288 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[April 7, l»94. 



DANVIS FOLKS— XXVII. 



Luck of the Woods. 

 The report of the gun led Drive to the spot by a shorter 

 route than the devious course of the fox. The hound 

 looked up with reproachful, wondering inquiry a moment 

 when laid on the trail, and then resumed his slow, persist- 

 ent pursuit with a renewed burst of far-echoed melody. 

 Sam listened in vexation of spirit to the receding notes of 

 the hound and the answering echoes growing fainter and 

 fainter till they were scarcely distinguishable above the 

 fitful stir of dry leaves in the vagrant wafts of air and 

 the constant monotone of the evergreens on the wind- 

 loved heights. 



At last they faded quite beyond the scope of intentest 

 listening, and then dismissing with them all thoughts of 

 sport, he went on over ledges and through depressions 

 toward the mountain lot. His woodsman's eye soon dis- 

 covered the faint marks of one boundary, which he traced 

 to an ancient comer tree, encircled by its axe-scarred 

 ''witnesses" and bearing the moss-grown initals of the 

 colonial surveyor and the numbers of the four lots whose 

 common corner it had established, when Governor Ben- 

 ning Wentworth held disputed sway over the New Hamp- 

 shire grants. Thence he carefully followed the eastern 

 line through the forest whose autumnal silence was as 

 unbroken as the dead stillness of winter, save for the 

 occasional rustle of fallen leaves and the liquid tinkle of 

 a rivulet ringing its course with a chime of foam bells. 



The iterant clamor of a log-cock on his accustomed 

 beat, the patient tapping of his lesser brethren, a squirrel's 

 rasping of a nut, the petulant squalling of the jays, were 

 sounds common to both seasons; but as Sam, with the 

 habitual caution of a hunter, went noiselessly onward, he 

 became aware of sounds that seemed strange and at vari- 

 ance with these. It was the noise of delving with spade 

 and pick in stony soil. He moved cautiously in its direc- 

 tion till he came to the brink of a ledge overlooking a 

 level plateau or terrace, whereon he saw almost beneath 

 him three men, two entire strangers, but one who was 

 steadily wielding a pick he recognized as a trapper and 

 root digger, from a neighboring town. 



A ministerial -looking gentleman in seedy black 

 clothes, was 'carefully examining the upturned earth and 

 stones, and the third, who was evidently first in the or- 

 der of their worldly standing, was intently watching the 

 proceedings while nervously puffing a cigar of such fra- 

 grance that when it reached Sam's nostrils he was pos- 

 sessed of a desire to smoke and instinctively put his hand 

 in his pocket for pipe and tobacco. But denying himself, 

 he quietly stretched out in a comfortable position to peer 

 over the edge of the cliff to see wnat kind of work was 

 being done on his property. 



"Well, Professor," he heard the smoker saying, "what's 

 your opinion of it?" 



The Professor chucked some specimens thoughtfully 

 from hand to hand and answered in measured precision: 

 "It is apparently an ore of good quality, but that can of 

 course only be ascertained by smelting it in sufficient 

 quantity for a practical test of its quality." 



"Worth buying, do you think?" the other asked. 



"Certainly," was answered with a decision that was 

 presently qualified by "at a reasonable figure, Colonel." 



"Of course," the Colonel answered impatiently, "It isn't 

 likely any one will ask a steep price for a mountain wood 

 lot, but suppose they should get their ideas up, how much 

 would it do to pay?" 



"It is very convenient to the Forge," the Professor pon- 

 dered, "hematite is apt to be hard, but it can be mixed 

 with a softer ore to advantage; the bed appears to be 

 quite extensive, I should consider it safe to pay a thousand 

 dollars." 



Sam's heart was beating so loudly that he mistook it for 

 the ponderous throb of the forge hammer two miles away 

 and prognosticated a storm from what he called the "hol- 

 lerness of the air." 



"Pooh, a thousand dollars. Any of these people would 

 jump at half that. It's more money than they ever saw, 

 and it's nothing but a wood lot anyway." The Colonel 

 threw down the stump of his cigar and stamped it out. 



"And that would leave you $500 to buy a race horse, 

 another Cock of the Eock, or to divide between me and 

 our friend Trask here, who is the real discoverer of the 

 bed." 



"O, William is going to be paid well for his time and 

 trouble," said the Colonel. 



"Wal, I cal'late I ortu hev suthin' more 'n days' wages 

 seein' 'at I diskivered this 'ere bed," the person referred 

 to remarked squatting on his haunches so that his knees 

 were in aline with his ears, his arms outstretched between 

 them, while he meditatively poked the earth with the 

 point of the pick. "Yis, an' more 'n I c'ld ha' airnt 

 diggin' jinshang, or trappin'. Sh-sh-sh! Hear that aire 

 haound dawg. He's comin' right stret here. Gawlly 

 bleue, I wish 't I'd fetched my gun." 



