Show i ROBERT 01 ArtES a arr rr a Y E CHAPT CHAPTER 0 I lon long Ion moment t el Lilith For i a She down at looked sll nat at St e titter tittered tattered ed SPOrts sport suit cult 1 et eta If et d hands and bro broken k en It a IT blOO Tile Tie dimmed glitter glitter 0 of f demond nond d I to later a her ber engagement ring ling e bold her ber gaze It passed rd w to leggings anI and doss to 0 her r hId moccasins II she murmured d Dirt Dirty SqUI url alII Ile B certainly has bas put us u. ugh th m milt ilL And more todo to tough Were We're not t out of the woods I do I Ir still U have bave Viva Vivians Vivian's a pis' pis 9 r asked Mke J me for tor It ll ne He q Po na morning Said that the less lessI pc I 1 carr carried Ie the better for tor forto BU reat bed down a hand to help Jo to Ui pig feet feeL Dad No matter howse bow how 11 se bite bete k te Alan Garth well we'll get out of the muskegs with with- iOIa 1 h r you noticed must ask him to tos y I elal 1 You ion in s you OB OD back taci the pistol I. I Its Bit Ite C W his And to rasp his teem eem with such luch an Intimation iti more Important Important his his feel feel- or AlAn Alan's guidance guidance It If any happens N 01 to Alan Alan Alan- Make some mst ise lit Mr Hamill gash got to his feet teet and ped beside her ber down to the thea II a bant bank Buxby stood with his ou ose rue gate fixed axed upon Garth who whon n u willow ribs on the gun gun- i 1 of his canoe frame with raw raw- k It thongs The Ite spoke poke In a casual De flow e How long will It take to put puti i lit he birch bark 1 fell nse sae the moose hides sir ear q eb more but will be much n get r. r You might ask to op down dowa s a birch and cut It Into root lengths Well We'll have bave to toUt Ut the die wood to make paddles sr Sol Ur turned to his lire UTI In son You may mayren mayten ten ren return the pistol to me to rn It U will hamper your our chop chop- it tad and is II were we're now to be In la laor a ame me or Of Its III weight will not bother laxly tat lat motionless taken l l. Before he could think of an anam anto anto am to refuse he be met Garth's Garthe fy Inquiring gaze ne Re turned n and led drew the pistol from In In- li hll tattered coa coat 1 and handed to k another Iother day saw law the canoe com corn ti ta Tie The cow and bull hides bides Md and sewn together formed corer ate bale Hir side In The result u I a craft large targe enough for the fy but bat shorter and broader than i Renge canoe it At Garth Carta's suggestion had bad P tanning the calfskin Ha Rs- ll tended the smudge fire After Atter Mil Un g the thi birch billets ets had bad wt fat sat lit around brooding Then y bs be i went ot off up the brook dId pot not come back until after atter no was U finished But be Jit the thi abandoned blanket blanketT Garth T u wp beginning to shape Into mar the tEs Ia of woo wood 1 that he be I 4 rived tram from the birch Dl billets et farad from the blanket n to the and from them ms m's to t o tattered skirt Sot balt bad That t ben et Mon lOon b be needed To Too m J a sunrise this t Io In tor r morning a storm Was Miss na l. l Ie cured te It enough f fo foo for r etc o lIah a skirt of It It bout s shoes she he e ed Hes B I. I walking on his bli up- up He welcome to m my ml old mo moco moc- moc r 0 They may o last out our port port- ears earl reddened the man toll castoff footgear of t lilt a Halm whom he h had Bought t oa 01 Worth at least a hue Carth launched the canoe canoe- ned tg It to the bank an with d troll torn the moose i trimmings timings o of f bIdes the o 12 For r anchor h he e C t ot platinum U knaP knapsack k With 4 II alloy alloy- 11 Well look make It useful of Tol are to moody pr o au d so 10 have hare the bo bow w L can taa GI Der continue to o guard guar d f tent along t 4 along d D ot of thunder I and the swIsh awls b ch ell rust t through the birch b let Garth ih e banter banter- I Quick h De Deet e order et Q that Leanto th the e 5 fro Q t between lh the S t C 1101 1 at the onrushing black k 4 t Hath y hu too sent en t eth tb Ue the to fae help P the theat e at they 7 tied th the e upper r blanket hop with raw nd t It b weighted the bad back k h hor 11 Garth pulled tb e and th ue Placed It Dotto bottom m I 4 smoke racks rack I hou hours 0 ra la later ter the S passed over ore r and the heavy heart downpour of ot rain ceased all fill the party were wet from the drip through the blanket But Hut t the he fire Ore still smoldered and the h smoked half meat was waa dry under the canoe Had you been used to canoeing Garth sold said we ice need not have hare lost a all ll this time Hut But you'll get enough later on on Wring lYring out the blanket and fetch the meat lie Ile launched the canoe again unaided unaided un aided and directed the others to their places All had bed to kneel fa tan fac facing ing Ins the narrower prow of the double dou data ble stemmed Ale stemmed craft First came flux Hux- b by y with his bis treasure bagor bag f for or kneepad knee Lilith knelt on the front part of the lengthwise folded blanket blankett Her IIer father had bad the end sad of the blanket behind her ber At the wobble of ot the unsteady craft he be squatted back o on his heels beels and clutched the gunwales gunwale The others held beld to willow branches while Garth loaded I Ithe Inthe in