Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-03-16


began 10 fan He tried TO speak. pull
ed OF his mittens. which fell dangling
from their cords. and clawed at the
frozen moisture OF his breath which
had formed in fifty miles OF running
Only the man at the craps table.
without turning his head. continued TO
roll the dice and TO cry: ''Oh. you Joe.
Come on. you Ioe!" The gamekeep-
er's gaze fixed on Smoke. caught the
players attention. and he. too. with
suspended dice. turned aud looked.
whats up. Smoker" Matson. the
owner OF the Annie Mine, demanded.
With a last effort Smoke clawed his
mouth free. Il got some dogs out
there-dead beat" he said huskily
Somebody go and take care OF them.
and I'll tell you what's the matter"
In a dozen brief sentences be outlin
ed the situation The craps player. his
money still lying on the table and his
slippery Joe Cotton still uncaptured.
had come over to Smoke and was now
the first TO speak.
We gotta do something. That's
straight. But what? You've had time
to think. What's your plan? Spit II
outr
Sure" Smoke assented We've got
20 hustle light sleds on the jump. Say
100 pounds of grub on each sled The
drivers outfit and dog grub will fetch
tt up 6fty more. But they can make
time Say we start i've OF these sleds
Pronto-best running teams. best mush
ers and tran eaters. On the soft trail
the sleds can take the lead turn about
They've got TO start at once At the
best. by the time they can get there
an those Indians won't have had
scrap TO eat for three days.
And then as soon as we've got those
sIeds OF Wen have to follow up with
heavy sleds. Figure II out yourself
Two pounds day is the very least we
can decently keep those indians travel
ing on. That's 400 pounds day, ana
with the old people aud the children
Eve days is the quickest time we can
bring them into Mucluc. Now. whai
are you going to do?'
Take up a collection to buy all the
grub" said the craps player Fetch
a washbasin. somebody II won't take
q minute An here's starter
He pulled n heavy gold sack from
his pocket. united the mouth and pour
ed a stream of coarse dust and mug
gets into the basin. A man beside him
caught his hand up with jerk and IN
oath. elevating the mouth Of the sack
so as TO stop the run OF the dust To
casual eye six or eight ounces had al
ready run into the basin
Don't be hawg!' cried the second
man. You amt the only one with
poke. Gimme a chance nj t."
Men crowded and jostcd for the on
portunity TO contribute. and when they
were satisfied Smoke hefted the heavy
basin with both hands and grinned
1T will keep the whole tribe In grub
for the rest OF the winter" he said
Nov for the dogs Five light teams
that have some run In them"
A dozen teams were volunteered. and
the camp. as a committee OF the whole
blckered and debated. accepted and re
1ected
AS IaSt as a team was selected Its
owner. with half dozen aids. depart
ed TO harness up and get ready.
One team was rejected because II had
come IN tired that afternoon. One
owner contributed his team. but apollo
Eetically exposed a bandaged ankle that
prevented him from driving IL This
team Smoke took. overriding the objec
ton OF the crowd that he was played
out
Long Bill Haskell pointed out that
while Fat Olsen's team was a cracker
Jack. Fat Olsen himself was an eIe
plant. Fat Olsen's 240 pounds of heart
mess was indignant Tears of anger
came into his eyes. and his Teutonic
explosions could not be stopped until
he was given place Ia the heavy di
vision. the craps player jumping at the
chance 10 take out Olsen's light team
Five teams were accepted and were
being harnessed and loaded. bat only
four drivers had satisfied the commit
tee OF the whole
There's Cultus George" some one
cried Hes n trail eater. and he's
fresh and rested"
All eyes turned upon the Indian, but
his face was cxpressioniess. and be
said nothing.
"you1l take tcamr Smoke sssd 70