Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1923-11-29

the bottom as they ran.
With the frantic river tribes thus
forced TO shore, the water began to be
wildly agitated. Long ripples shot
from side TO side Of the rapidly dimin-
ishing space inclosed by the net, ne
some panic-stricken swimmer plowed
his reckless why near the surface.
Even the preachers tired and studi-
ous eyes walked with the excitement,
and he tugged eagerly at the brail NJ
the bass and pickerel began to leap,
glIttering In the morning sun like sill
yer arrows shot up by the river gods
Thar. boys, haul 'er easy" directed
Counterman. 1--WE got 'em. They
cayn't GIT away now. Mani hain't
Their wad NV 'em Iknow'd this wus
good hole"
The good fish we're dropped Into the
live box. the others thrown back into
the river--precisely as war claims the
best men and leaves the defective -
and the fisherman seined on.
Several hauls had been made, none
Of them quite SO profitable an the nrst.
and the sun was fast mounting toward
mld-sky when. as a wind-up. they pre-.
pared to drag the famous Alpine hole
that lay along the south edge Of the
narrow sandbar jutting far down.
stream from the lower end Of the r.
land.
This hyur's a hard hole T. nsh." OBJ
served Counterman, handing the near
brazil to the preacher and taking his
place ut the oars with Jack, but
they're thar. II we can git EN-"
Banks purity STEEP" called Uncle
Nick from his place In the stern. Pet.
ter not try T. wade out none"
The preacher nodded and the other
stopped to his task at the seine.
But when the usual circuit was COM
pleted and they. began TO haul In on the
seine. II was noticed that II did not
bow out In the wide curve a spread
seine should. Instead. as the men
pulled. the sides drew In toward each
other until the floating corks stretched
out into the river In nearly parallel
lines.
'Hung up. BY thunder" growled
Counterman. scraping the sweat from
his grimy forehead with grimier fore
finger. "Snag n somethln' about forty
yards out thar-right whar the bot
toms out. too, as the Teller says"
Jack walked up the bank short
distance TO where the boat was
beached.
Stripped 70 the skin. a figure that
might have been a model for those
master sculptors who conferred I'M
mortality upon the gods Of classic
Greece, he was Just slipping into the
water when Uncle Nick came up the
bar.
you'll ind the lead line fast on
somethin'--a snag more'n likely" he
directed. "Jlst hist II on 'Tain't no
tricl-but we've lost our Ash"
warhope glanced back over his
shoulder and nodded. The next mo-
ment he was blowing through the
stream with strokes so powerful II
seemed his great shoulders fairly
scorned the water and spurned II out
Of the way. But the task ahead proved
harder than the light remark Of his
old friend had indicated. II was only
after he had three times dIved to the
bottom Of Alpine hole that he was able
10 locate the snag and release the
seine.
When he swan ashore, following the
anlna INnnln NtrE M "a
hauled II In. the preacher, who had
come up the bar. was seated on the
forward gsnwale Of the boat. feeling
over his clothes stacked In the bow, as
II eager 10 assure himself that they
had not come to harm.
The woodsman was putting his wad.
Ing clothes on again when slight
thud. ms OF some heavy object striking
the bottom OF the boat. caught his
quick ear. without turning his head
he happened TO be Just then squeezing
the water out OF his hair before put
ting his shirt on---he was able to catch
glimpse Of the ivory butt Of six.
gun protruding from pocket Of the
black frock coat as II was being tucked
back in the pile with the tall hat and
shiny boots.
Nor was that all--with dizziness
that would hardly have been expected
In one Of his profession. the slim I'm.
gers were feeling over the other two
stacks Of clothes as II making sure
that the slx-gun he had Just tucked
away was the only one In the crowd.
sim. probably such an intention was
farthest from his thought, Six-gun and
all. II was likely merely another Of the
many eccentricitles OF man who had
the double drawback OF being profess
sor as well rs q tenderfoot--in the
eyes OF the woodsman. a combination
about as bad as could be made,
Uncle Nick and Counterman had
Just finished hauling In the seine when
Jack warhope. followed by the preach
or, came down the bar and rejoined
them. But the old mans prediction
about losing the Ash proved correct.
The haul produced not thing except
very surprised, highly indignant
swapping turtle Ccunterman kicked
the turtle back Into the water and
stared ruefully at the empty seine.
"Them fsh has Z be made up"-he
glanced up the river-"an' thar's 1ist