Troop One of the Labrador by Dillon Wallace

D >> Dillon Wallace >> Troop One of the Labrador

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

"I can't make out," said Doctor Joe after a long scrutiny.

"We'll see," and Eli turned the dogs toward the object.

"It looks like a flatsled," said Doctor Joe as they approached.

"'Tis a flatsled," said Eli. "'Tis the men ran away from the lumber
camp."

A gruesome sight met them as Eli brought the dogs to a stop. Huddled
close and lying by the side of the toboggan, partially covered by
drift, were the stiff-frozen bodies of two men.

"They were lost in the storm," said Eli presently. "They must have
been wanderin' about till the frost got the best of un."

Doctor Joe and Eli lifted the remains to the komatik, attaching the
toboggan to trail behind, and with their ghastly burden they turned in
at The Jug.

Jamie and Peter, vastly concerned for Andy's safety, met them, and
were as vastly relieved when they learned that Andy would be not much
the worse for his experience, and that the lumber boss would live.

The two bodies were carried into the wood-shed and laid side by side
upon the floor, to remain there until evening, when Doctor Joe and Eli
would return them to Grampus River for burial. It was then that Jamie
looked for the first time upon the upturned dead faces, and as he did
so he exclaimed, with horror:

"They's the men! They's the men that had the cache and tied me up!"

"They've been hard men in life and probably done much evil in their
day, but they're past it now and we'll treat their remains gently and
humanly," said Doctor Joe as he covered their faces with a cloth.

Then they undid the flatsled and carried the contents into the cabin,
where the things would be safe from the dogs. There were provisions, a
bag of clothing, two thirty-eight calibre rifles, a quantity of
ammunition and a small bag, which Jamie declared was the bag which had
been cached in the tree.

"I'm goin' to look at un," said Eli. "'Twill do no harm."

Eli undid the bag and drew forth a package which proved to contain a
large roll of bills, amounting to several hundred dollars. Then
followed two marten pelts, a red fox pelt, and the pelt of a beautiful
silver fox. Eli shook the silver fox pelt, and holding it up examined
it critically.

"'Tis Pop's silver!" he exclaimed.

"Are you sure?" asked Doctor Joe.

"'Tis Pop's silver! I'd know un anywheres!" declared Eli positively.

"Then," said Doctor Joe, "it was not Indian Jake but these men who
shot your father and stole the fur."

"And stole our boat!" Jamie broke in excitedly.

"'Twere they stole the silver," Eli admitted, "and the Lord punished
un. I'm wonderful glad my bullet went abroad and didn't hurt Indian
Jake."

"We all thought Indian Jake guilty," said Doctor Joe. "How easy it is
to pass judgment on people, and how often we misjudge them!"

"And knowin' he didn't take un, and after I'd tried to kill he," went
on Eli contritely, "he were wonderful good to me, havin' me bide to
supper and givin' me deer's meat."

"I'm rememberin'," broke in Jamie, "that the men were talkin' o'
somethin' they were takin' from the ship, and fearin' the lumber boss
would find out about un. 'Twere the money they means."

There was a howl of arriving dogs outside, and Jamie rushed to the
door to meet David and Andy and Margaret, and, to his unbounded
delight, Thomas and Indian Jake.

While Thomas was being overwhelmed by Jamie, Indian Jake with a broad
grin extended his hand to Eli.

"How do, Eli?"

"How do, Jake?" Eli took Indian Jake's hand. "I got the silver back,
Jake, and you never took un. I'm wonderful sorry the way I done."

"I've got your ca'tridges here, Eli," grinned Indian Jake. "You can
have un back now."

"But didn't Andy have grit, now!" Jamie's voice rose above the babel.
"Didn't he have grit to go out in the night when 'twas _that_ nasty!
And a stout heart, too, like a man! Andy's a wonderful fine scout,
whatever!"

And so ended the mystery of the shooting and the robbery of Lem Horn,
and so the guilty were discovered and punished, as in some manner and
at some time all wrong-doers are discovered and punished. It is the
immutable law of God.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12