410 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Nov. 11, 1893. 



back to om- corner. I tried later on to get John back to 

 the story of the hut, but either he knew nothing more, or 

 did not like to talk about it. I could get nothing out of 

 him, and he seemed anxious to avoid the subject, so I 

 soon gave up the attempt, and we lapsed into sUence. 

 The time passed slowly away, outside the wind blew 

 fiercely, driving great clouds across the sky; at times the 

 moon shone out bright, then heavy clouds obscured it. 

 The wind whistling through the chinks and crannies of 

 the old cabin gave forth weird and rmearthly sounds. 



The evening was slowly passing away. There had been 

 a longer interval of silence between us. I was beginning 

 to feel sleepy and thinking of turning in for the night, 

 when there came a fierce blast of wind that shook every 

 log in the old hut. Then followed a dead calm— per- 

 fect silence — not the motion of a leaf was heard. 



Then clear and distinct on the night air came the tin- 

 kling of a bell. It startled us both, it seemed so near the 

 old hut. 



"It's a stray cow," John. "Some stray cow has wan- 

 dered into the clearing and is making a meal off the long 

 grass." 



"It ain't no cow," John answered, "a cow never rings 

 a bell that Avay." 



"Well, if it isn't a cow, what is it?" I asked. 



"I don't know what it is; but I know it ain't no cow." 



"Well, I'll soon see what it is," I said, making my way 

 to the door of the cabin as I spoke. 



In front of the cabin was a cleared, space possibly a 

 hundred paces in width, and beyond the clearing was a 

 dense woods. The sound seemed to come from a point in 

 the woods almost directly in front of me. 



I stood in the doorway some time listening to it. John 

 was right. There was something peculiar in the way the 

 bell rang, and yet I could scarcely teU wherein the pecu- 

 liarity lay. 



I was trying to determine this when I was surprised to 

 see a pale blue light shine out distinctly at the very point 

 I had settled on as the spot where the. bell was ringing. I 

 was certain the light wasn't there when I first came to 

 the door. 



I called John to my side and together we watched the 

 light in silence. 



The moon was shining brightly, lighting up the clearing 

 distinctly, and we coxild see a well worn path leading 

 from the door of the cabin in the direction of the point 

 wliere the bell was ringing. 



"Come with me," I whispered, "and we'll soon find out 

 what's going on over there." 



I noticed John seemed a little reluctant at first and hesi- 

 tated about going, but finally he followed me. The path 

 was broad and well beaten, and we had no trouble in fol- 

 lowing it. We had gotten within 20 paces of the woods 

 wiien suddenly the light disappeared, and at the same in- 

 stant the bell ceased ringing. 



We hesitated a moment, then hurried along as fast as 

 we could and entered the woods. To our surprise we 

 found nothing unusual. The moonlight coming through 

 the trees gave an abundant light, yet, although we searched 

 carefully everywhere, we could find no trace either of 

 animal or human being. 



I was just thinking of giving it up and returning to the 

 hut when I was surprised to hear again the tinkling of 

 the bell, and looking up I saw the light burning apparently 

 a short distance ahead of us in the woods. "Come quick, 

 John," I said, "we'll not let it escape us this time." 



As I spoke the bell stopped ringing but the light con- 

 tinued burning. We hurried forward as fast as we could 

 and apparently were getting nearer to it. We were only 

 a few paces from it when suddenly there was a rustling 

 among the leaves back of us, and before I could turn 

 aroimd I felt myself grabbed by both arms and instantly 

 a bandage was thrown over my eyes. 



It was so sudden, so unexpected, that it took us both by 

 surprise, and our hands were bound behind us almost be- 

 fore we had time to think. Then a low, gruflf voice 

 whispered in my ear, "Now, Cap, if you know what's good 

 for you you'll keep quiet and come with us without any 

 nonsense," and I felt the barrel of a pistol pressed against 

 my temple. I heard John say, "Mr. Sherman," but a 

 coarse voice interrupted him with, "Shut up, or I'U blow 

 the whole head off you." I then felt my arms grabbed by 

 a man on either side of me, and the same voice spoke 

 again at my ear: "Now we'll lead you, and walk along 

 right smart, Cap, for we have no time to spare." 



We then started through the woods, my captors guiding 

 my steps so that I experienced no trouble in walking. I 

 could not teU the direction we went nor how far, but it 

 seemed to me we walked for mUes. 



Suddenly I heard the crackling of wood burning, I 

 noticed an increase of fight through my bandage, and 

 felt a sudden heat on my face as though I was near a fire. 

 Then we stopped and one of my captors told me to sit 

 down; at the same time I felt a log of wood pressed 

 against my knees and I sat down on it. 



