Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1925-07-29

paving for his rescue, for every word
and beck and call had to be obeyed
under penalty of a hint of that aw-
full prison.
Mashkaugan was glad enough to
comply. At this very moment he
knew that among the boxes they
were carrying were some in which
pure alcohol was hidden, which could
be sold at hundredfold its value IN
priceless skins.
On the down trip several OF these,
of which the company would never
hear, had ben concealed in Curran's
"Lorimer is altogether too fnicky
to suit me-" Curran said. He's
badly in the way sometimes, and is
liable to get both Of us in trouble.
If the two of us could have the run
of that country we'd make a nice
little stake in time, and go back to a
white mans country to live like gen.
tlemen."
81 can never go back to big
places" objected Mashkaugan SOM
berly.
"9ou think they'd be still glad to
see your ugly mug, do you? You
don't have to go back to those places.
There are plenty left where no ones
known. They supposed you'd been
drowned, anyway. A fellow can take
up bit of land somewhere and grow
things and live comfortably. if he'll
lie low and not give himself away"
In the middle Of nights when they
could hardly sleep because of the
winged pests; dr. 7g periods Of rest
on hard portages, when loads had to
be put down for time in order to
relieve back-breaking strains; on
rarer occasions in the evening when
they strolled away from the camp to
catch mess of fish to relieve the
sameness of the fare, they always
returned to their talk about Lori
mer, until Mashkaugan, a credulous
and exceedingly superstitious man,
began to consider the assistant agent
as bitter enemy lying in wait for
him.
The streams were getting deeper
now. The fiat barrens again became
dotted with clumps of trees, while
the rivers grew swifte" and the
banks more rocky.
Then came low hills again and
then higher ones, and forest trees
that grew thickly. They passed
through many lakes where, if the
wind was not ahead, it was pleasant
to paddle for long ~pells without
having to watch for hidden rocks.
In these lakes the trolling-spoon
took great fish-forked-tail trout of
deep waters, great northern pike,
and golden-scaled pike-perch, whose
l. light, white fakes fried in pork-fat
made worthy addition to the meals.
Tiny broods of ducklings were be-
ginning to appear. Those nearly
grown up tapped away from the
boats in terror. The younger ones
dived among reeds and hid them
selves while their mothers flew off in
another direction, slowly ,helplessly,
as if sorely wounded, only to rise in
the air farther on, when certain that
they had turned pursuit away from
the brood.
Finally, thirtyone days after the
start, which was fair going consid-
ering the huge bulk of the loads, the
brigade stopped on the right bank of
the Tshemuak, or Big Loon River.
The men hurried ashore, pulling
dunnage bags after them. They put
on bright neckerchiefs and scarfs,
gaudy sashes, and their best clothes.
An hour later they were afioat
again, singing Justify, and with little
memory of the journeys hardships.
AS they turned bend of the river
they beheld the log buildings of the
post and some scattered tents.
Curran discharged his shotgun,
loaded with noisy black powder.
From the post came answering de-
donations.