H. L. Sayler

“ When I leave Athabasca Landing, the only way by which I can communicate with the world behind me is by courier, on foot; from Fort McMurray this means a tramp of four weeks for me, and even to a skilled Indian it means three hundred miles through the poplar forest.”
“And what could we do?” asked the breathless Roy.
“If what you tell me about your airship is true, you can make almost daily trips for mail. At least, it would be as easy for me to keep in touch with civilization as if I had a railroad train at my disposal,” declared Colonel Howell springing to his feet. ”

“ A grizzled “Baptiste,” as Norman liked to designate each Indian, was busy with a draw knife, a chisel and a maul, finishing steering oars. These enormous objects resembled telegraph poles, being of pine timber, slightly flattened at one end to resemble the blade of an oar, and at the other end cut down into long handles that the user might clasp with his two hands.
When the Indian had roughly trimmed these giant oars, with the help of an assistant, who in the meantime seemed to have no other duty except to puff his charred black pipe, the old “Baptiste” balanced the piece of timber on a rock. ”

“ Having reached the last cabin, which differed in no respect from the others, Norman and Roy came across a surprise that was a shock to them. Swinging open the door, without warning, they entered a chill interior that was reeking with new odors. A small fire burned in one corner and before it, on a pallet of worn and greasy blankets, lay the distorted figure of a man. ”

“ When the new moon showed through the dark border of spruce trees and the brilliant northern stars pierced the black sky, the young aviators were ready for another trial. It was eight o’clock. This time they packed the snow for a 222 hundred yards in front of the chassis of the car, and then, arranging their few blankets in the cockpit and refreshing themselves with some newly-made hot tea, exhausted and nervous, they climbed aboard. Putting on all their power and holding their runners steadily to the packed snow, they again started the Gitchie Manitou. ”

“ The exact time was the big day of the celebrated “Stampede,” Calgary’s famous civic celebration. It was in July and among the many events that had drawn thousands of people to the new Northwestern metropolis, Norman and Roy were on the program as aviators and exhibitors of their new aeroplane.
These young men were born in Calgary and had lived eighteen years in that city. Since 10 this almost covered the period of Calgary’s growth from a trading post to a modern city, each young man had a knowledge of the wilderness and its romance that other boys could get only from history. ”

“ Norman and Roy were almost flat on the ground, hanging on to the pulley chain. The first cap was in place and, with a long wrench, Ewen was twisting it onto the thread. A new volume of gas was already rolling from the pit, while from the incline opposite the mouth of the new opening, gravel and clods of earth were shooting riverward like the sparks of a Bessemer furnace. Paul threw himself on the ground with the other boys and added his strength to theirs in holding the cap in place. ”

“ No sooner had the monoplane begun to disappear over the northern hills than the impatient Paul demanded the attention of Colonel Howell.
“Colonel,” he began, “I’m almost ashamed to even make the suggestion, but I’ve been watching the men at work on the gusher. They don’t seem able to get a plug into the pipe or to put a cap on the end of it, even with the rigging they’ve managed to set up.”
“We seem to be at the end of our string,” laughed Colonel Howell. “But laymen frequently make suggestions that never occur to professionals. Have you an idea?” ”

“ But Norman was already banking the machine, and the flying car responded while the wonder-struck boys gazed open-mouthed.
“It’s the camp,” Norman yelled just then as a little group of shadowy buildings seemed to rise up out of the snow.
“They’ve struck gas!” blurted Roy, as he sprang to his feet. “The men have struck gas and it’s a gusher!” ”

“ The wind had died out and the gas camp at Fort McMurray stood on the verge of the almost Arctic winter.
The excitement attendant upon the wonderful discovery and the attempt made at once to control the fiery shaft again interfered with Colonel Howell’s real plans of active prospecting. For days the experienced oil men made futile efforts to extinguish the gusher and to cap the shaft. When they were of no assistance in this work, Norman and Roy overhauled the airship and substituted the ski-like runners in place of the aluminum-cased rubber-tired landing wheels. ”

