Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1920-01-02
hy up Rock river.

IiUt OF NOSE measly soldiers
Here you, NIapes, stop that
aiding. and get steam up-we've
to put in night of it."
But" insisted Kirby In disgust,
m not going up there; aren't there
Y boats going down."
How the h should / know? Go
hore and find out-you haven't any,
ing else to do"
Che men below Knocked off work
lngly enough and, taking advan-
of the confusion on board, | en-
s1SUred to creep up the stairs and
gain view Of the upper deck. But
both Mapes and the second mate made
this attempt impossible, forcing me
into the ranks of the others and COM
polling me to restow the cargo. So far
as l could perceive, no attempt to de-
part was made by anyone, excepting
big fellow with a red mustache, who
swore profanely as he struggled
through the mud, dragging a. huge
valise.
The situation puzzled and confused
me. What choice would Kirby and the
deputy make? If once up Rock river
the Adventurer might very likely not
return for weeks, and 1t did not seem
to me possible that the impatient gam
bier would consent to such a delay.
Every advance northward brought
with it a new danger of ex-
posture. These were Illinois troops
to be transported-not regulars,
but militia, gathered from a hundred
hamlets-and many among them would
be open enemies of slavery. Let such
men as these, rough with the pioneer
sense of justice, once suspect the stu
alton of those two women, especially
If the rumor got abroad among them
that Eloise was white, and the slave
hunter would have a hard row to hoe.
And made up my mind such rumor
should be sown broadcast; aye. more,
that If the necessity arose, / would
throw off my own disguise and front
him openly with the charge. I could
do no more.
1t was only an accident which gave
me clue to the real program. Mapes
sent me back into the vacant space
just forward of the paddle-wheel, seek
ing lost canthook, and, as / turned
about to return, the missing tool in my
hand, l paused a moment to glance
curiously out through a slit in the
boats planking, attracted by the sound
of a loud voice uttering a command.
/ was facing the shore and body of
men, ununiformed, slouching along
with small regard to order, but each
bearing rifle across his shoulder,
were just tipping the ridge and plow-
ing their way down through the slip
perry clay in the direction of the for
ward gangway. Although l saw, not
for an instant did my gaze linger on
their disordered ranks. The sight
which held me motionless was rather
that of long, broad plank, protected
on either side by a rope rail, stretch
ing from the slope of the second deck
across the narrow gulf of water, until
it rested Its other end firmly against
the bank.
The meaning of this was sufficiently
apparent. For some reason of his
own, Kirby had evidently chosen this
means of attaining the shore. and
through personal friendship, CorcoraE
had consented to aid his purpose. The
reason. plainly enough, was that by use
of this stern gangway the landing par
ty would be enabled TO attain the bank
without the necessity of pushing their
way through the crowd of idle lollng-
lars forward. And the passage had Just
ished. for, as my eyes To-
E, they recognized the
the deputy disappear