inthe n the meat behind his own place y 1 J r I 4 I w She Murmured Dirt Dirty y Squaw I IDe lie De stepped aboard and began t to paddle with a steady tead stroke that t sent the canoe gliding gilding out Info th the e swamp stream A paddle A-paddle paddle la lay beside each of th the e others other Lilith was first to dip hers her a At At a murmured wor word d from her Husby Buxby followed ved suit stilt Doth Both Bothof h hof of ot them bad had done a bit of amateur r canoeing at the fashionable e beaches They were able to start Star Starin t In at once and help belp a little Bu But Dut t two days passed before Mr II gained enough balance and assurance assur r ance to to torise rise on his knees and tr te try y stroking his paddle Even after this Garth had t to o bear the brunt of the heavy beavy won work k Much of the time the others othera were e forced to stop ot off to get the cram cramp p pout out of their knees or rest their thel r arms Had work been the only consideration consid d' d he would as soon have donit done don doneIt e It all There were however reasons reason 7 for more moro speed than he be could make mak e alone with the heavily loaded skin skin- covered craft cratt The summer was no now w far along The days das were rapidly rapid Y shortening the nights night becoming ng colder and darker Delay would mean a serious us chance of or being caught In earl early y ya autumn blizzards Even Lilith h na na- a mill might not Dot be able to survive ve an day all drive drle of sleet Such a storm would undoubtedly kill h her ber er father and not Improbably by also Persistent use of ot the paddles cf would continue the toughening of the three On the third da day dap Lilith attempted attempt d to keep stroke with him She pa paddled paddled pad pad- d died until BO so exhausted that St she e broke down do and wept The They had bod twice camped on muskeg The third afternoon a brought them to broken ridges cs where the stream dashed through Ch a gorge So far tar as could be see seen n the rapids looked easy eaSl to shoo shoot a But nut Garth Oarth Bald eald It was a pori portal portage age e He lIe slung along a pack from his rum tump- tump p. p line and took gook the canoe conoe on b his Ig shoulders The total load was a full two hundred and fifty fitly pawn pounds de At sight eight of ot it It the others took on ell all the rest of the meat and Mu equipment equip equip- p. p men ment For miles Garth led them up and down rock rocky elopes dopes through throng h brush and bogs Twice they skirt skirted rd sheer falls taUs that showed why I he had bad taken to land At last below the lower fall he pe launched the canoe In the eddy ota of ot ofa a deep pool The others sank do doon down w n on OD the bank outspent He lIe built bolls afire a fire and boiled tea for tor them Tb The They et expected to camp overnight lIe He ordered ordered or or- dered dared them back Into the canoe Cant chance waiting here M May Maybe fa ay be too foggy toga to see sea tomorrow he explained Sit flat fiat In the botto bottom m ua m. m p p roar jour puddles Inboard They understood when hen a few strokes of his paddle brou brought ht the canoe to the foot font of the pool 1001 For a long two miles the they crouched low In the bottom while the grail frail craft glanced down tile the foaming swirling torrent of White water waler At the f foot Jt of the rapids he headed head hlat ed It alongside a s bit of gravell gravelly bench and helped Mr anc and ashore When he remarked that there was gold In the gravel I HUlby nearl nearly upset the canoe In n his hla haste to Ret get out and look I Gold I Why didn't we bring the gold pan Garth laughed and stretched out I on n the dr dry gross grass above the gravel i Gallant gentleman your our lady Is building the fire Dont V mind him Vivian Irlan Lilith chimed In Inn on n a the banter You can con use the cup for panning I need only the pot lot to boll boil Alan's Alan tea glanced sidelong at Garth and ond hastened to help the girl Her father had hod flattened out Jut beside Garth With a yawn Garth stretched up his arms and let them fall The left one came down across the mil body The back of lf the hand felt a lump under the leather coat had bad not again gained possession of the pistol The had bad now experienced experienced experienced the different phases of canoeIng canoe- canoe Ing log days days of ot paddling through muskeg mus mus- keg a s portage and the running of lf rapids But nut all aU proved to be no DO nomore nomore more than a mild sample of the difficulties dif dif- and hardships that fol fol- followed lowed In the next two weeks three more rapids had to be shot and two very ery hard portages made Between times the canoe was paddled Interminably through meandering channels that twisted and looped and split off oft In blind leads Down In the lower country the pests of black gnats mosquitoes and stinging flies files became worse At the same some time the flask Cask of grease and pitch dope began to give out Most of the camps were on wet et ground For days the party were drenched by a steady drizzle varied only by downpours that kept Lilith and berfa her ber fa father ther balUn balling the canoe Several times fog tog on the water compelled Garth to put ashore Without sight even his training could not enable