News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-06-29

"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 icing coward. You know
though I don't like some things you do
and which I'm glad 1 don't hke-fuI
with dead snakes, for instance-yor
know I'm no more coward than yor
are"
The boys color had come back into
his cheeks, his voice rang ont with spirit,
and his blue eyes sparkled as he told
this truth.
"You're careful to keep out of my
reach when you say that" said Lutf
''That shows you're a coward.
SIT shows that don't like you an6
your ways; that's what it shows - re-
piled the boy. eff don't like a GER
tain thing can't help it; whether it's 6
dead snake, or big brother"
"Oh p Luff sneered, trying not tt
show that he was cut by this SHARP
retort.
81 could go and take hold of that snake
it it was necessary; shouldn't like to.
but 1 could do it. I could hug you.
too, if it would do either of us any good
But don't see that it will, and SO Ia
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 sc
much spirit, yet he should have learned
before this that the delicate and sens
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 tc
think of some other trick to play of
upon Little Brother. AS he could not
at once invent a new one, however, he
resolved to try an old one over again.
Milton did not like to be held over the
brink of the well. He had also a great
dread Of the sound of the blast, and
would always, when it was fred, hold
his ears and run from it as far as pos
sible.
ssI'll 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 turn here now, Milt," said
Luf, soberly. ono more fooling"
'It will do for you to say no more
fooling!'' Milton replied, slowly ap.
preaching the windlass. "It's you thai
do it ALL"
swell, fun is fun, and work is work, y
said Luff. CHOW it's works turn. Catch
hold here I"
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 pulled up on the roller,
bringing the great bucket up from the
bottom of the well, with Walt in it.
Walt stepped out, blinking at the
strong daylight, and the bucket was lei
down again for Russ.
When it rested on the bottom, both
Luff and Milt, 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 ont of
the we'll and at a safe distance from it
before the blast should explode.
Luff seemed never to have been think
ing less of trick than at that moment
when he was diligently considering how
he should capture Little Brother, and
how near he should venture 10 hold him
when the explosion came.
The well was about twenty-five feet
deep, gloomy pit but under the shade
of their hat-b rims they could see two lit
tie CLEANS of light at the bottom. One
came from a pool of water in hollow
of the ledge, rejecting The summer sky.
The other was the blaze of 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
away - was drawn up by Luff and Milt
as Walt>had been before.
Walt, meanwhile, had carried away
from the well 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 mere, won you,
Waltz" Milton said, when the bucket
was about half way up.
1t is uncertain whether he suspected
LufPs intentions toward him, or
whether 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 MiIt did not think that even
the reckless Luff could neglect his i'm
portant trust for little cruel sport at a
time like that. He drew aside from the
windlass, as Walt took bis place, passing
almost within Luff's reach.
"Hold on, Walt /" cried Luff, the
moment he saw the spokes in his broth
er's powerful grasp. And letting go his
own hold with one hand, he made a
swoop with it at uDsuspecitng Little
Brother, and caught by the arm.
"Oh, quit your fOoling now y said
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 to
help him, while holding on to Milton
with one hand.
"Don't kick don't squeal p he said,
laughingly. " No use ! You've got to
stay here till that blast goes off, if it
blows us both into the middle of next
week !"
Terrified at this threat, Milton gave
80 violent jerk that he nearly got
free. To save and balance himself, Luff
put back one foot, which struck loose
stone and sent it tumbling over the
m ound of rubbish into the well.