St. Landry democrat., 1882-07-15

down-express was here, now" cried
Davie.
1--WE must signal them in some way.
If we only had lantern!'' cried Frank,
breathlessly.
"There's no time to loser' cried Bob.
"Hayn' and with the word Ben and
Ned were off, and, before the others
could think what they meant, they were
back with their arms full of dry hay,
from a little shed they had remembered
seeing a short distance up the hill.
1--WE had better 60 beyond the fallen
rock, and then, when we see the tram
coming, we'll set fire to the hay said
Joe, as they hurriedly divided the hay
into several small bundles.
They had just started up the track,
when there came a sound which made
them stop. 1t was faint whistle, Tar
away around the curve.
''Tbc train is coming now and, be-
sides. our light won't be seen from
around the bend!" cried Ned, as the
boys stood staring blankly at one an
other, for at last they fully realized the
danger.
''Some of us must cross the bridge
and signal them from the other side OF
the river" said Joe.
1.-The ties are cut from some places,
and we should have to jump the gaps
Men were setting blocks under the rails
when l came past there this evening;
they were then going to leave the gaps.
and replace the ties Tomorrow SAID
Johnny.
There won't be time to climb down
and up the banks, and cross on the little
foot-bridge, nor TO swing across the
gaps by holding to the rails" said Bob,
mis- voice shaking as he talked.
"There were boards laid lengthwise
across. I'll 90 over on them,' cried
Johnny. remembering that he had seen
men wheel gravel, from the hill on the
other side, along the whole length OF
the bridge, on narrow path made OF
two boards; and he determined to cross
by it. mounted on his wheel; there was
not time for running.
"Get out all your handkerchiefs, tie
'em together, and put them in this
pocket. Give me some matches, Davie
here, in my mouth. Hurry! hurry!'
he went on, his fingers trembling as he
loo ed his own handkerchief around a
bundle of hay, so as to carry it on his
arm and leave both hands free.
"You mustn't go!'' ''You IL be
killed!' "You can't cross on 'em''
they cried, trying to dissuade him while
yet they went on doing as he told them.
1t was perilous undertaking; but the
need was urgent-not a second was tc
be lost! AS Johnny reached the bridge,
he felt like giving up; but the thought
of what would happen if he should not
go, gave him fresh courage.
Tell 'em at home that [ tried to dc
the best could, if" he shouted, but
a choke in his voice would not let him
finish. And he was off.
The loose boards ratified and shook as
the wheels spun over them, and where
the ties were out they seemed to bend
beneath the weight. Johnny could
hear the sound of the water far below
him, but he did not dare to look down
When he was half way over, he could
hear the roar of the train as it echoed
back from the hills, and he was almost
afraid too look toward the turn of the
track, for fear he should see the head
light of the engine cleaning around the
curve.
If he could only get over in time!
Faster and faster spun the wheels,
and faster and faster beat Johnny's
heart, as he reached the end of the tres
tle-work, and turned the bend.
The headlight of the coming trair
shone bright and clear up the track.
"Oh, why do they go so fast?" sale
Johnny to himself, as he stopped, anc
leaped from his bicycle to light his sig
nal. He crouched down beside the
track and struck match against the
rail; but his hand shook so that the
head of the match few off. The mex
one burned, and he sheltered the flame
between his hands until the hay anC
handkerchiefs were in a blaze. L
seemed long time to Johnny, but i
really was only moment until he wa:
up and away again, on a run along thu
track, waving the flaming bundle bacl
, and forth.
"They must see it! Yes, they are
whistling. They'll surely stop, now!'
cried Johnny, half aloud, still waving
the fiery 81 gnal. The flames blew
against his hand, but he was too excited
to mind the heat. The glazing eye O
the engine grew brighter and brighter
But not until the train was close enough
for him to see the anxious face Of thu
engineer looking out from his window
did the brave boy jump from the track
"They're stopping" was the last
thing he thought, for he heard then
whistle "down brakes" as he jumped