Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1882-05-06

as good as any in the arabian Nights"
He would not exchange his seat on
"ThunderbOlt" for any magical gift in
that book. At the sound of This cry the
colt lurched forward still faster and
snOrted. as if the heavy, fragrant atmOs-
phere were something which made him
drunk. ass ~ .A.A e -, -
The boy told himself that he must
reach Bucket villOge by a certain. time
and Bucket village was halfway to
NOrthpOrt. 1t was a place where the
whole business was the making wooden
pals of different kinds. Now, just be-
fore he came to sharp turn in the road
there emerged from round the corner
the first Of three tall, long wagons, piled
high with wooden pals. Fred, warned
by the pricking of his horses ears. gath
cred the lines more firmly in his hands
and made himself as strong on his seat
as possible; and all his precautions were
necessary, for ''ThunderbOlt' leaped to
one side as he shot by the wagons. The
boy swayed fearfully; but he stuck, and
then the colt rose high in the air, his
front feet paving out, his whole figure
the picture of terrible beauty. Fred had
reached that pitch where it was impOs-
sible for him to fear anything; he was
too thoroughly filled with excitement,
but he was afraid that "ThunderbOlt"
would now "cut up some of his antics"
and thus delay their arrival at North
port. He pulled sharply at the lines and
pounded his heels into the horses sides,
calling authOritatively to him.
The man on the last wagon had Jump
ed down from his seat and was running
up. NJ
Don't touch himw cried out Fred, who
was anxious above all things not to be
detained, and whose blood was by this
time boiling, and who felt as if he could
be match for hundred Thunder
bolts"
The man fell back from before the
paving feet, looking in amazement at
the fiery-eyed boy who sat upon the
horse. On the second tone of sharp COM
mand the colt, as if in surprise, dropped
his feet and darted away, leaving the
man staring.
"GOod graciOus!' he exclaimed, as
he walked back to the wagon. "Was that
q real horse n boy or an appearance? |
hope faint fOrewarnin' of nOthinl'
When Fred was passing through the next
village the clock was striking the hour,
aud the sound sent thrill of apprehen-
sion through him, for it was ten min
utes later than the time at which he had
calculated to be in that place. He had
come fast enough, it was not that. 1t
must be that the clock at the farmhouse
had been slow, and what fatal slOwness
that might be. Fred thought of Clara;
of her father stepping on board the boat,
never to see her again; and then came
of a cart path which went
across piece of wood and came out on
the main road almost a mile nearer
NOrthpOrt than it was by the Travelled
way. The path must be close by here.
He was sure he had not passed it and
there it was. Without hesitation he
turned his horses head in that direction
and rode on beneath the low dropping
trees. More than half way through he
saw ahead of him fallen tree, lying di-
rectly across the way Can you imagine the
pang that went through the boys heart,
as he saw that? No time to go back and
on each side thickly growing wood, filled
with heavy growth of briar and under
brush. Again he thought of the girl ly-
ing at home there and moaning and
calling for her father, and he resolved
to try. He no more remembered him.
self than if he could not be hurt.
go on ThunderP' he shouted.
The colt was not half-brOken i'm any
way. He knew nothing of leaping; but
he saw that there was an object before
and his instinct was to jump over it.
He flew on; he gathered his four legs I'M
der him, he rose in the air like some
winged thing, and went over the tree
and landed on the other side without hav.
ing touched twig of it,. As for Fred,
was there any breath left in him? He,
thought that 1t did not come back for
several minutes after the horse landed;
but he was conscious Of a swelling sense
Of magnificent triumph. The colt was
as wet as if he had been in the water;
the perspiratiOn dropped off him as he
went and blazing eyes prOtruded and
seemed to emit sparks. ....rr. =
Three minutes later, the horse and
rider had entered the outskirts of North.
port. "ThunderbOlt" was running now.
stood and gazed. 1t was as
II some demon horse had gone by. Did
he have wings, or was it mortal steed?
In two minutes more they had reached |
the depot. Fred was off his back almost !
before the animal had stopped and had
dashed into the station. IA
telegraph lie gasped out To the |
,lerk, who instantly put himself in readi-
ness, seeing how urgent was the case. |
Telegraph to Charles Roth, Wharf of |
Cunard Steamers, East Boston. l)'Clara |
IS i'll. Come back Have you got it?"
The clerk nodded. fss sFS,ys d i
snake it go, then shall watt" whis-
)ered the boy, and he gave his name,
md then sank back trembling and help
ess on a settee. The reaction had come. |
gurgled up to his lips. He
'umbled for his handkerchief. He heard
,ome one say: Mercy! What's the mat
,er with the boyp And then he had his
lankerchief to his mouth and saw that