Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1926-01-29


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David nodded. "De carry to de lax
ees short. TAX the canoe an de
Injun stuff. You TAX de rest"
Man alive! 1t will 60 four hun
dred-with the boat"
But David was busy Singing his
tump-line to the largest of the bags
and made no answer.
SO, after further protest, which the
Indian brushed aside, Steele packed
the three hundred pounds of bags on
the Ojibway's wide back, and on top
balanced the canoe, and the thick bow
legs Of the red son of Anak moved
steadily up the trail.
With the dusk, the canoe was in the
Jackfsh and the two men gripped
hands in mutual congratulation. They
had set Laf1amme's gang a pace over
a hundred miles of lake and river
which they would not soon forget.
Dropping downstream they camped in
the thick spruce, back from the river.
and for the first time in two DAYS.
baked cornbread for their beans and
bacon, and feasted.
Beside a fire which the scrub
masked at fifty feet, two men, at ease
with the world, pulled on after-supper
pipes. With a little luck in the pike
lakes of the lower Jackfish, they could
exc out their scanty food supply; and
If, as seemed certain, they had left
their pursuers hopelessly behind the
shell In David's rifle might bring them
meat.
Boss" said the Ojibway, after a
period Of silence which was character
istic, Il nevaire tell you wy / hunt
dis Lafamme."
From a revery In which Denise st.
Of Dreams, far in the north, Steele
turned with interest to the speaker.
mo, I should like to hear
"Eet was nance year back-ten,
twelve Dis Laflamme trade wild de
'Jibway up Los lax way. My brod
der work for heem. He SEN my brod-
der an poder man to max cache on
de Pelican riviere. One day, beeg
spruce log, she fall and hit heem In
de back De 'noder feller try carry
heem ovair de portage but eet pain my
brodder too much He say, I stay
here VILE you breeng men from Los
lax. Dey TAX me ovair de long port
age on de spruce pole!"
For a long space David sat with
head on hands, staring into the fire.
Steele smoked in silence, waiting for
the mood Of his friend to change,
when the rest would be told
At length, David Strengthened and
turned to the other, black eyes glitter
ing, as he hoarsely demanded: "W'at
you t'ink dat Laflamme say wen de
feller reach Los LAX? Dees ees wat
he say: Dat man Ovair on de Pelican
ees dead by now. l got no men to
SEN. You not go back; got work for
you wild beeg canoe down in Wabi-
gOon.'"
Again David paused, his face black
with his thoughts.
$50 Latlamme left your brother to
die alone-tO starve"
David nodded.
dat feller had fear Of Latiamme,
but he go back to de Pelican wen he
get chance"
"What did he find?' asked Steele.
"Nodin'."
"What?"
my brodder crawl to de riviere an
drown heesel-before he starve."
David" said the man across the
fire, 81 want to apologize for keeping
you off that snake. He was helpless
and 1 thought if I allowed you to go
back that night, and we were after
ward overhauled, 1t would mean our
finish; but now wish you had throt-
tied him."
81 had hard fight not to keel heem-
but you're de boss" added the loyal
Ojibway.
you'll have your opportunity this
winter-never fear"
"Mebbe; but dey may wait for US
tomorrow at de Frying Pan"
"You still think that some Of them
may have been sent overland to cut
US OFF,"
"Wal," said the cool half-breed, "eef
/ hunt canoe travelling dis way from
Ogoke, dat ees were I SEN dem"
"But they won't have had time to
get there"
"Mebee not Tomorrow We see."
And the red stole rolled himself In his
blanket.
The stars still hung above the Jack
fish, although there was a hint of
dawn in the graying east, when a
canoe slid swiftly through the shad-
ows on the way to the Frying Pan
rapids. Once over the carry around
this roaring cauldron Of whitewater
into the spray of whose fumes and
cross currents no man, red or white
had ridden a canoe and come through
and the two friends could snap their