I had been studying all the time we were tramping 

 through the woods what the meaning of all this could be, 

 a,nd what object they had in seizing us in this way. I 

 listened with the greatest attention now, hoping to hear 

 something that might enlighten me. I could hear feet 

 shuffling about and could hear voices talking low at a 

 little distance from me, but could not make out what was 

 said. After several minutes of this suspense the same 

 voice whispered at my ear: "The Captain is coming this 

 way." 



I soon heard the approach of his footsteps, and then 

 his voice addressed me, though in mufiied tones, as though 

 he were wearing a mask: 



"Well, we've got you this time," he said; "you thought 

 you would capture us, but the tables are turned, and in- 

 stead we've captured you." 



"I don't imderstand you. Captain," I said. 



"No, I supjjose not," he answered, laughing. "Of course 

 you are very innocent. Of course you are not Government 

 officers. Of course you weren't sent out to capture a gang 

 of illicit distillers. Of course you weren't informed that 

 we had a still near the old hut. Oh, no, my pretty boys, 

 you couldn't take us in. We watched you ever since you 

 came here. We saw you hiding in the hut this after- 

 ooon." 



"But I protest. Captain." 



"Oh, protest all you want," he said, interrupting; "you 

 can't fool lis. We saw you sneaking' about the old hut. 

 You thought we would go there this evening and you 

 would capture us without any trouble. But we were a 

 little too sharp for you. We judged you had plenty of 

 assistance within call, so we decided to tempt you to 



leave the hut, and we succeeded, as you are aware." 



"But, Captain," I said, "we are not Government offi- 

 cers." 



"No, I suppose not," he answered, sarcastically. "That's 

 too old a dodge. You'll have to get something better. 

 Why, we had a fuU description of you a week before you 

 came here. We have been watching for you." 



"But I will give you proofs. Captain." 



"We have all the proofs we want and will not listen to 

 any more. I have only come here to tell you the punish- 

 ment the gang have decided on in your case. In the first 

 place I will tell you that we are going to let you off very 

 light. We are going to release you when you have taken 

 an oath not to reveal anything you may have heard or 

 seen either at the hut or with us." 

 ■ "We'll very willingly take that oath," I answered. 



"And in addition," continued the Captain, paying no 

 attention to my remark, "the gang has a rule that any 

 person caught spying in any way on the actions of the 

 gang shall be branded with a red-hot iron on the right 

 arm." 



I jumped to my feet. "This is monstrous, this is in- 

 human!" I shouted, "you wouldn't darel" 



"Seize him!" said the Captain, "and if he don't keep 

 quiet, gag him!" 



Instantly two men caught me by the arms. 



"Now take him to the fire and brand him, We'Ushow 

 these fellows what we are made of." 



I struggled aU I could, but it was useless opposing the 

 strong arms that held me, I was forced up close to the 

 fire, then rough hands pulled my sleeves about my elbow. 

 I was then forced to stoop over until my arm came so 

 close to ^the fire that the heat against it was terrible. 

 There I was made to stand several minutes, while I could 

 hear men working about the fire, apparently heating the 

 irons. 



While all this was going on not a word was spoken, 

 then a voice said "Eeady." 



"It was answered by several voices, "AU ready, Cap- 

 tain." 



"When I count three, strike both together." 



There was a moment of silence that seemed an hour. 

 Then came slowly the words "One — two— three." 



There was a groan from John, and at the same instant 

 I felt a sharp, stinging pain shoot up my arm and all 

 through my body. It was but a second, but what a 

 second. "Bind them up quick!" said the voice; and in- 

 stantly a bandage was bound tightly around my arm. 



"Now take them back to their seats," and we were led 

 back to our logs. 



"Let them rest awhile." And I heard the Captain's 

 footsteps walking away, and soon afterward the men who 

 had charge of us followed him. 



For half an hour we sat there without hearing a sound. 

 I began to wonder at it. Could it be possible they had 

 gone? Finally I ventured to speak. "John." "Well, 

 Mr. Sherman." Not a sound was heard even then. No 

 one interrupted us. "John," I said, "I believe they have 

 gone and left us. I don't hear anything of them." 



Again we listened a few minutes. Still not a sound. 

 My hands were free, so I determined to venture on re- 

 moving the bandage from my eyes. After a little effort 

 I got it off. As I imagined, there was not a soul in sight. 

 The fire was still burning brightly, but no one was near it. 



"Pull off your bandage, John," I said, "there's no one 

 here." 



In a moment John's eyes were free, and we stood look- 

 ing at each other. 



"Are they gone, Mr. Sherman?" said John, doubtingly. 

 "Oh! the villains, to burn us that way." 



