The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-06-29

''Ihe fuse amt Snakei' said Luff.
''The fuse is there, too. didn't mean
for you to get the snake
''But you knew would see it, and
it's a mean disgusting trickr' Milton
protested, Indignantly.
''Of course knew you would see it, !"
said l. "But it won't hurt you. It's
dead"
81 know it won't hurt me. 1t wouldn't t
hurt me, if it wasn't dead" cried Little
Brother, his eyes flashing as his moth
er's could sometimes flash. "But
dread the sight of a snake, dead or
alive; you know it, and that's what you
sent me to the board for"
81 sent you there to cure you of being
such coward" said Luff, still laugh
ing. but not so heartily as at first.
mo, you didn'tr' Milton declared.
You wanted to have some low, silly,
hateful sport; that's what you did it for.
You didn't think anything about curing
me of being coward. You know,
though don't like some things you do,
and which I'm glad l don't like,-fun
with dead snakes, for instance,-you
know Pm no more coward than you
are.''
The boys color had come back into
his cheeks, his voice rang out with spir-
it, and his blue eyes sparkled as he told
his brother this truth.
You're careful to keep out of my
reach when you say that" said Luff.
THAT shows you're a coward" s
cit shows that don't like you and
your ways that's what it showsr' re-
piled the boy. '.If don't like a certain
thing, can't help it; whether it's q
dead snake, or a big brother"
''Ohp' Lutf sneered. trying not to show
that he was cut by this sharp retort.
II could 90 and take hold of that
snake if it was necessary; / shouldn't t
like to, but l could do it. / could hug
you, too, if it would do either of us any
good. But [ don't see that it will, and
so I'd rather have nothing to do with
either of you.''
Milton did, however, walk resolutely
up to the board, take the innocent little
reptile on a stick, and fling it away out
of the yard.
Luff did not often see him show so
much spirit. yet he should have learned
before this that the delicate and sensi-
tive boy could do the most disagreeable
things, with unfiinching resolution, if,
as he said, it was necessary
Luff actually resented what he had
provoked him to say, and began to think
of some other trick topiay off upon Lit
tic Brother. AS he could not at once
invent a new one, however, he resolved
to try an old one again.
Milton did not like to be held overthe
brink of the well. He had also great
dread of the sound of the blast, and
would always, when it was fired, hold
his ears and run from it as far as pos
sible
"rll catch him and hold him, after
the fuse is lighted" thought Luff: ''That
will give him good scare"
He said nothing, however, until the
blast had been charged and tamped,
and Russ and Walt were ready to come
up out of the well.
''Give me a turn here now, Milt, -
said Luff, soberly. No more foolingr'
at will do for you to say no more
fooling" Milton replied, slowly ap-
preaching the windlass. 'lt's you that
do it all'
''Well, fun is fun, and work is work, -
said Lutf. ..Now it's works. turn.
Catch hold herer'
Little Brother laid hold of the spokes
on one side of the windlass and lifted
Luff pulled down on the other side.
The strong rope wound up on the roller,
bringing the great bucket up from the
bottom of the well, with Walt in it.
Walt stepped out, blinking at sthe
strong daylight, and the bucket was let
down again for Russ. ...5i.s-
When it rested on the bottom, both
Luff and Milton, from opposite sides of
the windlass, looked down to see Russ
light the fuse. This was designed to
burn long enough for him to get out of
the well and at safe distance from it
before the blast should explode.
Luff seemed never to have been think
ing less of a trick than at that moment
when he was diligently considering how
he should manage to capture Little
Brother, and how near he should ven
ture to hold him when the explosion
came. sz
The we'll was about twenty-five feet
deep, a gloomy pit; but under the shade
of their hat-brims they could see two
little CLEANS of light at the bottom.
One came from pool of water in a
hollow of the ledge, rejecting the sum-
mer sky. The other was the blaze of a
match Russ had just struck.
Having touched the end of the fuse
and seen it catch and sparkle, Russ
stepped quickly into the bucket, laid
hold of the rope, and, calling out,
'.Haul awayr' was drawn up by Luff
and Milt as Walt had been before.
Walt, meanwhile, had carried away
from the we'll the powder which came
up in the bucket with him; and, having
lighted his pipe, he was now walking
leisurely back to the windlass.
'.Take my place here, won't you,
Waltz" Milton said, when the bucket
was about half way up. -..--
1t is uncertain whether he suspected
Luff7 intentions towards him, or wheth-
er he simply wished to get as far away
as possible from the sound of the blast.
Luff made no objections, and Walt, pipe
in mouth, laid hold of the spokes of the
Windlass.
Probably Milt did not think that even
the reckless Luff could neglect his i'm.
portant trust for little cruel sport at 8
time like that. He drew aside from the
windlass, as Walt took his place, pass
ing almost within Luff's reach.
-''Hold on, Waltr' cried Luff. the
moment he saw the spokes in his broth
er's powerful grasp. And letting 60 hi
own hold with one hand, he made &
swoop with it at unsuspecting Little
Brother, and caught him by the arm
''Oh, quit your fooling nown' salo
Walt, with the pipe in his lips; while
Little Brother struggled to get away.
Walt was well able alone to draw the
bucket up; but Luff was still trying t.
help him, while holding on to Milton
with one hand.
"Don't kick! don't squealn' he said
laughingly. mo use! You've got t.
| stay here till that blast goes off, if
blows US both into the middle of mex
| week"'
Terrified at this threat, Milton CAV
so violent jerk that he nearly got free
TO save and balance himself, Luf pu
back one foot, which struck a loose ston
and sent it tumbling over the mound @
rubbish into the well.
The rattling sound was followed by
strange scuffling movement below, the
heavy plunging thud, and the buckle
was empty. The stone had struck Rus