Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-10-01

his wet pocket. The pipe he dried will
a wisp of dead grass; and the solder
outer layers of the fig of black jack hi
spread carefully on the rock, with
stone to keep them secure, to dry II
that parching wind. He would have
smoke and rest before setting out t.
examine the island, which would be hi.
prison for some days, at best. Unles.
heavy rains should come. it would bt
a week at least before he would bt
able to pick his way through the smol-
dering ruins of the forest.
The island was something over
quarter of a mile in length and per-
haps scout two hundred yards at Its
widest. An irregular, rocky ridge formed
it's backbone. The island as a whole
was fireproof. Satisfied on this point
Jed picked up his pack and his paddle
crossed over the ridge to the outer
shore, where he would be sheltered
from the scorching wind and to some
degree from the smoke, and proceeded
to make camp under an Overhanging
rock by simply unfolding his pack and
standing the paddle and the ak in a
bush beside it. Forthwith the spot be-
came a home.
Between two stones he built a little
woodsman's fire, and with a pronged
| stick began to toast himself a thick
slice OF bacon. He would have relished
a mug Of strong tea, but in his haste
he had forgotten to bring a tin to
make 1t in.
While he was munching with salts
faction on bacon and bareback, down
along the shore came the moose with
the calf at her heels, glancing about as
if looking for something. When she
caught sight Of the man she stopped
and fell to browsing ~cOntentedly on a
clump Of poplar saplings. Apparently
he was what she had been looking for.
Guess she had decided we're pals
muttered Jed. And presently the pair
drew nearer and lay down not more
than a dozen PAGES away from him.
Then, a little farther on, appeared the
young bear which he had seen swim
ming ashore. The bear peered shyly
around the corner of rock, eying first
the great moose and then the man,
and at last, very di%ffidently, he en-
erged into full view and fell to turning
over stones with his paw in search OF
grubs and beetles. 1t vas evident that
he craved company and that horror OF
flames which he had so narrowly es-
capped had overcome his instructive
fear Of man.
Suddenly Jed heard a scrabbling OF
claws and a frightened squeak from the
rock above him, and a red squirrel, a
lighting Just beside him, scuIried a.
round to the other side of his fire and
sat up there, chattering and jerking
it's long tail in great excitement. Jed
turned his head and glanced up to see
what had scared the little animal. The
crafty yellow mask of a big fox was
snarling down upon him. 1t stared at
him superciliously for a moment and
then faded away.
The fox knew there were many more
squirrels to be hunted. The squirrels
being good swimmers, the island was
now swarming with them; and there
being no tall trees to give them refuge,
they would be easy prey. But this par
ticular squirrel, ~perceiving that the
man was an efficient protector, decided
to keep close by him and presently
fell to nibbling at a scrap Of biscuit
which the man had tossed to It.
That night Jed Smith slept heavily
beneath the shelter of his rock, while
the conflagration ragged and crashed
along the shore behind the island, the
billowing smoke was torn to streamers
high overhead, the sky glowed crimson
to the zenith, and the lake was dashed
to fury under the tearing gale. He wa
awakened at daylight by the shr1I
chattering Of the squirrel, hardly more