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Mr. Bates awaits

Last week Joe and Sam covered their tracks after their canoe exploded. The journey up-stream from Croydon Landing to Mile 53 was surprisingly short as Sam and Joe observed.
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Last week Joe and Sam covered their tracks after their canoe exploded.

The journey up-stream from Croydon Landing to Mile 53 was surprisingly short as Sam and Joe observed. They passed two pointer boats, one small motorized launch and at one spot in the river they almost collided with a scow carrying a load of horses. In a few weeks time the water level of the Fraser would rise and the sternwheelers from South Fort George would once again travel on this wilderness water-way to Tte Jaune Cache.

Joe and Sam decided to continue helping to pole the double-canoe right past the Siems- Carey Wharf and stay on board right through to the Buster Stopping House. They wanted to show their gratitude for the transportation back to Tte Jaune. The telling of their disaster story would have to wait. However, when Sam, Joe and other river-men passed the dock area there seemed to be an abundance of people gathered on the water-front.

The crowd was congregated on the dock in front of the Foley, Welsh and Stewart warehouse. As they approached, the men noticed there were at least two hundred workers gathered. As they poled alongside the dock, Sam and Joe recognized some of their friends and began waving.

On the wharf Joe spied their foreman from the Siems-Carey warehouse. Mr. Bates was standing in the crowd above them. Bates waved to the boys and called down, "Hey, Sam. You lads sure made it back to town fast! Is everything all right? Hey, where's the Ruth- Ann? And, where are you going with those Shushup?"

Before Sam had a chance to answer, someone on the dock threw a mooring line across his bow. He grabbed the rope and yelled back to Mr. Bates, "Wait till we come ashore. It's a long story, Sir."

The next episode is, A Good Day For Hanging.

A little excitement at the end of the Foley, Welsh and Stewart's wharf, you say! Will the crowd take matters into their own hands? Does Joe still carry his hunting knife? We'll find out darn soon.