He suddenly uncoiled his long legs and sprang up like 

 an attenuated jack-in-the-box, bending an attentive ear 

 as he stretched out a widespread hand to enjoin silence. 



Sam was giving such close attention to this conversa- 

 tion, that his ear did not catch the voice of the returning 

 hound until drawn to it by the words and attitude of 

 Trask. Almost in the same instant he saw the fox a long 

 gunshot off on the brink of the ledge, picking his way along 

 the naked rock, intent on the strategy of a puzzling trail, 

 yet with ears and nose alert for any lurking enemy. Sam 

 took in at a glance that most perfect picture of cunning 

 that nature gives, the cunning which it was his chief de- 

 light to foil, and the hunter's instinct arose above all other 

 thought or plan, joined with a desire to atone for the 

 morning's blundering shot. 



His gun was aimed with deliberate celerity, and in the 

 same instant spat forth its deadly charge, and in the midst 

 of a requiem of echoing report and resounding bugle notes, 

 poor reynard tumbled down the cliff, almost at the feet of 

 the prospectors, who were more startled by the sudden 

 apparition than was he by the stroke that ended his life 

 with its first shock. 



The secret of his presence being disclosed, Sam de- 

 scended to secure his quarry, which he did with well- 

 simulated surprise at the discovery of witnesses to his 

 ehot. 



"By the gre't horn spoon," he declared, coming to a 

 sudden halt before the group, with the fox lying yet 

 untouched at his feet. "You folks scairt me aouten a 

 year's growth, a-comin' on tu ye so onexpected. I'd jes' 

 as soon ha' thought o' runnin' on tu a camp-meetin' up 

 here, fer I s'posed me an' Drive an' the wil' critters hed 

 the woods all tu aourselves. Haint strayed off an' got 

 lost ner nothin', hev ye ?" 



The Colonel hesitated a moment, considering whether 

 it was not best to accept this as an explanation of their 

 presence, but at once dismissed it as not a plausible one. 



"Why, no, I can't say we're lost, for our friend Trask 

 seems to know the lay of the land. But I'd like to know 

 who owns this lot. There's some timber on it I'd like to 

 get. This yellow birch is just what I want. There's 

 some pretty good trees here. That tree, and that," indi- 

 cating with his forefinger a couple of shaggy giants that 

 reared their rustling manes just beside him; "don't you 

 think they'd do, Professor?" 



The Professor ran a critical eye upon them and nodded 

 a dubious affirmative. 



"There's slews o' yaller birch all through here fer tew 

 miled, jest as thick as 't is on this lot," Sam said. 



"Yes, I know," the Colonel replied hurriedly, "but I 

 want the pick of it all, and I'd as soon begin here as any- 

 where." 



"I don't see what on airth anyb'dy wants of yaller 

 birch in p'tic'lar," said Sam, "ef 't was cherry birch for 

 furnitur', naow, but yaller birch, good land, what d' ye 

 want o' that ?" 



"Never mind what I want of it," said the Colonel with 

 the air of one impatient of questioning, "I want it. I've 

 been informed this part of the mountain belongs to a man 

 by the name of Lovel. Do you know him ?" 



"Yes, I know him." 



"Do you think he'd be likely to sell it? For a reasonable 

 price, of course, you understand." 



"Yes, I know him. He'll sell," Sam said, and then con- 

 tinued with apparent irrelevance, as he stirred the up- 

 turned ferruginous earth with his toe, "this ere is a 

 kinder cur'us lookin' sile o' land. Looks as 'ough it hed 

 got rusty a-lyin' roun' useless so long, Guess like 's not 

 the' 's iron in 't." 



The Colonel deigned to notice it with a side wise glance. 



"Ah, yes, it does look a little odd. Trask 's been digging 

 some of his wonderful roots here. The owner's name is 

 Lovel, I believe I'll call and see him." 



Sam straightened his fox upon a convenient log pre- 

 paratory to skinning it, seated himself astride it and be- 

 gan whetting his knife on his boot. 



"You needn't bother tu," he said, "he's right here, all 

 ready for a trade. I'm him, Naow, haow much be you 

 goin' tu offer? " 



"You?" cried the Colonel, quite taken by surprise, and 

 then advancing toward him with his right hand cordially 

 outstretched, "Why, Mr. Lovel, I'm delighted to meet 

 you, sir. De-lighted. You are just the man I want to 

 see and meeting you here saves lots of bother. My name 's 

 Ketchum, they call me Colonel sometimes." 



Sam stuck his knife in the log and not without a flat- 

 tered sense of receiving distinguished consideration, took 

 the proffered hand of the most celebrated speculator and 

 fast man of the county. 



