The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-08-15

nelP MN; White holding on to Milton
with one hand. 0n
Don't kick! don't squealr' he said
laughingly. No use! You've got ~
stay here till that blast goes off. if il
blows us both into the middle of nov.
| weekn'
Terrified at this threat. Milton cou-
so violent jerk that he nearly got frea
| To save and balance himself. Inf NJ.
| back one foot, which struck a loose ta pus
and sent it tumbling over the mound :.
| rubbish into the well.
The rafting sound was followed br .
| strange scuffling movement below ia
| heavy plunging thud, and the bucEot
was empty. The stone had struck Rns.
on the head, and he had fallen To tha
| bottom.
This frightful accident brought Ipe
to his senses. He let Milton 90. and
at an exclamation of wrath and frich,
from Walt, fastened to look down mt
the we'll
The glimmering pool was no lonqe,
visible; but in its place Law dark be9n
perfectly motionless, at the bottom If
the pit.
That was Russ, half-concealed by tbs
bucket hanging over him. Beside him
little spark was to be seen. That wsa
the fuse, the fire in which was steadiIv
eating its way to the powder of the
blast.
He groans! he is aliver' said Inf
But he'll be blown to thunder in
minuten' said Walt. And, still HOLDING
the windlass to keep the bucket from
falling, his pipe broken at his feet, he
looked about for help, exclaiming des.
hot ha
do?''
Little Brother, after escaping from
Luff's grasp, had not run far, when this
frightful catastrophe brought him bach
to the well. Forgetting, or overcoming
for the moment his terror of the bIaSi
he too looked down at the motionlass
but grooming heap at the bottom. and
the relentless, eating sparks in the fuse
go down and put the fire outr' he
cried, in answer to Waits question
'Quickr'
land get blown to pieces along with
himp' said Walt. 'WiH Won RISK II
Luff? You tumbled the stone"
There amt time said Luff. ..H
we only had some water to throw
DOWN.
The blast is goingr Walt exclaim.
moment. 1--WE can't do anything
Aud he began hurriedly to draw up the
bucket.
No! nor said Milt, excitedly. Let
it down! let it DOWN.
He made a spring at the rope, caught
it, and clasping it with hands and
knees, slid down to the bucket. Then
he called out wildly, LET down. let
down." his delicate, pale, excited face
turned up at his brothers in the soften
ed light which shone into the well.
The firm daring with which he went
down to what seemed certain death fas-
cinated his brothers above. Instead of
to avoid the blast, as they
were on the point of doing, they let
him rapidly down.
He was out of the bucket before it
touched the bottom. He snatched at
the fuse, but it had already burnt into
the tamping, and he could not get hold
to pull 1t out There was only one 9TH
er thing to be done.
lie drew his grooming brother out Of
the pool, and found still water enough
where he had lain, so that a little could
be scooped up with his hands.
This be used; and there, over the
blast which might at any time explode.
with rock-tearing and Notwithstanding
force, he dashed dripping handful after
handful upon the tamping, down under
which the fuse had disappeared, and ex-
the last spark of fire. Then
ne fell fainting beside his brother at the
bottom of the well.
When he came to himself he was w.
ng on the ground in the open air
Russ, hatless, with blood trickling down
lis cheek, and locks of matted hair
over his eyes, was sitting up
reside him. His father was there, on
me knee, and his mother came running
rom the house, with bottle in her
land. Walt and Luff stood looking on,
10Th very anxious and very much
dashed.
lis Russ all right?'' was Little Broth
RS first question
HE is all right, or will be SOON" q.
aid his father. 'And so are you, |
ope."
I'm BETTER" said the boy, also sit
ng up. 'Tm so glad didn't turn
iint till had put the fuse outr'
''How could YOU do such thing? my
recious, noble boyr' sobbed his moth
81 saw that somebody must do it, or
.uss would be killed. and l thought
ad time, if did it at once" Milton
aid, with feeble smile; adding mod
stlv, walt and Luff helped
He was not the only one who at that
loment felt that to see great danger,
nd greatly to dread it. and yet to have
lie heart and resolution to brave it for
lother's sake, is the very highest cour-
sc.
How did it all happen? how did it
,ginP' Russ inquired, hardly yet re-
lYered from his stnnor.