The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-11-22
Chapter Nine
IN DANGER

IN DANGER
a s they drew near the landing
Curt looked down the shore
seven hundred yards and saw four
old stone houses in the middle of a
second-growth clearing.
He kew what they were: at Tel.
facet he had heard stories about
those ruins. An ancient Russian fur
post. located there when Washing.
ton was leading the newborn Amer
lean Republic. 1t was relic of the
days when Russia ruled western
America from Nome to northern
California. and predatory Cossacks,
with "musket. sword and the help
Of God" gathered tribute for the
Little White Father in far-away st.
Petersburg,
Except for inland stations in
Alaska. 1t was one Of the few posts
which the Cossack expedition had
established at any distance from
tidewater. Thefour stone structures.
rearing above the second growth,
were haif-hidden b. wood vines and
wild ivy, much as their actual his
tory had been overgrown with tale
and superstition.
The canoe nosed In to the pier.
Paul jumped out and Tapped the
painter. around a cleat. AS Curt
tossed their duffIe on the planking,
he purposely made display of their
two. gold pans and short-handled
shovels. Among the men watching
them a trapper nudged another and
embarked, "Prospectors. John"
Heads nodded.
Il was as Curt had wished-let
them draw their own conclusion and
they would believe II far more I'M
plicitly than II Paul and be should
announce their business.
He introduced Paul and himself to
the old trapper called John. who
then introduced them to the others.
As Curt shook hands around. he
sized up the men swiftly.
Corporal Hodkins. the Mounted
Policeman. was a stolid negligible
fellow who would be neither help
nor hindrance. Missioner Lesper-
ance. a youngish scholar with the
eyes of q mystic. seemed to have
stepped right out Of some medieval
cloister. Besides the Bay factor, Hig.
ginbothani. there were three young
trapI ers. q prospector. a man called
Ralph Nichols and a middle-aged
city sportsman with a brassy voice
and know.everything manner.
The Indian men. standing of by
themselves. were a shabby vacant.
faced lot. Under a fish scaffolding
just ashore seven half-breeds were
smoking. drinking. quarreling. Hod.
kIns was poor excuse of Mounty,
Curt thought. to let men drink open.
~ In Indian territory.
The man Nichols. quiet and unob.
trusive. was the most interesting of
the group. No outdoors person at all
but plainly from the city. he ap,
peared TO be some minor govern.
sment official or teacher vacation.
Ing In the mountains.
HURT liked him from their FIRST
N'handelasp. And that liking never
grew less. In the days they were to
spend together. He little knew that
he was destined TO travel long path
with Ralph Nichols and be with
him. his only friend. when Ralph lay
dying beside lonely campfire.
Didn't meet you over al Chipe
wyn iopcei" he asked. to draw Mich
OILS out.
mo. never was there" With his
reticent smile. Nichols added. I'm
a prospector for bugs--an entomolo
gist."
s.taseesI DON'T suppose you've got
much competition in this country. /"
He Invited. Come down 10 our place
later on and have mug OF tea With
us. Nichols"
Picking up their duffle. he and
Paul went down the shore to make
camp. Before dark came they want.
ed to get squared around and also
attend to certain scouting lob
which they had mapped out as their
frst step there at Russian Lake.
Midway between the modern post
and the old ruins they found a suit.
able spot close to the woods edge
and began pitching their tent.
Nearer the old post now. Curt could
see the narrow muskes-slit windows.
the platforms for mounting small
brass cannons. and all the tortlike
arrangement OF the ruins. II had
been more q garrison than a fur
post. for the cosSacks had not been
traders but extorters OF tribute. and
thes had needed defense.