"And this is my friend, Professor Stillman, and Mr. 

 Trask, you may have met Trask, for he's a hunter," the 

 Colonel said, introducing his companions, with whom Sam 

 shook hands with less embarrassment. "That was a 

 capital shot, Mr. Lovel. If I'd made it I should be proud 

 as a peacock. I never could shoot a fox. They're too 

 smart for me. Have a cigar, Mr. Lovel." 



Sam was nothing loth to accept the proffered Havana 

 already recommended by the fragrance of its predecessor 

 beyond all need of words. The Colonel obligingly lighted 

 a new-fangled match in a little vial of liquid and held it 

 for him till the cigar was properly fired. He had never 

 tasted anything with so delicious a flavor before, yet it 

 only made him hungrier for his more satisfying jpipe. 

 Having his own cigar well lighted the Colonel took it 

 from his lips to say, while he regarded Sam with a 

 shrewd, downward glance: 



"Now, about this wood lot," he emphasized wood. 

 "What are you going to ask for it, cash on the nail the 

 minute the deed is signed?" 



"What '11 you give?" Sam asked, feeling the edge of his 

 knife with a critical touch. 



"Oh, I don't want to put a price on another man's 

 property," said the Colonel, encouraging his cigar with a 

 few rapid whiff 8. "Name your price and I'll tell you 

 whether I can pay it." 



Sam nerved himself to a supreme effrontery and made 

 his offer in a voice so steady he wondered if it was his 

 own 



"Wal, then, I'll take fifteen hunderd dollars for 't," 

 and was so appalled by the extravagance of the price he 

 had named that he did not venture to look up, but began 

 carefully ripping the hindleg of the fox. 



"Whew!" the Colonel blew out a mouthful of smoke in 

 a long whistle of surprise. "Fifteen hundred dollars! 

 Good Lord, man, are you crazy? Why that's more than 

 a thousand acres of this mountain land would bring. 

 You're joking, Mr. Lovel. Let's quit fooling and talk 

 business." 



"I mean just what I say," Sam said, gathering confi- 

 dence he knew not how, "fifteen hunderd 's my price." 



"Oh, well, then it's no use talking," the Colonel de- 

 clared with assumed indifference that scarcely concealed 

 his vexation. "I don't want the birch bad enough to 

 give that or half of it. Some other lot will do about as 

 well. Come, Professor, we might as well be off; come, 

 Trask, show us the way out." 



Trask shouldered his pick and spade and led the way 

 with long strides, followed with slower steps by his com- 

 panions, who presently halted and conferred together in 

 low tones. Then the Colonel returned a little to ask, "You 

 really mean to say that fifteen hundred is your price?" 



"Sartainly," said Sam, stripping a leg of his fox. 



"It's ridiculous," the other insisted, "fifteen hundred 

 dollars for a patch of mountain land only worth the wood 

 and lumber that's on it." 



Sam suddenly faced toward him: "Look a-here, Col- 

 onel, what's the use o' your f oolin'? It haint the wood you 

 want. It's this 'ere iron ore." He picked up a handful of 

 the black and rusty fragments and held them out in his 

 open palm. "I do' know what it's wuth, mebby four 

 times what I ask fer it, but you c'n hev it fer that, hit er 

 miss." 



It had seldom befallen Colonel Ketchum's brazen face 



to be surprised into such blank astonishment as now over- 

 spread it. 



"Who the devil told you there was ore here?" he blurted 1 

 out. 



"O, I've knowed it fer quite a spell," Sam said with a 

 coolness that was amazing to himself, considering he had • 

 known it but half an hour. 



"Well, if there is, it may not be worth a thing." 



"I've hearn the' was them 'at 'ould pay a thaousan' dol- 

 lars for 't. It's consid'able handy to the Forge. I guess; 

 the Comp'ny 'ould give suthin' for 't." 



The Colonel retired to confer with the Professor, then 

 came back. "Well, I've concluded to take the chances 

 and give you a thousand." Sara shook his head. "Well, I 

 le's split tne difference and call it twelve-fifty." 



"No," said Sam, completing the stripping of the fox of 

 its beauty and tossing the carcass aside, ' T guess I'll give 

 the Comp'ny a chance fust." 



The Colonel chewed his cigar, forgetting to nurse its 

 languishing fire, and after some moments of silence said: 

 "Well, I'm going to be a confounded fool and give you 

 your price." 



"I p'sume tu say I'm the fool," answered Sam with a. 

 nervous laugh. 



"Mi - . Lovel," the Colonel said , regarding him with grow- 

 ing admiration, "I aint surprised that you take in thei 

 foxes." 



"I can't help a-knockin' 'em over when they blunder 

 right ontu me," Sam said with becoming modesty. 



