The Tomahawk., 1918-01-10


1--WE can't be moren 400 miles from
the Yukon" concluded Sloper, multi
plying his thumb nails by the scale of
the map. The council, in which the
two incapables had whined to excel
lent disadvantage, was drawing to
close.
"Hudson bay post, long time ago. No
use um now" Jacques Baptiste's ia
ther had made the trip for the Fur
company in the old days, incidentally
marking the trail with couple of
frozen toes.
"Sufferin' cracky!' cried another of
the party. "No whites?"
"Nary white" Sloper sententiously
affirmed. "But it's only 500 more up
the Yukon to Dawson. Call it rough
thousand from here"
Wcatherbee and Cuthfert groaned in
chorus.
"How long'll that take, Baptiste9"
The half breed figured for moment.
"Workum like IL, no man play out,
ten, twenty, forty, fifty days. Um ba-
bies come'' designating the incapa-
bles) >, mo can tell. Mebbe when h
freeze over; mebbc not thcn."
The manufacture of snowshoes and
moccasins ceased. Somebody called
the name of an absent member. who
came out Of an ancient cabin at the
edge of the campfire and Joined them.
The cabin was one of the many mys-
teries which lurk in the vast recesses
Of the north. Built when and by
whom no man could tell. Two graves
in the open, piled high with stones,
perhaps contained the secret Of those
early wanderers. But whose hand had
piled the stones?
The moment had come Jacques
Baptiste paused in the fitting Of
harness and pinned the struggling dog
in the snow. The cook made mute
protest for delay, threw handful of
bacon into a noisy pot of beans, then
came to attention. Sloper rose to his
feet. His body was ludicrous con-
trast to the healthy physiques Of the
incapables. Yellow and weak, fleeing
from South American fever hole, he
had not broken his flight across the
zones and was still able to toll with
men. His weight was probably ninety
pounds with the heavy hunting knife
thrown in, and his griZZled hair told
of q prime which had ceased to be.
The fresh young muscles Of either
Weatherbee or Cuthfert were equal to
ten times the endeavOr Of his, yet he
could walk them into the earth in a
days journey. And all this day he
had whipped his stronger comrades
into venturng n thousand miles of the
stiffest hardship man can conceive. He
was the incarnation of the unrest of
his race, and the old Teutonic stub
bornness. dashed with the quick grasp
and action Of the Yankee, held the
flesh in the bondage of the spirit.
"All those in favor of going on with
the dogs as soon as the ice sets say
aye"
Aver rang out eight vOices-voices
destined to string a trail of Oaths along
many hundred miles of pain.
CONTRARY minded?
"Now For the first time the incapa-
bles were united without some COM
promise of personal interests.
"And what are you goirg to do about
it?" Weathcrbce added belligcrently.
"Majority rule! Major''v rule!' clam
ored the rest Of the party.
II know the expedition is liable to
fall through if you don't come" Slopcr
replied sweetly. 'but guess. If we try
real hard, we can manage to do~exith-
out you. What do you say, boysi''
The sentiment was cheered to the
echo.
But say. you know" Cuthfert ven-
tured apprehensively. whats a chap
like me to do?''
"Ain't you coming with us?"
"No-o."
"Then do as you please. We won't
have nothing to say"
kind O. calkilate yuh might settle
it with that canoodlin' pardner of
yourn," suggested hea,, going west
erner from the Dakotas. ut the same
! time pointing out Weatherbee. Hell
he shore to ask yuh what yur a-goin'
gatherin' the wood"
"Then we'l consider it all arranged"
! concluded Sloper. 'Well pull out to-
morrow, if We camp within five miles.
just to get everything in running order
and remember IL we've forgotten any
thing"
=
The sleds grcaned by on their, steel
shod runners, and the dogs strained
low in the harnesses in which they
were born to die. Jacques Baptiste
paused by the side Of Slooer to get
a last glimpse Of the cabin. The smoke
curled up pathetically from the Yukon
stovepipe. The two incapables were
watching them from the doorway.
! Sloper laid his hand ON the others
! shoulder.
Jacques Baptiste. did you ever hear
Of the Kilkenny cats?'
! The half breed shook his head.
"Well. my friend and good comrade.