The Bismarck tribune., 1933-12-21
Chapter n
THE BATTLE

"a ! 4dG NOUN OF the pass the
= \ next morning. Curt stood up in
his canoe for . last look ahead. To
get his party through that narrows
was Z job that hs would gladly have
handed to someone else. He had the
uneasy feeling that eyes were watch.
ling his three canoes and dusky
hands were toying with lluted n.
rows.
The pass was more than 1 mile
long. with q strong current to buck
and no midstream islsts to take
refuge on. He and Paul had secuted
It out that morning while the others
were still asleep. and had discovered
only one favorable circumstance.
Sometime that spring Z lightning
0re had swept down the east shore.
cutting Z swath half . mile wide.
and burning to the very water edge.
Along that whole east shore there
was hardly q place where . rabbit
could have made its form.
II the Klosohees were Watching
the pass. they had to bs on the west
side BY hugging the east landwash
with his party. he could make them
shoot all the way across the river.
No bows that he had ever seen could
do effective work at that distance.
Before sitting down, he gave his
dnal orders: paul and I'll lead,
Sonya and Francois'll come next.
Ralph and Jocku last Wen keep
strung out in single file 50 lt'll bs
harder to hit Us. One other thing
nobody shoots at those men unless
say shoot. Jocku, that's meant for
you and FRANCOIS"
They skirled into the narrows. In
spite Of the stir current they put
the rods behind them. hoping to
slide through unmolested.
A quarter way through. Il hap
pened-the thing Curt had expected.
Twenty yards ahead Of his canoe
something plunked into the water.
Watching the opposite shore closely.
he saw q second object. 90 swift that
It seemed mere dash. come whixs.
Ing out Of Z rocky ravine and sail
across the river in Z low graceful
arch. It too fell ahead.
Another and another followed. not
aimed at tho three craft but delib.
erately placed In front, q . warning
to turn back They came faster and
faster till perhaps dfty arrows had
been shot Then they suddenly
stopped.
The range Of those horn bows
daunted Curt They could do dam.
age at that distance. They could do
deadly work.
He stopped and let Sonyals craft
glide up alongside.
'sYou lie down, girl, dat IN your
canoe. Don't expose yourself; you'll
be taking chances on your life II
you do" He pulled her blanket roll
beside her and laid his own sleeping
poke on top Of It for extra protec.
tion.
FRANCOIS. You and Jocku dip those
paddles deep and fastl The quicker
We got through here the lees time
they'll have to make targets Of NJ. !"
They skimmed On. hugging the
east landwash.
A s THEY came exactly opposite
"A the rocky ravins. the Nosohees
opened on them again. this time IN
earnest =
e the arrows had come singly,
they could have been dodged BY IN
alert person. for their polished heads
glinted In the sun and their flight
was visible at tho height Of it, arch.
But they came too thick 70 watch.
One struck Paul's paddle. appraised
for . stroke. and piercod clear
through the ash-heart bladA
One hit tho canoe In front Of
Curtis knees. clipped through the
thin side. and whanged into the
spruce-gum pot Behind him some
body yelled. He turned and saw
FRANCOIS grabbing at his hat @ II
fell into tho water With an arrow
through the crown.
Ralph had gone pale. but 10 kept
his eyes straight ahead and was pe1,
ding valiantly. Tendsrfoot though
hs WAS, IN those hectic moments that
brought ont Z mans real nature he
showed more courage than the
breeds who had spent oil their lives
IN the bush.
Disobeyiny orders, sonya had cat
mp. seized Her paddle and was help.
Ing FRANCOIS.
"Get down." Curt ordered her.
Don't You know you're liable to be
killed?"