For the moment I had forgotten the burning. This re- 

 called it. The bandage had been wrapped so tight that 

 my arm was numb and I could not feel the burn. I de- 

 termined to take off the bandage, and so began to unwind 

 it very carefully so as not to injure the arm. Fold after 

 fold came off, and when the last round came off judge of 

 my surprise to find the arm entirely uninjured. There 

 was not a scar or mark upon it. John had removed his 

 bandage and was standing gazing in surprise at his own 

 uninjured arm. 



"Why, I felt the iron burning." 



"I thought I did too." 



While removing the bandages I had unconsciously 

 walked nearer the fire. My attention was attracted by 

 two guttering spots on the grass. I stooped and picked 

 one up. It was a small piece of ice fast melting in the 

 heat from the fire. In an instant aU was plain, 



"Here," I said, "are the irons that burned us and that 

 explains why they held our ai-ms to the fire so long. Ice 

 would hurt as bad as hot iron on arms heated as ours 

 were. There's some mystery about this that we haven't 

 found out yet, but we had better get away from here 

 before they come back. We've had quite enough of them 

 for one night. Do you know where we are?" 



John looked around a while. "Why yes, I know 

 where we are. We're on the hiU just a Uttle ways above 

 Somer's Point." 



"Somer's Point! Ah, is that so? And the Jolly Fish- 

 ing Club are camping on Somer's Point." 



"Yes, and it ain't but a little ways to their camp." 



"Well, they are old friends of mine and we'U go down 

 and spend the night with them, but not a word about 

 this night's adventure." 



I never yet found a party of campers so hard to waken, 

 or who seemed so sleepy when we did get them out; but 

 at last we got them far enough awake to understand that 

 we wanted to spend the night with them. We made 

 some paltiy excuse for appearing at such an hour, which 

 excuse was accepted without comment, and they soon 

 stowed us away comfortably for the night. 



I slept m the tent of my friend Captain Blank. Before 

 going to bed I noticed the toe of a boot sticking out from 

 under his cot. It had mud on it that looked too fresh 

 and wet to have been there many hours. 



I said nothing, but I thought a great deal. 



F, I. Sherman. 



A NEW-SUBSCRIBER OFFER. 



A bona fide new subscriber sending us ^5 will receive for that sum 

 the FoBKST AND STREAM One year (price 84) and a set of Zimmerman'a 

 famous "Ducking Scenes" (advertised on another page, price *5)— a 

 ?9 value for 86. 



This offer is to neio subscribers only. It does not apply to renewals. 



'FoT^ a. bona fide new subscriber for six months will receive the 

 FoKEST AKD STREAM during that time and a copy of Dr. Van Fleet's 

 handsome work, "Bird Portraits for the Young" (the price of which 



»8). 



BY STREAM AND LAKE IN MICHIGAN. 



The trouting season for l893 in Michigan has closed. 

 The wind already sweeps cold and mournfuUy through 

 the woods. The extremely hot days and remarkably cold 

 nights have turned the leaves on the ancient oaks to varied 

 hues of golden richness, and slowly dropping, one by one, 

 they are claimed by Mother Earth as her own. The 

 majestic, briUiant-colored, lofty-plumed golden rod nods 

 gently to the passing breeze. The meadow queen is shed- 

 ding its lovely flowers of dainty pm-ple, and all nature 

 tells us, in language unmistakable, that other days and of 

 a vastly different character are soon to dawn upon us. 

 The streams of northern Michigan are noted the world 

 over as being the favorite home of the trout and of the 

 grayling. The season just closed has been a particularly 

 good one for the trout and grayUng fishermen. Parties 

 from aU sections of the country have visited om- world- 

 renowned lakes and streams, and they have returned to 

 their homes well pleased with their experience, satisfied 

 with their catches, and fully determined to come again at 

 the first opportunity. 



The people of Michigan extend the hand of welcome to 

 aU comers who are honest, law-abiding, respectable 

 sportsmen, and they will spare no pains to make the 

 sojourn of the visiting brother sportsman enjoyable and 

 pleasant. It is the little things, kindly extended, pleas- 

 antly received, that go to make up the sum total of our 

 daUy Ufe. So it is with the trout fisher— the successful 

 experience of others who are engaged in the same pas- 

 time, will ever be his guide, and the more carefully and 

 thoroughly he studies the success or failure of others, the 

 better and more successful trout fisher he will become. 



