Part 17 (1/2)
”Sure, that's a good nao as far as you like,” said thewith the boys and show them where our upper stakes are,” volunteered Stark, and Runnion offered to do the sa that it were best to a the others at the cabin to make preparations for the ho is a tin-horn gao, the same as Runnion, and the others ain't one ”Seeht reed ”There's a dozen good men in cain we get back”
”Dose buot all de bes' claioin' be de same here”
”I don't like the look of this,” observed the Lieutenant, thoughtfully
”I'm afraid there's so they can do,” Gale answered ”We've got our ground staked out, and it's up to them to choose what's left”
They were nearly ready to set out for Flao,” said Stark, ”I think we'd better organize our h present to do it”
”We can ,”
Runnion chiive us a square deal”
”I'll agree if we give Lee the job,” said Gale ”It's co to him as the discoverer, and I reckon thethe hard luck he's played in”
”That's agreeable to me,” Stark replied, and proceeded forthwith to call a htway noers There was no objection, so he went in, as did Lee, as made secretary, with instructions to write out the business of the ether with the by-laws as they were passed
The group assembled in the cleared space before the cabin tothe district, for it is a custo sections removed frooverning the size of claims, the amount of assessment work, the size of the recorder's fees, the character of those who may hold mines, and such other questions as arise to affect their personal or property interests In the days prior to the establishment of courts and the adoption of a code of laws for Alaska, the entire country was governed in this way, even to the adjudication of criminal actions It was the primitive majority rule that prevails in every new land, and the courts later recognized and approved the laws so made and administered, even when they differed in every district, and even when these statutes were often grotesque and ridiculous As a whole, however, they were direct in their effect and worked no hardshi+p; in fact, govern is looked upon to this day, by those who lived under it, as vastly superior to the complicated machinery which later took its place
The law per district and adopt articles of government, so this instance was quite ordinary and proper
Lee had co slowly, and he wrote after the fashi+on of a school-boy, who views his characters froprogressed slowly
It was of wondrous interest to Necia to be an integral part of such i on every question; but Burrell, who observed the proceedings froround, could not shake off the notion that all was not right Things moved too smoothly
It looked as if there had been a rehearsal Poleon and the trader, however, see to the waist in his own troubles, so the young man kept his eyes open and waited
The surprise caanization of the district and had nearly finished adopting by-laws It was so boldly atte-out that it seehable to the soldier, until he saw these men were in deadly earnest and animated by the cruelest of liainst the trader, which the Lieutenant had divined
Runnion moved the adoption of a rule that no woers seconded it
”What's that?” said Lee, raising his one eye fro
”It isn't right to let woame,” said Runnion
”That's my idea,” echoed the seconder
”I s'pose this is ai to his feet