Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1881-10-20

logs much before eight, felt very little
uneasineSs on that account. bored
my holes, drove the tree-nails. and
then leisurely aided Off the still pro-
jectirg edge of the timber. Meanwhile
l had sent Tort farther up the shoot to
see if there were any other timbers
similarly sprung. He came sliding
back just as l had finished. 1t then
lacked one minute of seven. We
picked up the tools and started TO make
our way back down to The hole. holding
on By the joists, when | noted slight
grating. creaking noise on the planking
overhead. Tort heard it, too. and bet
ter than l, he could interpret the sound
Mon Dieu" he screamed. al est
te i'll dc la cloche, saul! Sdut" Qt's
the bell-wirei Jump! JumpD
He dropped auger and tree-nails. and.
springing frantically to the little joist
rafters over our heads. drew his body
up and clurg to them like a bat. l
scarcely know how did it. butt in
slant was clinging to the under side
OF those sticks of joist. in much the
same way-and none too quickly, either.
There came rushing noise. The ioist.
sticks thrilled in our fingers. The tim.
bers shook violently; and. amid hur-
ricane of ice dust, bits of pine bark and
slivers, which seemed TO almost burst
the shoot. the great log. like a black
bobbin, shot down beneath nv back.
The wind it raised nearly blew US after
it. Tort dropped to his feet.
.'Descendem he screamed to me in
French. "Get down to the hole and
get out before another comesr'
His boot-corks helped him to keep
his feet on the icy side. The lad half
ran, half-siid down the steep incline,
and catching by the splintered edges OF
the hole. drew himself ont. But l,
plunging blindly after him. with smooth
boot-soles, slipped headlong. and went
sliding wildly down past the aperture.
Again that low, horrible, rafting.
creaking sound on the planks. Another
log was coming. 1t was death TO lie
sprawling there. With q mighty effort
l stopped myself and sprang up-but
slipped again. 1t was coming. l felt
the jar-heard the rumble aboye-and
with a convulsive squirm of my body.
Rugged to the right shore and partially
rolled myself up on the timber. Next
moment, peppered with bits OF bark,
the shoot in the wake of the log which
had hoUied by, so close as almost to
Craze my outer leg.
have heard it said that cannon
shot may pass so closely to \ man as to
kill him. without actually hitting him.
am inclined to believe it. So near
had that log come to me in its swift
that felt for the moment quite
nervelesss and stunned. and went
rolling and sliding down after it for
fifty feet or more. But the thought
that other logs were to follow stimuiat-
ed me to check myself. Getting on the
shore and climbing bat-like again to
The joists in the corner of the boxing.
waited the onset-for ! could hear the
,reaking again. 1t soon came, with
he same whirlwind rush. nearly tear
ng me from my perch. But l held
last: and in this not very easy position,
weathered the passage OF three more
ogs. Then came respite.
Tort had run to the bottom of the
'boot, shouting that the boss was
killed. In fact, l had heard his
;ry of terror, when looking in
1t the hoe through which he had but
barely escaped himself. he saw that
econd log whiz down upon me. But |
,efore he could run to the foot of the |
boot. the shovel and adze had come
lying out at the toe; and the men there,
moving something must be wrong.
lad raised the semaphore and signaled |
20 the gang above to stoprunning inlogs.
heard them hurrying up on the out
idle OF the shoot. They came to the
lole and shouted. l answered. and |
vas glad to wait for them to crawl |
lown to me and help me out; for was
90 weak and overcome to get out
lone.