This reminds me of the story of the last party to return 

 from the trout streams to Lansing; and as their experi- 

 ence will be interesting and instructive to those who are 

 to visit that section of northern Michigan on a like mission 

 I wUl venture to tell you something of it. The Uttle 

 party, consisting of Frank E. Briggs, T. H. Sedina and A, 

 J. Bradford, all armed and equipped as the most fastidi- 

 ous trout could require, left Lansing Aug. 7, Their des- 

 tination was Baldwin, Lake county. Their headquarters 

 at Baldwin was at the Townsend House, one of the best 

 kept and most homelike coimtry hotels in northern Mich- 

 igan, owned and presided over by J. C, Townsend and his 

 pleasant and obhging wife. To Mr, H, C. Rudd, one of 

 the prominent busmess men of Baldwin, the entire party 

 were deeply indebted. Mr. Rudd has the only large ice 

 box in town, and among his many other good deeds he 

 allowed the party to use his ice and ice box during their 

 entire stay at Baldwin, and he refused to take a penny 

 for his trouble. A t Baldwin the party was increased by 

 the addition of Uncle Abe Bush, Roscoe Bonney, John 

 Updegraflfe and Charles Frost. These gentlemen are old 

 residents of Baldwin, and as trout fishermen and guides 

 they can't be beaten. They know every inch of the 

 country for many mUes aroimd, and they are perfectly 

 famUiar with every ti'out stream in that section. They 

 can each one handle a fly -rod and cast a fly equal to the 

 best of men, and they can land a trout with an ease only 

 to be acquired by a lifelong experience as trout fishermen. 

 The party here engaged a livery, and Sam, the German 

 driver, to take them about the country as they required. 

 The Uvery was good for a backwoods village, and Sam 

 did his part faithfully and well. 



Baldwin is located on Baldwin Creek, one of the most 

 lovely little streams of northern Michigan. This stream, 

 like many others in this section, was once weU filled with 

 trout, and one could catch a fine string of nice big fellows 

 within a few moments' walk of the village almost any 

 day; but, alas! the stream has been literally blown to 

 pieces, the banks have been torn up, big holes have been 

 gouged out of the bottom of the stream, and successful 

 trout fishing or even fairly good catches is a thing of the 

 past. The law-breaking wretch with his explosive dyna- 

 mite bombs has put in his dastardly work, and desola- 

 tion, wreck and ruin follows in his wake on any stream 

 which he visits. I am told that fish killed by explosives 

 are always badly crushed, the ribs are torn from the back- 

 bone, and about every bone in the body is broken. 



Five members of the little party fished all of one day a 

 few miles below Baldwin, and they only took, as the total 

 catch, fifteen small trout. 



At Baldwin the party got together their camp equipage, 

 and taking the guides and Sam and the team, drove thir- 

 teen miles to the Little Manistee. Here the entire party 

 camped in an old, unused log house, located nearthe river, 

 slept on the gi-ound, did their own camp work and then- 

 own cooking, and enjoyed themselves as only an old-time 

 camper can. The Little Manistee for many years has been 

 one of the most famous trout streams in Michigan; but 

 here, too, the explosive bomb has been at work, and very 

 greatly injm-ed the prospects for extra big catches for 

 some time to come. This stream, like most northern 

 Michigan streams, is very deep, the water is very cold, the 

 current runs very swift, the banks on either side are 

 studded thickly with "a tangled, rank growth of alders, 

 and one must get into the middle of the river and wade 

 every foot of the stream in order to do any fishing at aU. 

 The casts must aU be made in midstream, with the water 

 hip deep, as the bushes and trees nearly meet over and 

 above the water, and there is no chance to cast a fly with 

 any kind of success except one is prepared to wade. To 

 wade up the stream was utterly impossible, as the current 

 ran so swift. The party waded and fished down the 

 stream altogether, and they covered from five to eight 

 miles each day. 



When bait was used in fishing for grayUng, it took 

 three large bullets to sink the Une and keep' the bait near 

 the bottom of the stream. The entire party in four days' 

 fishing took 165 fine trout— not an awful big catch, but 

 enough to supply the camp, and some extra fine ones for 

 the friends at home. In camp, they aU turned in and 

 took turns at camp work. In the way of files they found 

 that the professor, as a leader, with a grizzly-king and 

 and a brown-hackle, or a grizzly-Palmer and a dull-Pal- 

 mer, gave the best results. Each fished with a 9ft. leader, 

 and about lOOft, of Une. They caught a few rainbow 

 trout, and a total catch of fifteen grayling. The trout 

 took nothing but the fly, and the grayUng took nothing 

 but bait. 



One morning early Mr. Briggs took a stroU down the 

 stream for grayUng; he had just dropped his bait near the 

 bottom of the pool, when a monster trout caught sight of 

 it, and, making a rush for it, turned and hit it a sharp 

 blow with his tail, then tm-ned again and tossed it about 

 with his nose, then pushed it from one side of the pool to 



