The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-11-06
That isn't very large pay" the boy

!
will cut up into good wood"
"Well," Wallace replied, after lit
! tie meditation, ''I'll take the bowlder,
uncle; and I'll burn the brush-heaps on
your land, and leave you the ashes.
You shall give me ten dollars for the
rock, and what wood l choose to cut
out of the brush. Is that fairp
"Well, fair enough" the old man
was obliged to admit. "But if you are
in earnest, must say you are blamed
fool!"
"That's my lookout" laughed Wal
| lace, starting to walk toward the brush
| heaps.
"And see here!'' cried his uncle,
"you are not to damage the trees, or
endanger the corded wood by your
fires
"Of course not,n consented Wallace,
without looking back.
"He talks that way just to carry out
the joke" thought Uncle Bent. "He
don't act like it, though. See here!"
he again called out, II suppose you
know there's only one way of moving
this rock?n
"You suggested lifting" said Wal
ldCO, ONCI ulS
cit will take quantity of powder, and
good many days work." said the old
man, anxious to get at the boys real in
tentions.
81 haven't any money to buy pow
der, or to hire men; so shall have to
try other MEANS" Wallace replied.
ado you mean it?" cried his uncle,
growing astonished.
81 am going to try" said Wallace.
"But what-how-how are you going
to manager"
81 can't say until / have studied into
the matter little" And again Wal
lace walked on toward the woods.
Uncle Bent also went off, irritated
and puzzled. He was really inclined to
set the boy down for fool; and he was
confirmed in this opinion, on coming
out again after dinner, and finding what
Wallace had been doing.
He had got another boy to help him;
tall, gawky fellow, whom Uncle Bent
recognized as Simple Jack-one of those
minded youths who are to be found
in almost any village. He was dragging
brush from the land and placing it in
piles near the bowlder.
econ to have some fun," he said,
when the old man asked him what he
was about.
"What sort of fun?" Uncle Bent in
quired.
ECON to make big fire, an burn
up the rock" replied Simple Jack.
"Burn up the rock!" growled the
old man, with angry impatience. ''That
nephew of mine is certainly fool, and
he has taken another fool into COM
pany!"
He walked off toward the woods,
where he saw Wallace disentangling the
brush-heaps.
The boy looked up from his work,
wiped his brow under his old hat-brim,
and turned red and sweaty face toward
his uncle.
$50! you're going to burn up the
bowlder, are you?" cried the old man,
with somewhat savage sarcasm. "That's
a bright ideeP''
"I didn't say was going to burn it
up" Wallace replied, embarrassed and
nettled.
" Simple Jack says sou
=" Simple Jack isn't the boss of this
job"
Wallace gave pull at large branch;
and then added in a rather dry, drawl-
ing tone, "But won't dispute what he
says. I've been thinking about that
bowlder good deal, uncle. l can't tell
yet what I'm going to do, for I'm not
sure my experiment. will succeed
"Well, mabby you know what you're
about; but doubt it, And with
scowl and puzzled expression, the old
man went off to his mill.
He thought a good deal that afternoon
about powders, his brothers poor wild
ow and his nephew Wallace, Simple
Jack and the problem of using fire TO
remove rocks. He finally became so
worked up by his thoughts that he left
his business at an unusually early hour
and went home.
His mind was not at all relieved to
find that the boys had actually built
raging fire of brush against a broad side
of the rock.
Nor, must say, was Wallace at all
pleased to see his uncle approaching.
The critical moment in his experiment
had arrived; and, although he felt rea-
sonably certain of success, the old mans
presence made him nervous.
But then, he reflected, it would be
pleasant to have him there to witness
his triumph.
Wallace was adding bits of dry brush
to the fire Immediately beside the rock,
while Simple Jack was bringing water
from Uncle Bent's well and filling tubs.
What's the water for?" the old man
demanded of the tall, awkward youth.
To put out the rock when it burns
too FAST" replied Simple Jack, Juggling
his pals. "Goin' to have great funi8
g. So you're rely trying the fre!"
cried Uncle Bent, approaching the scene
OF the experiment. "I don't see that the
bowlder has burnt up much yet!'
"No, not yet. 1t is getting pretty
hot, though, and we have plenty more
brush, you see," replied Wallace.
alt will be some time before you need
the water if it is to put the rock out
when it burns too fast, as Jack says"
observed the sarcastic old man.
"Jack don't get things quite right,
though I've tried to explain them to
him." replied Wallace. ave shall
need the water pretty soon, / think.
That will do, Jack! Now stand by that
tub, and do just as 1 tell you.'