"Well, Mr. Lovel, I'll pay you cash down, when we git 

 the papers made out to-morrow." 



"All right, an' naow I s'pose we might as well hyper 

 aout o' this!" Sam said, carefully shaking the fur of thei 

 fox skin, turned right side out, into comely fluffyness. 

 "Be you folks goin' my way? Come ol' dawg," 



Drive reluctantly arose from the bed he had made in 

 the leaves, refreshed himself with a sniff of the fox tail' 

 dangling from his master's pocket, and limped with, 

 gingerly, footsore steps in the rear of the party as it took 

 its way down the rough descent. 



The Colonel discoursed with as continual volubility as the, 

 uncertain footing would permit and seemed in excellent 

 spirits for a man who had just made a bad bargain, as he 

 continually averred he had done. After appointing a 

 meeting at Joel Bartlett's for "drawin' writin's" for the; 

 next morning, Sam parted from his new acquaintances' 

 where their ways and his diverged, and held across thei 

 fields homeward with a light heart. 

 •"I've allers faoun' my luck in the woods," he thought. 

 "It fetched me Huldy, an' naow it's saved me a hum' fer 

 her an' Bub an' the ol' folks." Rowland E. Robinson. 



ON THE NORTH SHORE OF LAKE SUPERIOR. 



(Continued front Page 266.) 



After breakfast the next morning we started for the 

 angle in Pancake Bay, but as it was a long mile bef orei 

 we could reach it, and along a shore that had heretofore! 

 been considered the trysting place of the vermilion-hued' 

 beauties, we concluded to give it a thorough flogging, in 

 hopes of arousing some dappled patriarch of the deep. At 

 it we went, sending our lures into every tempting place 5 

 that looked like a lair for the gameful fish. I never was 

 so hopeful of starting one for my fly, for never was there 

 place that appeared more trouty than this. Boulders bigi 

 and little, shattered rocks of all sizes and forms, chasms 

 deep and narrow, ledges ragged and shelving, were in 

 ample confusion; yet the particular denizen of the deep; 

 we sought stirred not at sight of bright or dark or fanci- 

 ful feathers, whether tossed with the lightness of down 

 or fluttered with incomparable skill. We gave them the 

 range of almost the entire catalogue of flies, with a few 

 novelties of Ned's masterpieces done up in ruby red, but 

 it was in vain, for they moved not. 



The place had evidently been depopulated by the tawny 

 savages with their terrible pot-hunting tactics of the 

 treacherous gill-net and the deadly set-lines. The pre- 

 mium they received from the market purveyor of ten: 

 cents per pound was too tempting to permit of leaving 

 any of the handsome tribe in their native haunts. At! 

 last, wearied and saddened over the deplorable develop-i 

 ment, we reached Pancake Bay, and then, after two hours 

 of industrious work, were rewarded with only two tiny: 

 trout that ran a few inches overthe legal size. Ned couldf 

 contain himself no longer at the miserable luck we were ' 

 having, and therefore sought consolation in singing, 

 "The trout I'm catching now are naught 



To those that in my youth 

 I threw right back as soon as caught: 

 Six-pounders they in truth. 



And so I sigh for days gone by, 



My heart bleeds, O, it does — 

 And tears come weliing to my eye 



For times that used to was." 



There was still one chance more for the quarry, and 

 that was an earnest search for a noted reef about a mile 

 or more from shore, which we had heard of time and 

 again, and said to swarm with lovely trout of gigantic 

 proportions. Well, we began the quest, but it was like 

 looking for the sunken treasure of the piratical Captain 

 Kidd. We rowed here and we rowed there, and we 

 rowed all around, looking for the shallow water, but ere 

 we found it indications of rain and storm showed up in 

 the west. Immense clouds of inky blackness were driven 

 before the wind with an appalling look, as if on mischief 

 bent. A moan of thunder was heard and then a vivid 

 streak of lightning painted its sharp and lurid lines on 

 the rolling clouds, which were heavily surcharged with 

 dense \'apor. 



The reef and its finny dwellers thereon were very sud- 

 denly forgotten, for we were over three miles from camp, i 

 and with a head wind to contend with it was indeed ques- 

 tionable whether we could make it without being deluged 

 with the threatened shower or driven ashore on the rocks 

 by the storm. The boys were quick to realize the situa- 

 tion and applied a vigor to the blades that made them bend 

 as if they would momentarily break. 



"We may make it," said Peter, as he made the water 

 foam from the tip of his oars, "but it will be a close race." 



Ned was sure we could, but as I viewed the great, ugly- 

 looking wings of smoky clouds Spreading out on all sides 

 as they came tearing along before the fierce gale, I was 

 exceedingly doubtful of the result. There was no appar- 

 ent danger of swamping, but only in getting a good 

 soaking, for neither of us had our rubbers aboard, as we< 