him to follow the right channel He lIe was not an In In- i dian dlan But Dut between the forced halts he put In still sUlI longer hours of ot pad dung I Matters were coming to a pinch I After the first wetting by the rain I what remained of the meat spoiled I It became so flyblown and tainted that Lilith threw It awa away before Garth could prevent the wastage He lIe decided to give them all alJ another r lesson lessen In the fast that followed Mr was the first to tall rail y came next Lilith last of the three By Dy the third day they had bad given u ull up P ala a all ll paddling On the fourth the they y la lay y slumped stumped In to the bottom of th the ye e canoe Garth only tightened his belt again and dipped his paddle e t In his strong steady seemingly tireless tire less stroke Whenever he found himself nea nearIng near near- r Ing fog his limit he headed ashore boiled balled tea slept and then put o off Jr ff again The fifth day dap began to draw drat drayon v on the last reserve of or his wiry en durance Towards noon he be made mad e the boggy bog shore almost outspent He lIe dragged out the kaa knapsack knapsack knap knap- Ir sack tack anchor with Its load of platinum plat pint m um alloy The girl and the tw two o men m en lay In a stupor of ot starvation He lIe himself was so 80 tired that h be he e could not have lifted even LIlith ashore As A. he be rested on en the wet sedges sedge s he be recalled the place as III one of ot his him former camp sites alter A spruce cov v ered Bred ridge of higher ground here her e thrust out Into the muskeg The first remembrance brought another The second gave gue him strength to pun pull his bis rifle rille from the canoe and climb aslant the ridge end There w was as a berr berry patch on the east slope elope The fruit droll would be better than n nothing He lie hoped however for tor something more Circling to get the wind In his face he crept through the spruce t thickets thicket until he be could peer out on the open ground of the berry patch Luck was with him The old black blackbear blackbear bear had hod gone off ort and left her cub lie He rested tested the rifle ride barrel on on a s spruce pruce broach branch to get sure gore al aim That was the end of famine Gorged upon the fat tender meat of ot the bear cub even Dir Mr rapIdly rapIdly rap- rap i Idly regained strength He ne was still sun rather weak however when they came to the last portage The approach to solid soUd ground was across a narrow belt of muskeg Near the far for side of or the swamp the millionaire failed felled to Jump squarely upon a tussock of at grass gross lIe He slipped and plunged headfIrst Into a pool poi a was as following close behind alert for ever every move more of his hll partner parker He le sprang prang to grasp the feet of tt the sinking man A heave dragged him out slimed and spluttering worked over him scraping ot oft off mud until Lilith hastened back to help assist her fa lather father ther across the rest of the quagmire Once on firm ground the millionaire Joked about his bl mla mis- hap had a bath since the last rain cola he De said This one Is higher class equal class equal to the mud roUd baths at Hot IM Springs How about my pack peck Lilith r She looked In his bag bog Everything there Dad with Dad with some mud added Garth had hod been too for far ahead with bath his hi heavy pack and canoe to we see pe or hear the accident Mr Joked agala a about out his extra Itra bath the they took to the canoe cane at the for far side Ide of ct the portage But nut all aU the time until they reached the eve eYe ning camp end and he started to wash the mud from the leather coat be he I II did not notice that the pistol was I mi missing II I At the announcement of the loss lose met md Garth Garth's gaze gale with a sta store stare re of roll cold hostility Garth walked up to him empty handed If It youve you've done what I think you hare have he said aid I 1 call coU you ou for a show v sh The engineers engineer's tips lips tightened In Inan an ironical smile mile He lIe put up his hands bends Not ot to be fooled tooled by the see seeming ming bluff Garth went weal over Hux- Hux b by's bys tattered clothes from coat col cool tar lar to moccasins The pistol was nowhere on the engineer This Thle Is le one time rm Im due to apologize apol apol- Garth admitted I accept no apology ap from you yon ou busby replied Lilith looked from one to the other other oth oth- er n her ber own lips Ups tightened CHAPTER VII Th The Gaffed flatted W lf M MR It good humor good humor over his fall Into the muskeg pool had not been forced It was based upon spas his bis feeling of ot physical well well- being Instead of ot having been broken down by the bard hard toll and exposure of the trip and end that severe lesson leason In the meaning of famine he had bed come through It all aU In n even eves better shape than before the start from the lost loot valley The da days of ot starvation starvation tsars tion lion had completed Natures Nature's raid up upon on the tha degenerate fats tat and poisons poi pot sons son of at his bl once obese holy body bod There bad had followed the feasts of tender leader cub bear meat lIe He was wal again putting potting on weight but It was wal hard m He lIe was paddling as vigorously It If not as a |