and mostly
running jog. Through dark spruce
fat they burst upon an abrupt glare OF
: light from many fires and upon an
2 abrupt increase of sound. The great
camp lay before them.
i And as they entered and threaded
D the Irregular runways OF the hunting
D camp a vast tumult Us in a wave rose
to meet them and rolled on with them
q --cries, greetings. questions and an
$ swers. jokes and jokes thrust bach
t again. the swapping snarl of wolf dogs
0 the scolding of squaws, laughter. the
:. whimpering of children and wailing OF
infants. all the pandemoninm of
p camp of nerveless, primitive wilder
e ness folk.
o They halted In the trampled snow By
t. an open fire. where Shorty and TIVE
d young Indians, squatted on their hams
were broiling strips Of caribou meat
d Three other young Indians, lying II
d furs on a mat of spruce bows. sat up
10 Shorty looked across the fire ut b!
st partner, but with a sternly impassiv
IS face, like those of his companions
s made no sign and went on broiling tn
q meat.
d. "What's the matter?'' Smoke de
er manded, half In irritation Lost yon
le speechT'
1t The old familiar grin twisted o
I'd Shortys face. "Nope," be answered
ze I'm a Indian. I'm Iearnin' not
he show surprise. When did they cate
he your"
st Next day after you left"
Hunt Well. I'm doin' fine, than
a YOU most to death. This is the bacl
y. elors' camp. An these are the bac
th elors. They're glad to meet 20
or Smoke. Set down an dry your mo
up casins, an I'll cook up some CRU
of You'll have to come to 1t. for looks
lis IL we'll be with these folks ior
ne time. Theys another white man her
ng Got caught six years ago. Danny NJ
ht Can is what he goes by Hes settle
OK down with squaw. Got two KIDS
ready. but he'll skin out II ever Il
te chance opens up" ..
1r. Apparently this was Smokes q
i'm pointed domicile. for his captors 'e
an him and his dogs and went on deep
'as into the big camp. While he devour'
ire strips OF hot meat Shorty talked
ere This is sure peach OF pick
of Smoke. An we got to go some to &
led out. These Is the real. biowed In
i'd. glass wild Indians They afn't viii
he but their chief is. He talks like
ter mouthful Of hot mush. an If he ali
r's full blooded Scotch they amt no su
ng thing as Scotch In the world. Hes
,lf. hi-yu, skookum. top chief of the VIII
nts caboodle. What he says goes. Y
ing want to get that from the start of.
IA Danny McCan's been tryin to
VS. away from him for six years. u;
ar. ny's ali right, but be amt got 60
me him, He knows way out-learned
a on huntin' trips-to the west OF I
Ike way you an me came. He amt 0
the the nerve to tackle it by his lone
,nk But we can pull 1t off. the three OF
ith Whiskers is the real goods, but n
mostly loco. Just the same
-, "Who's Whiskers? Smoke querie
why, he's the top geezer. Hes
Scotcher. Hes gettin old, an b
sure asleep now. but he'll see you
morrow an show you clear as pr