Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1925-07-22
CHAPTER /.
Where There's a Will.

Is little cleared land on either
BANK. quite good for potatoes and
carrots and turnips.
The railroad is ,ached bv a tote
road, nine miles long, travelled oniv
Dy Stone-boats and lumber carts of
sol!d construction. The stream is
quite wide before it narrows into
white water, and in the middle, OPP
poslte the post, is a little island
nearly covered during spring fresh
cts.
About the post have arisen two or
three frame houses and some nom
descrlpt shacks, built from tie re-
fuse of an old portable sawmill.
One day, late in May, half dozen
men were gathered in the storeroom
of Utshishuku Post, which was so
crowded with goods that it gave but
scantly Longing room.
About them, piled up in as orderly
fashion as the abundance of mer-
chand1se permitted, were the smaller
bags of -four, boxes of biscuits, sides
OF bacon, and barrels of pork.
There were also cases filled with
packages of tea, plug tobacco, or
condensed milk. On the shelves
which ran to the ceiling were rows
Of canned goods, bolts of cloth, and
piles of rough clothing, most Of it
rather vivid in color. From nails
hung shoe-packs and moccasins, dog
harness and fshnets, Dutch stock
ings, steel traps Of all sizes, coiled
wire for snares, besides other things
useful to trapper or lumber-jack.
IL.
stalwart lot, with, perhaps, the ex-
ception of Teddy Fisk, who was of
moderate size, hard as nails, and
keen as rat-trap. He was reck-
oned generally as a frst-rate man,
and he spoke Montagnais like son
of the tribe.
All the others, however, appeared
as if they could pass with consum-
mate ease the old Hudson Bay Com
pany's test, which required its voy-
ageurs to be able to pack over a
long carry three underground bales
Of flu fastened to the tump-line on
their foreheads.
Teddy, his hands stuffed in the
capacious pockets of worn pair of
brown overalls, was putting at
short pipe as he listened to Boyce
Curran, chief agent in charge of
Tshemuak, or Bigg Loon Post, sftua-
ted over three hundred miles to the
north, as the crow flies. The man had
been kicking about some goods.
"Well, you're fixed all right this
time" Teddy assured him. GIVE
been over the stuff twice, checking
W everything on your list. Them
boxes of your own are pretty heavy
all of one mans load. Now, about
the gunpowder there can't be a word
said. It's the best to be had for In
iun guns, and your crowd up there
will find it all right. If they don't
I'll eat my shirt" :.
"Sure everything's ready?" asked
"There ANT a fsh-hook or spool
y, thread missin'. Your brigade'll
oct to work by sunup and load the
5lr,.der. You can start right after
MON, maxim a short day of it to
shake down everything and let your
crew sober up. Some Of EMIL be
SIRE to get hold Of bottle or two
His evening, and you better be easy
on 'em first day out"
GIVE been gone a long while this
time" answered Curran, who had
i1e+ returned from the northwest on
> lengthy trip for the company. "But
t,av know me, all right. | can
+acj,le en- if there's any ruction."
Hn straightened up, looking about
h.rn disdainfully, and Ted Fisk's
ewes narrowed a little.
"Have your way" he said. "lt's
your own funeral"
Curran turned away and stood at
+be door as he scraped the bowl of
b;s nine. The rough, turbid water
If the river, still mingled with
nlelted SHOWS from northern hills,
n3ust have gone down good four
fo~+ in the last two weeks.
The birches and poplars had leafed
ont tn a tender green, and the lit
tie island in the middle = the river,
half covered with alders that were
still bent by the violence OF the
stream in flood, was showing green
tches of coarse grass growing IN
rocky crannies.
"BeSt time to start" he told him
self. Were in for spell OF good
weather, most likely, and the wa
tcr'lI be going down steady. "onoef
who those InjUns ere - go.
A canoe was coming down swiftly.
It was expertly swirled around
iutting sand bar, being powerfully
G1ided with strong, deep strokes:
AS it approached the LANDING
Mace it was gently brought sidewlse
to the shore, and the occupants step
ned out, their long moccasln boots
half submerged in wafer.
they pulled the canoe to s2t2c'
end strolled up, trying to lock ull-
concerned; but their rcd belts, g.y
n,,clrorchiefs, and ''bestt" clothing IN
dicated that they had cor1e 2 long
wav and. according to old usage,
lad stopped o mile or two from the
most and bedecked themselves IN
fnerv appropriate to the celebration
Of the end of long journey. ;,
"Jim Michaux and Passlean,
Curra.. said, as he recognized them;
"Down from Ushuk Fal's TO sen
their fur"
hin, as they came up to Tire post.
aHow d'do?" he answered. Good
They grunted affirmatively and
wont into the store, where, after
shaking hands nth Teddy, they
ssLed for tobacco. Then they squat
fed on their heels by the stove, light.
inc their pipes with long spllnters Oh