“ But what surprised them even more, knowing as they now did of the arrangement between Paul’s father and Colonel Howell, was the colonel’s apparent indifference to young Zept’s conduct.
“I have a theory,” said Norman to his friend at one time. “You know Colonel Howell told us he wasn’t taking Paul in hand to act as his guardian. I think he’s letting him go the pace until he gets him where he’ll have to quit what he’s doing. Then it’s going to be up to Paul himself. If he doesn’t make a man of himself, it’ll be his own fault.” ”

“ Grant’s railroad department had been pressed into service in the construction of three crates—a long skeleton box for the truss body of the car, another, wider and almost as long, to carry the dismounted planes, and a solidly braced box for the engine. The propeller and the rudders were to go in the plane crate. These were promised Sunday morning, and Norman and Roy took a part of Saturday for the selection of their personal outfits. Over this there was little delay, as the practical young men had no tenderfoot illusions to dissipate. ”

“ As the pork began to sizzle in the pan those 244 who were eagerly watching the amateur cook saw the piece separating into thin sections.
“You see, that’s what we trappers always do,” explained Roy rather proudly. “You can’t slice pork when it’s frozen solid. I sliced my pork before we left camp this morning.”
By this time the rashers of pork were swimming about in the hot fat like doughnuts in bubbling lard.
“It certainly smells all right,” exclaimed Paul, as the appetizing odor from the frying meat filled the snow cave. “Hurry up and give us a piece.” ”

“ When the stores and supplies had been compactly arranged in the rear of the living room and the new storehouse, the cabin and its surroundings seemed prepared for comfortable occupancy in the coldest weather.
The only man retained out of the river outfit was a Lac la Biche half-breed, a relative of Moosetooth, who was to serve both as a cook and a hunter. At least once a week, the entire party of young men went with Philip Tremble, the half-breed hunter, for deer or moose. ”

“ Zept, his face a little white.
“Sure!” exclaimed Colonel Howell. “Call it settled and get this terrible fear off your mind. Paul’s all right and I’ll bet when you see him again he’ll give an account of himself that’ll make you proud.”
But the boy’s father was not so easily assured. “Howell,” he said in a nervous tone, “you’ve done something for me this evening that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. I don’t often talk about money, but I’m a rich man. From what you’ve told me, I can see you’re yet working pretty hard. You may have plenty of money but no matter as to that. ”

“ Old Moosetooth looked at the knife, placed it inside his belt and began cutting a fresh pipe of tobacco.
“Life in the wilds!” remarked Colonel Howell, as he and the boys regained the scows. “A lazy man’s bad enough, but a booze fighter doesn’t belong in this camp.”
“Where could he get anything to drink up here?” asked Norman, a little nervously.
“Tell me!” responded Colonel Howell. “That’s what we all want to know. Anyway,” he went on, “we’ve done our part towards cutting it out. There isn’t a drop of it in this outfit.” ”

“ Norman’s jaw dropped.
“Paul,” he exclaimed, “we’re a lot of chumps. Chandler never came back to this camp. He hired the best dog team in this part of the world and while we were all asleep he’s been hurrying to Edmonton. He’s had seven days’ start, and the way these dogs travel, he’ll cover that distance in jig time. Come on,” he almost shouted, “we’ve got something to do now besides feeding lazy Indians. The hunters are back, anyway, and there won’t be any starving around here. We’ve got to get back to Colonel Howell as fast as the airship’ll go.” ”

“ The next morning the boys slept late and when they responded to Philip’s persistent call to breakfast, they found that Chandler had eaten and gone. Colonel Howell was awaiting the boys, Ewen and Miller being already at work on the blazing well, and he seemed to have something on his mind.
“Would there be any great danger,” he began at once, addressing Norman, “in making a short flight in your airship in weather like this?”
“This isn’t bad,” volunteered Roy. “It’s only a few degrees below zero. There’s a good fall of snow for our runners and there hasn’t been any wind since the blizzard.” ”

