The Coolidge examiner., 1934-01-26

Likely he don't count much on him.
He's two weeks overdue at Good
Bye now. He's been with me, drunk
every day. Looks like he'd be here
until his money plays out, and he's
got quite a roll"
"Well!' Steve began pulling on
his damp shirt. Old Jim Flynn in a
pinch! And physically helpless and
financially handicapped. This, while
he had been reared to believe that
to render service to Jim Flynn,
should opportunity arise. was the
first obligation!
How do you get across to the
Good-Bye?" he asked.
well, it's a long drag; a long,
hard day. You start here. :"
And with a twig he scratched a
crude map in the sand.
Having a pack sack thatll hold
something'n be a help on the car
ries," Drake remarked when he had
the lay of the land in his head.
You goin' that way?"
Likely"
We'll. II you see McNally. better
not mention anything about Young
jim bein' here. He's got to be han
died careful, this kid. I'll taper
him off and get him on his feet
when he's had his belly full of
| bender"
Steve frowned as he padded. 1t
was not pleasant TO think of how
Old Jim had warmed him with the
warmth Of his own body, and how
| generous the man had been with
his weakling father, and then to
think of him as he was now,
scotched and broken.
What be could accomplish by 60
ing TO Goodbye he did not know,
/ and he laughed at himself when he
considered that For such as he
TO think Of aiding a figure of Jim
Flynn's proportion In the forest in
| dustries was like a mouse setting
out to help a lion. His self
conscious smile died when he
thought of the old fable. Once upon
time, anyhow, a mouse gave aid
to a lion.
He came TO small clearing be-
side the river. On q bench built of
saplings stood a nest of buckets, two
hand water bumpers, axes and
shovels. Above was a sign. faded
black on a white background:
"PoLARIs FOREST PRODUCTS co.
FIRE TOOL CACHE"
And on the corners was stenclled
the same five-pointed. black star
which branded the flap of his new
pack-sack.
However, he saw no evidence of
woods operations for some time. He
threaded an old beaver meadow and
after a short interval the thick
stands of swamp timber opened to
reveal Drowned slash with pulp
bolts ranked in piles through 1t.
Buildings were there. too, but al
though 1t was the supper hour no
smoke ascended from their stove
pipe chimneys. A dog barked and
another Joined. and In the doorway
OF tar-paper shanty a man ap-
peared. Steve showed his canoe
against the bark Uttered dump and
waited as the man came toward him,
hobbling on crutches fashioned
from birch saplings. and one foot,
wrapped in many yards OF solled
rags, was held gingerly forward.
Bon jour!" the man called.
"Hullo, Louie This Jim Flynn's?"
"Oui! Quill Jeem Flynn. Yah.
Sure :!
How far to headquarters"
"Oh. man say mile-two Beeg
point. Beeg point mile-two odder
side by head lac. Head lac mile-two
more from here by rock dam. Rock
dam, she mile-two by here if go very
fast OuI!"
Steve grinned.
Let's see, now. You put to-
gether enough mile-two's and it'll
make a long drag. Try this: How
longn Ii take me, Loule?"
"Ah! 'ow long by here, eh? Das
bettair, sure Maak from me bet
ter talk, 'ow long, eh? | tell you,
mistair yong man, if she go by
woods, she not so very dam long !;
If she go by revair an she come
very fas', you mabby maak head
quart bye-'n'bye affair dark, eh?"
where's everybody? Just you
and the dogs?"
"Oui! Bye-'n'-bye all mans she go
headquart'. Two, tree half-hour ago.
All mans get mad for HI so go
by headquart'."
Mad, Ell? What's the row."
Il tell you, meestair yong man: !:
we poor work mans; we chop, saw,
all tam, all day; maak tree go fall,
maak work lax hi. Meestair Thorpe
he die JUS almos' we work mans
ask heem more money. Meestair
Yong Jeem, she no come by Good
Bye. We say, McNally, you pay
more money. Oui! You pay more
money all-same odder work mans
odder jobs maak. McNally, he say
nOt'ingS She keen say Dot'inpS