Adventure Magazine Cover — page 142: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

4 os ¢ >? ae >" AF " he | f wr — J . 4 hes Wi ; a \ + | r ’ « . * : ‘ se ad A tr age ‘their sinewy arms reposed a skill nothing short of magical and a strength that Sherman and the other post keepers of Norway House District had not believed could exist. As long as Hend- erson, who knew Lake Winnipeg in all its va- garies, steered true, they could do their part. A good deal of water was coming aboard. It splashed over the bow quarter like the regular flushing of a bucket, but, dipping unceasingly with a copper pail, Burnham himself kept the bottom clear while his crew bored on. Unless they themselves sprang a leak it seemed a certainty now that they would overhaul Steene. The gap between the two canoes was steadily lessening. Rounding Montreal Point and bearing away for the Spider Islands lying off the mouth of the Little Black River, Steene in the big craft ahead came to the same conclusion. There was no denying that the gap between the canoes was lessening at an alarming rate. He had moved in luck all night, but mis- fortune lurked for him on Lake Winnipeg, tarrying where it could do him the most harm. He had noticed the seeping of the water through the seam of the six-fathom craft from the start. It was only a few drops at first. Through the entrance of Great Playgreen Lake it had not amounted to anything, but when they struck the cross-swells of the bigger lake the wrenching and straining of the craft began to open the seam. ‘The great craft was taking water as fast as he could bail and the flood was ankle-deep amidships where Clara Travis crouched on the fur robes. “The weight is beating us,” Steene declared. “They’re gaining, and we must do something to better this waterlogged condition.” He took-one of the fur robes and folded it like a blanket, placing the fold over the rent in the bottom. “There, kneel on that Clara, so as to hold it tight,” he requested. “If we can lessen the inrush, maybe I can clear the canoe.” Quickly Clara kneeled as directed, bearing her whole weight on the folded robe to squeeze it tight against the seam, at the same time hold- ing it with her strong white hands to keep it from shifting with the sway and roll of the craft. “Now, Nelson,” she breathed, “I think it’s tightly packed. I'll try to keep it so.”’ At her word Steene fell to bailing with tre- mendous speed, his flying arms swinging in a circle from canoe gunwale to canoe bottom and back again. “That’s it,” he cried exultantly as he saw the flood slowly draining under his efforts. “Hold on, Clara. I can beat it yet.” Indeed the temporary expedient of the fur robe was working well. The soaked hair clogged the seam. The tough pelt refused to strain the water through. The baffled surges Adventure snarled angrily at the damaged side. under her firm hands, and the elemental thrill of the battle with the forces of nature set her blood. leaping. ‘We'll win, Nelson,” she declared. “We'll make the Spider Islands, and I’m sure the governor can’t. Henderson. Their smaller canoe can’t face the waters below Montreal Point. there than above.” “They'll face death itself,’ observed Steene. “They’re facing it now, and so are we. But it’s a thing I’ve faced many times before, and I hope shall face many times again before it claims me. Hold for your life, Clara. The water’s still going down.” On over the wild inland sea that was blessed with the name of lake the great birch-bark — sped, the Ojibways paddling with a skill that seemed to surpass the magical skill of the — pursuing Iroquois behind. ‘In their ears howled the demoniacal wind that was born in the bar- ~ ren grounds and roared south to ravage half a continent. In their eyes flew the savage spray from the wave crests as the high scroll of their bows smote the assaulting surges with resounding Travis could feel the vicious smiting of them He'll have to turn back with It’srougher smashes. In some mighty rhythm the great — craft rocked and swung, now deep in the hollow of a wave trough that left them no glimpse of the sky, now poising on the top of a roller so near to the clouds, so it seemed, that a man could strike the stars with his paddle. Also, it was rougher between Montreal Point and the Spider Islands. The nearer they drew to the Islands the rougher it became. The shifts of the wind commenced to pile up cross-seas that threatened to swamp even the huge six-fathom craft. Steene had it all but bailed out, but now the wrenching twisted and tore the seam under Clara’s hands in spite of all her efforts to hold the fur robe in place. s It was as if the spirits in the cavern deeps of Lake Winnipeg sensed their nearness to safety and combined for one last grand charge that would tear the canoe to pieces. In poured the water, gaining, deepening, undoing all Steene’s frantic work, sinking the craft lower in the swell than ever. “By Heavens, the whole side’s gone,”’ roared Steene to the Ojibways. ‘Paddle like demons for the islands. Make it now or never.” MORE from habit than for benefit re he could expect he went on bailing swiftly, his eyes holding the smaller canoe behind. 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