“ But while Roy pumped a new shell into place, the erect animal suddenly stumbled and then with a snort whirled and sprang toward the trees. This time when the rifle sounded the great antlers seemed to rise higher and then the moose lunged forward on its head and began kicking in the snow. Norman, gazing at the struggling animal, brought the monoplane to the wide drifts of snow.
“You get out and finish him,” he exclaimed as the Gitchie Manitou came to a jolting stop. “It’s getting colder. I’m going to put some alcohol an’ glycerine in the radiator. This isn’t a very good place to freeze up.” ”

“ Zept began to point out to 64 Colonel Howell the improvements of the city while the big machine sped toward the hotel.
Paul, with a sullen look on his face, settled back among the cushions, and Norman and Roy, awed by the decisive tones of the rich man, made no attempt at conversation.
Reaching the hotel, Colonel Howell alighted to prepare his luggage and see to telegrams and mail. Mr. Zept stopped with him while Paul took the young aviators to their homes. A short time later the motor picked up Mr. Zept and his guest and carried them to the Zept home. ”

“ His first inquiry was about the Gitchie Manitou. When he learned that this was apparently little injured and had already been backed into the aerodrome, he gave more evidence of his all-day’s strain by again relapsing into unconsciousness on the cot that had been improvised for him before the fire in the living room.
The more fortunate Roy was able to relate their adventures and hear the details of the gas gusher’s discovery that night. Within the protected clearing, the storm had been more of a heavy downfall of snow and less of a blizzard. ”

“ Zept sat upright and darted a look at his old friend.
“That’s right,” went on Colonel Howell. “When you leave Athabasca Landing, the fellow who tells you good-bye is a mounted policeman, 67 and he doesn’t shake hands with you either. If you’ve got a drop of whisky with you, you’ve got to have it inside of you. If you try to take whisky into that country, you’ve got to be smarter than the smartest policemen in the world. The ‘opportunity’ is gone. And there’s another thing,” went on the aroused colonel. ”

“ Even the boys smiled at this and Colonel Howell laughed again.
“Indians don’t trouble to make bark canoes any more,” he answered. “That is, when they can buy a good cedar boat. And next to his blanket, the Indian prizes his wooden boat above his family. But don’t bother about a canoe. Moosetooth has one that we’ll carry down the river with us and I’ve got a good one at the Fort. Don’t buy anything. I’m buying enough for all of us.” ”

“ The loading began and proceeded wholly without order. For this reason the prospector suggested that the airship crates be left until the last. Bags of flour, of which there were fifty, were dumped in the bottom of the boat where the mud and water were sure to spoil part of the flour.
“But that’s the way they do it,” explained Colonel Howell. “It’s the method of the river Indians. They’re doing the work now and don’t make suggestions or try to help them. They’ll resent it and think less of you for it.” ”

“ It’s just the place where we may meet people who will understand what it’s good for.”
“And even then what are we going to do?” asked Roy. “Sell it to some mail or stage contractor? To some one who works in the blizzard?”
The other boy shook his head: “I don’t know,” he answered slowly, “but it’s certainly going to come in handy for some one. I don’t know of any other machine that you can run in a snowstorm or that would be any good up here in the wilderness when the bad weather comes on. ”

“ It’s the train!”
“What’s the matter?” exclaimed Norman.
“Well,” explained Colonel Howell, “you know they’re just finishing the railroad and I was told that the trains are running to Athabasca Landing. They were running a passenger train about twenty-five miles out, but beyond that there hasn’t been anything but a construction train. There’s a new Provincial Railway Commission and it decided only the other day that no more passengers could be carried. The road hasn’t been turned over yet by the contractor and they’re afraid to let anyone ride on the construction train. ”

