The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-05-07

just where you are, till the tub is want
ed. Link, you'd better go into the river
with me, and dip the pals, while [ pass
'em up to Wad."
81 never can keep my trousers-legs
rolled up, and | amt going to get wet, 4"
said Link. Then, whispering to Jack ::
"There's leeches i'll this river ; they get
right into a fellows flesh and suck his
blood like sixty"
Rufe went in bare-legged, and stood
on the edge of the deep hole, where the
water was hardly up to his knees. Much
as he disliked, ordinarily, to set about
any work, he was strong and active when
once reused !; and the pals of water went
up on the g about as fast Wad cared
to take them.
"Hullo! Don't slop so: You're
wetting my feet" cried Wad.
81 can't keep from spilhng a drop
once in awhile. You might have taken
off your shoes and rolled up your trous-
ers, as | did,
The barrel was soon twO-thirds full,
and Wad called upon Link to help him
move it forward. Link left his seat by
Jacks side, and walked back to the rear
of the wagon. Wad, rs We know, was
already there. SO was the barrel of
water. standing just back of the rear
axletree. So also was a fresh pail of
water, which Rufe had placed at the ex-
treme end, because Wad was not ready
to take it.
At that moment the oxen, hungry for
fresh grass, and having nipped all within
reach of their noses, started up a little.
Jack, thinking to prevent mischief by
running to their heads. leaped from the
front of the wagon.
This abrupt removal OF weight from
one end, and large increase OF avoirdu-
pois at the other, produced a natural but
very surprising result. Choke in his
tub, though at the long end of the beam,
so to speak (the rear a~xletree being the
fulcrum), wa not heavy enough to cOun-
terbalance two brothers and a barrel of
water at the short end.
He suddenly felt himself rising in the
air, and sliding with the empty tubs.
His brothers at the same moment felt
themselves sinking and pitching. There
was a chorus of shrieks, us they made a
desperate effort to save themselves. Too
late. The wagon bottom reared, and
away went barrel, boys, tubs, every
thing.
The oxen, starting at the alarm, helped
to p%recipitate the catastrophe. Fortu-
ately, Jack was at hand to stop them, or
the dismantled wagon might have gone
fving across the lot, even fast enough to
suit Links notion of speed.
Rufe made one quick effort to prevent
the boards from tipping up, then leaped
aside, while the discharged load shot past
him.
Choke, screaming, held fast to the
sides of his tub with both hands. Wad,
intending to jump, plunged into the
deepest part of the river. Link made a
snatch at the barrel, and playing a leap
frog over it very unwillingly), went
headlong into the deep hole.
Choke met with a wonderfully good
fortune /; his tub being launched sc
neatly, and ballasted 50 nicely by him
sitting in the bottom, that it shipped but
a splash of water, and he fioated away,
umhurt and scarcely wet at all, amidst the
general ruin.
The wagon-boards, relieved of their
load, tumbled back upon the wheels. To
add to the confusion. Lion barked furi-
ously.
Jack, frightened at first, finally began
to laugh, when he saw Choke sailing
away, under full scream, and Wad and
Link scrambling OUT Of the water.
$50 you were the fellows that were
not going to get wet !" cried Rufe. "Pick
out your barrel and empty tubs, while [
catch ChOkie."
The river, even in the deepest place,
was not very deep; and Wad and Link
came wadin@ out, blowing water from
their mouths, flirting water from their
hair, and shaking water from their
hats, i'll a way that made Rufe (after he
had stranded Choke III his tub roll
upon the grass in convulsions.-"7he