The Shadow 096 The North Woods Mystery by Maxwell Grant

Author:Maxwell Grant [Grant, Maxwell]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Street & Smith
Published: 1936-01-31T23:00:00+00:00

The big beaver hesitated; then turned its head shoreward and gave grunts of its own. The swimming beavers paused restlessly on shore; then came swimming back to the canoe. Evidently the Indian and the old beaver held full command over the tribe. Other beavers were appearing from bushes on the bank.

“Beaver Luke is wise,” commented Alphonse. “He knows the beaver language. You have heard him speak, m’sieu’.”

MUNDON had stopped his canoe; Alphonse backed water with his paddle. Mundon waved in a friendly fashion to “Beaver Luke.” The Indian had huddled again and was staring with challenging eyes.

Harry could distinguish his long features. Beaver Luke was solemn-faced, with high cheek bones and a large-bridged nose.

The Indian was wearing a dark sweater and a battered felt hat. His canoe was packed with luggage; evidently he intended a long stay at Lake Lakimika. Mundon was apologetic as the canoes coasted closer.

“Sorry,” said Mundon. “You’re Beaver Luke, aren’t you?”

The Indian nodded. It was his first acceptance of the strangers.

“Locating here with a tribe of beavers?”

Beaver Luke grunted affirmatively.

“Taking them up the creek?” queried Mundon, “so they can build a dam?”

Another grunt.

“How far up?”

“Half mile,” replied Beaver Luke, speaking for the first time. His voice was gruff. “Maybe more.”

“Need any grub?” queried Mundon.

“No,” returned Beaver Luke. “You tell people stay away. Want nobody to bother beaver.”

“We’ll pass the word along,” agreed Mundon. “Glad to have met you. We’ve heard a lot about you, Beaver Luke.”

Mundon turned his canoe westward; Alphonse followed suit. Harry, idle at the paddle, looked back to watch Beaver Luke. The Indian had remained motionless in his canoe. The big beaver by the middle thwart was grunting noisily to the others of his clan. Harry saw swift-moving heads poke from the water.

Beavers were climbing back into the canoe.

As they rounded a slight curve of the shore, Harry caught a last glimpse of Beaver Luke. The canoe was moving at last, heading toward the mouth of the creek where the Indian planned to place a beaver colony.

With that, Harry was ready to forget Beaver Luke; for he had too much else to think about without considering a person who could scarcely figure in events on Lake Lakimika except as a bystander.

Dale Mundon, however, brought Beaver Luke back to mind as they neared the abandoned mine.

Musingly, the young man made remark:

“I was going to pass up that trip to the portage. But I think I’d better go along and talk to the rangers.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.