Junior saw to it fast work was made of his supper chores. He had good reason to rush tonight. He helped Zeke and Zach as they cleared the long dining tables after the lumberjacks’ meal. Junior grabbed a four-gallon copper stewpot and a wooden spoon and jumped onto the table, beating the bottom of the pot. The clanging of the copper pot immediately captured the men’s attention. Hearing the alert from the horse barn, four teamsters quickly crossed the camp yard and joined with the others to hear Junior’s announcement.
“All right, now, listen here!” yelled Junior. “It’s news from Hayward that you fellas don’t want to miss. Light your pipes, shut your yaps and hear the news.” Junior jumped down, pot and spoon in hand.
Ingman stepped up on the table. “Men, my nephew Tor and Yunior went to town earlier today. While there, they picked up this newspaper,” he said, waving it above his head. “Before I give you the story, though, I need you to think back to last night when many of us cast our doubt on young Tor and his story about him and Chief Namakagon being robbed on the Omaha. Men, it turns out that, not only was the story true, but it seems the Governor of Wisconsin will be coming to Hayward to honor them for spoiling the holdup.”
A noisy rumble came from the men. Junior banged on the copper pot and Ingman continued. “Let me read you the headline. It says here, ‘Boy and Indian chief spoil train robbery. One outlaw presumed dead. Other shot and stabbed.’ Then it goes on to say, ‘Governor to honor heroes for ridding pinery of dishonorables!’” He held the paper up high.
“Now, fellas,” Ingman continued, “you will recall some of you placed bets last night, laying odds that the whole tale was yust a big cock-and-bull story, a lumber camp yarn that didn’t hold a pinch of truth. Fellas, I admit I, too, was eyeballin’ this with somewhat of a squint. But the newspaper bears out the story. Meaning that, if you laid a bet down, then you owe young Kavanaugh his money. Fellas, this deal was done on the up and up. I want you to know that if any man here tries to weasel his way out of his sum obliged to Yunior or Sourdough, I will see to it that it goes against that man’s year-end wages.”
Olaf wheeled his chair nearer the head of the table. “Men, I have some other news that I know you will like to hear. You all put in a good first month in the woods. The weather’s been good to us and we are already well ahead of the game. I doubt that any other camp can hold a candle to you boys. To show you our appreciation, Ingman and I decided to give you a five dollar advance against your spring pay so you could have a night in town.”
The room erupted in cheers and laughter. Junior banged on the stewpot.
“Tomorrow is Saturday, men. We are gonna knock off early. Three-fifteen. If you want, you can draw your five dollars from the office starting then. Three-fifteen. No sooner. Blackie will have two sleighs hitched up and ready to leave at four o’clock sharp. Those of you going to town can jump onto one of the rigs. But mind you, keep a close eye on Blackie. When he heads back to camp, you best be on the sleigh or you’ll be a-walkin’.”
“Now, men,” said Ingman, “I need to give you a word of caution. There will be a hundred miners, twice that many gandy dancers and even more lumberyacks in Cable tomorrow night. Stay out of yail and don’t get beat up or so drunk that you can’t find your way back by Sunday noon because we’re going to have a fine Sunday dinner waiting for you at one o’clock sharp.”
“Mind you,” shouted Olaf, “we’re bound to have some guests in camp so you better turn up sober and presentable. And put forth some good manners.” Ingman spoke again. “Some of you may decide to stay here in camp and save your money instead of donating it to the poker tables and sporting gals in town. Well, that’s fine, too, and we’re planning something special for those who want to stay in camp. We’re gonna set up a checkers tournament and we’ll crack open a case of whisky yust for this occasion. Olaf has agreed to back off on the rule about no drinking in camp, but just for the night. All we ask is that, if there’s any brawling to be done, you take it outside so we don’t bust up this high class hotel here.”
Laughter and cheers flooded the room. Junior jumped up on the table again, banging the copper pot. “I got something to add,” he shouted. “Anyone here who owes me and wants to pay early, well I’d be grateful for it and I’ll knock four bits off. That’s a half-day’s wage, fellas.”
Ingman stepped up on the long wooden table next to Junior. “Men,” shouted the woods boss, “pipe down whilst I read you the whole story about the train robbery and such. Pay attention, now. You can be sure this here will be the talk of the town tomorrow night!”
With that, over a hundred lumberjacks fell silent while Ingman read the feature story in the December 8, 1883 edition of the North Country News.