The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1936-10-15
Caught
in the
Wild :
By Robert
Ames Bennett
wNU Service
Copyright by
Robert Ames Bennett

yOu OuC alive, T0COTI6Q GdrCn.
''When do we start?" Huxby de-
manded to know.
Garth looked at Mr.. Ramill cts
a guess. May be two weeks. More
probably three"
Miss Ramill flared, outraged
<'What! Hang around this disgusting
hole a single day? Well start this
instant"
Bon voyage!" said Garth. "You
may reach the top of the glacier
with the soles still on your golf
course boots Your father,I fancy, will
prefer to wait here a while. For one
thing, he knows that in his present
condition, he never could climb the
pass. In the second place, he has no
desire to 60 down the other side on
his uppers."
Huxby looked from Mr.. Ramills
flimsy oxfords to the girls fashion
able sport boots, and then at Garth's
worn moccasins.
We'll, Jack, what's the answer"
THAT it's not WELL" Garth replied.
''In the first place, you'll drop that
name and tone in speaking to me.
Am l understood?
Hubby stood silent, his eyes cold
and lips tight drawn. But Mr.. Ramill
spoke for him, with decisiveness:
"That is understood, Garth. We are
all now in the same boat, and you
are skipper. How about the shoe
problem?"
'tMoosehide. Well first shift along
shore to the mouth of the placer rill.
It's the best place to camp. I'll then
60 on around to the muskeg and col
lect some hides"
Don't be too sure of that" Huxby
differed. keep hold of the rifle,
chief. He'd steal out and leave us to
hold the sack"
Haven't you realized yet that the
joke is on your" Garth inquired.
cts question of trusting me abSo-
lutely, or not at all. Take your
choice"
Mr. Ramill handed over the rifle
Huxby's hand frightened on the butt
of his lowered pistol. Garth gazed
past him down the lake.
''The plane seems to be edging
over towards the east shore There's
a ford up here, Hubby You're well
come to try for the plane. If you
save her. I'll call it break of the
game in your favor, and we'll all
ride out on the air.
LAY off, Vivian" Mr.. Ralnill in
terposed. ''The plane has veered out
again. He has us nipped fast"
Without any reply, Huxby thrust
his pistol inside his leather jacket
and started up the stream bank.
Garth came aslant to his pack. He
slung it on his back.
Come on. Let's head for camp"
''Why not follow Vivian?" Mr.. Ra-
mill inquired. 'It is still possible the
plane may drift ashore"
"a hundred to one chance it will
not, sir. Well go out on moosehide,
if at all. I've decided not to make it
alone. A trip through the muskegs
may lead you to realize that even
lone woodsy prospectors should be
entitled to the fruits of their dis
coveries."
The girls smoldering rage flared
out at him: "You scoundrel! Decoy,
us into this beastly hole, and then
turn our plane adrift. You cowardly
sneak! Everything drifting away in
it-and ak the food and wine. Oh,
d-n! What am going to do? I'll
starvew
Her father looked at Garth with
the first sign of concern that he had
shown. eyes, that's it. You might
have thought of her. A girl so deli
cately reared! I say nothing as to
myself; it's all in the game. But a
lady-to drag her down into the raw
like this! Narrowing her to starve in
the bogs!"
Garth looked from father to
daughter. "a lady, did you say? Oh,
yes, to be sure-a dainty, refined
lady, who curses and drinks and
joins in schemes to blk supposedly
simple bush vagabond out of his for
tune"
"Pah!" she scoffed. whining be-
cause we would not let you foist
yourself on us as gentleman. As
for your twaddle about that claim,
mines are treasure trove. They be-
long to whoever is clever enough to
get hold of them"
.'Right-o, my lady, Garth ap-
proved. (Which leaves only the small
matter of food and drink to be con-
sidered. You'll be able to chew
moose meat, I fancy, after you've
tasted off some of your fastidious-
ness.
Indifferent whether or not the girl
and her father followed him, Garth
started to back-trail through the
lower growth of spruce trees.
Where the spring rill came burb-
ling over lodges down to the rocky
shore, he halted in small clearing.
Here had been his camp on his pre-
vious visit to the valley. Ten feet up
the branch trimmed trunks of four
closely grouped birch trees, tat
tered moosehide hung over the edge
of pole platform.
Garth glanced up at the platform.
ssWoverines have robbed the food
cache. But there's plenty more meat
vrYI-:T~ rro Cor c(,ra