The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-08-20

q shelf OF rock prOtrudmg out OF the cilff
about three. feet from the base. "COme,
boys, we'll be safe there for awhile"
With throbbing hearts and trembling
limbs we huddled close together on our
place Of refuge, while the dark waves
rolled in with increasing force, and the
waters rose higher and higher and high
or, till they touched our very feet.
The black sea, like hungry monster,
was waiting impatiently to engulf us.
We shouted till we were hoarse, but it
was all in vain, for the nearest cottage
was almost half mile distant, and the
sound of the surge was enough to drown
our voices.
"What will we doP' What will we
do?" / mOaned. in the anguish of finding
myself face to face with death.
As long Us live shall never forget
the answer received. 1t was only one
word, and it issued from Toby'a lips;
"Pray"
We prayed, oh. now fervently, I can
not tell you! We prayed as the dying
pray as they totter over the threshold OF
eternity; we prayed until Toby's
voice was heard again above the clamor
of the waves.
"Boys," he said, II can't swim, but I
can climb"
All, yes, he could climb the highest
forest trees in search of gum or crows
nests; he could climb. like a monkey and
leap from limb to limb with the light
ness of squirrel. But what did he
mean ut that awful moment?
We turned ut him in wonder, and with
white face and flashing eyes, the boy
pointed to the rugged cliff which tower
ed almost hundred feet above our
heads.
Toby did not speak.
"What do you mean?" gasped.
"I'll climb the cliff" he said, "and
if reach the top, will save your lives. VI
He stood grasping the solid stone, his
feet encased only in rough wooden socks,
and an opened clasp-knife between his
teeth.
For IN instant his lips movedas though
in prayer, then carefully and cautiously
he began to ascend.
1t was terrible undertaking-one
from which the bravest man would recoil
in horror-for a single false step, q
crumbling stone, or q moment of dizzi-
ness, would fling the daring boy, crushed
and pangled, on the rocks below.
Higher and higher Toby climbed, nev-
er casting a glance beneath him, some.
times sticking with cat-like tenacity tC
slippery places, and again cutting into
the chalky substance holes for his hands
and feet.
The twilight was deepening, cold
wet wind sprang up, the waters were nj,
ready surging round us, and the white
caps of the waves cleaned through the
dusk like the flashing fangs of wolves.
With breathless interest, and in sus.
pense which was simply agony, We
watched the figure of the daring boy
climbing and creeping up the cliff.
Ha! He has almost reached the sum
NIT. Three more steps and he was safe
l can hear Archie's heart beating, but
neither of us speak.
Hush! For the first time Tobey looks
down from his fearful height. tn,
waves are dashed into fury; the wine
howls like a maddened beast, whose
prey is about to escape. A storm is rae
ing. The boy falters, grows dizzy
Good heavens! he has loosed his hole
He is staggering, falling, lost! No! II,
has caught projecting branch; he re-
covers his footing; he is climbing again
he is safe!
"Thank, God" Archie says, at length
and from the bottom of my heart say
"Thank Godv'
Ten, fifteen, twenty minutes elapse
and still no signs Of succor. The water
has reached almost to our arm-pits; dark
ness has come. have lost my fOot-holt
twice; we grow weak and chilled, and oul
hearts are full of despair.
But bark! We hear the sound o.
voices bidding us he of good hope. W.
see the flashing of lanterns, lowered
from the summit of the cliff, and in an
other instant, ropes, with noose-knots
are about our waists, and we are drawn
up, up, up, beyond the reach OF the hun
CRY waves, up to life and safety.
From that time Toby was the hero o.
Minton academy-our dearest friud, oul
very idol-for we always remembered
that it was his daring that saved oul
lives on that terrible night at the base Of
Redstone cliff.
Visitors view with wonder the tower
ing perpendicular rocks scaled bya little
school-boy, and no one has ever beer
found willing to attempt the same terri
BILE undertaking.-E. j. NJ. in GOide'
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