“ Where it was possible, these survivors of a period now gone were to bring with them the weapons of the frontier and the implements of camp life. There were to be stage coaches and freight wagons of the prairies, relics of the trail and the paraphernalia of the frontier.
The program of the Stampede included the exhibition of these people and their old-time life as well as it could be reproduced. Horses noted for their viciousness, Mexican bulls especially selected for their savageness, and the untamed range cayuse, were to exhibit the prowess of the horsemen. ”

“ This work under way, Norman and Roy, assisted by Paul, undertook to construct a rough but adequate aerodrome. The open space in front of the cabin was not sufficient for a landing and a large part of the clearing in the rear of the cabin was leveled for the airship shed. To decrease the size of the structure, it was also made in “T” shape, the extension for the tail of the machine reaching back toward the cabin, for the new shelter faced away from the cabin so that there might be no obstacle in starting and landing the machine. ”

“ It’s all changing. It’s all going to be farms, before long. You’ll be surprised, however,” he continued, addressing the boys. “Long before night we’ll run out of this onto the green prairies. 88 Long before we get to Edmonton, we’ll be in some of the best farming land in the world. And it goes on and on, more or less,” he added with a faint smile, “a good deal farther than we know anything about—maybe as far as Fort McMurray,” he concluded.
“There isn’t any reason why Fort McMurray can’t be a Calgary some day,” replied Colonel Howell; “that is, when the railroads start towards Hudson’s Bay.” ”

“ There upon Roy seized the handle of his frying pan, shifted the skillet to one side and, resting it on the snow, began to flip the bits of salt pork onto the snow floor.
“Here, what are you doing?” shouted Norman.
“You don’t eat those scraps,” announced 245 Roy positively. “The only good in pork is the fat and the fat’s all in the skillet. We trappers give these scraps to the dogs—only we ain’t got any dogs.”
“Well I’ll be a dog all right,” exclaimed Norman and as fast as Roy flipped the brown rashers out with his knife point Norman and Paul grabbed them up. ”

“ But what do they look like?”
“They’re not wearing Indian togs much,” explained Roy, taking a seat by his friend, “and I’ve never seen real old full-blood Indian rivermen, but I know these fellows look like ’em. But I’d change their names if I was going to put ’em on the program.” 18
“Don’t sound Indian enough?” suggested Norman. “Full-bloods never do seem to have real Indian names. Seems like all the loafin’ half-breeds take the best names.”
“Anyway,” went on Roy, “these men are John Martin, or old ‘Moosetooth,’ and William La Biche.” ”

“ I want to get out in the wilds—and that’s where I’m going.”
“Do you know what that means?” asked Norman with a smile in turn. “Do you know about the spoiled pork and bannock and mosquitoes?”
“I suppose you mean the rough part,” answered the young man. “I’ve never had much of that but I want to try it. I want to get beyond civilization. I want to get where I can see things I can’t read about. I’m tired of Paris and school and I want to see the real wilderness.” 24
“It’s gone!” interrupted Roy again with a laugh. ”

“ In spite of the increasing coldness, the Gitchie Manitou made its way without trouble toward the distant camp. There was no wind and, although the boys computed the temperature outside at not less than twenty below zero, the interior of the little cockpit soon became cozy enough. The heating appliances had been connected with the dynamo and Norman at times even complained of the heat. After the first hour of flight, both boys began looking for the flare of the gas well. When this at last came in sight, the car was headed directly for it. ”

“ Elated and nervous, the boys turned and, as if under a hypnotic spell, began to push the car into the aerodrome. And once inside the little building, with set lips, as if working his courage up to that point, Norman broke the silence by saying: “I was going to make my first trip to the States this winter.”
“Next summer would be a better time. Why don’t you go in style?” asked Colonel Howell. 55 “We’ll come out in the spring and we ought to have a comfortable enough home during the bad weather. ”