The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-07-26

~ lClODhl, COul 90, 1000.
| Harry's face clouded again. "I was going up
| Santhwaite Pike" he said, "with Cornwallis.
| But that's over now"
"oh, can't go with your" asked the little
| boy. =" know the paths. and any of the fell
| lows will tell you I'm good at tramp"
/ Harry rose up from the seat Why, of
course you can," he said, /" if you amt afraid
the fellows viii send you to Coventry: / sup
| pose that's what they're going to do with me"
| Charlie laughed.
| "Oh, Pm too little" he said, :" it don't make
| any difference what do"
"AH right, then," said Harry. "Come along.
| If CORVALLIS goes the mountains big enough
| for three, and we can keep out of his way"
| The boys route to the mountain lay through
| Overdale Valley, at the entrance to which the
| school was situated, to the foot of the Pike,
and then by path leading around the back of
| the mountain to its top. Looking at it from
| the valley below, it presented precipitous
! front, the highest and steepest part of which,
reminding Harry of the Palisades on the Hud-
| son River, was known rs the Canister Crag.
| Very near the top the face of the cliff was ter
raced by number of old slate quarries, while
| an almost perpendicular track, over which the
| quarry-men had been in the habit of sliding
their slate, descended from these to the valley
below. The climb up, though leading half
/ around the mountain, was not difficult until
/ they neared the summit. Then the path could
hardly be traced great powders blocked the
way, terraces of slaty rock rose up before them,
| and chasms yawned under their feet. Harry
| began to wonder if Charities recollection had
| not failed him, when, on scaling one of the ter
| races, he found himself unexpectedly at the
/ top. Around them spread the mountains, some
| ioha 9TH fta,, fIa,,c %I,r
one hand Lake Derwenwater glistened and on
| the other Buttermere, while far away they
| could just catch q glimpse of the sea. The
| view was worth the trouble, Harry declared !;
and throwing themselves on a rock, the boys
spent an hour in resting and taking In its de-
| tails.
| When at length they started to come down
| Charlie proposed that they should explore the
slate quarry at the top of the crag fifty feet
perhaps, below the summit of the Pike. This
| might be done by following rough path,
| which the boys accordingly took, and which
brought them in a few minutes to the brow of
the cliff Only few feet away lay the quarry,
which it seemed was not in use, with the slide
| to the valley below, looking sleeper even and
more fearful than it did from underneath.
"a man used to come down there sometimes
on sledge," Charlie remarked, SIS they stood
/ gazing at the precipitous slope. He was one
| Of the quarry men, and when he saw the But
termere coach coming he'd slide down and meet
] it, and the passengers would give him sixpence.
| believe he fell off one day, though, and got
/ killed"
| Harry shivered. To boy who had coasted
| down American hills all his life it was terri
| bly, fascinating place.
Come away" he said. turning abruptly
round ~ feel as if I'd like to go down N.Y.
self"
| Charlie was not unwilling to leave place
/ that Suooagtad sTlch daopnroTIS desires fhav
moved up the path once more. They had only
| gone % few steps. however, when for some cause
/ Charles foot slipped, and with cry of pain
| he fell to the ground.
| 'Oh, Tremaine," he exclaimed, 81 believe
I've come to griefi"
Harry, who was a step or two in advance
/ turned around in dismay.
"Oh, come he said; it isn't as bad as that.
| Pick yourself up, old man, and start Off"
| But Charlie tried in vain, while the pain of
| the attempt turned his face ashy pale.
! / can't touch it to the ground" he said
| despairingly; sit hurts even to move it.
| couldn't get down the mountain to save my
| life. | say, Tremaine, you're an American !;
! What shall we do?"
| Harry looked up at the sky. 1t was not yet
| late, but there were clouds of yapor rolling in
| from the sea. Unless they made haste they
might be caught on the mountain in fog; and
| yet in Charities condition they could not even
| stir.
/ - / wonder if could carry you," said Harry,
| in desperation. "Put your arms around my
! neck, Charlie and see"
| The boy did as he was told and Harry strug-
| gled for a few steps under his load. But the
path was too steep and too treacherous. In a
| few moments Harry stopped, and gently low
| cred his burden to the ground.
Il can't do it, old fellow he said, mourn
| fully. I'm afraid of falling myself, and that
would only make it worse. Now if CORVALLIS
would only turn up, both of US might get you
/ down.
at the same moment, as if his wish had been
| heard, CORVALLIS appeared around a turn some
/ distance below.
81 say, Cornwallis!" Harry cried, in great
excitement. CORVALLIS !"
/ The other did not slaeken his pace nor even
| look up
Corvallis" Harry cried again. "For
/ Heavens sake, stop! Fairfax has lamed HIM
! self"
| The wind carried down the words so that
| CORVALLIS could hardly escape hearing them,
but he paid no attention. Another moment
would take him around the turn, out of sight
| Harry felt as might feel on a raft at sea
when ship goes by without needing the signal
| of distress.
| 'Cornwallis!" he cried once more
| But while he cried, CORVALLIS turned the
corner of the path, and was lost to view Harry
| stamped his foot.
Mean fellow" he cried; "Pll whip him
when l get back to school-see if don't"
| Meanwhile the top of the mountain was
wrapped in vapor and il could not be long be-
fore they too would beienveoped in the soft
white garment. If anything was to be done it
must be done at once. Harry looked around
in despair. All at once his mind went to the
| quarry not q hundred feet away.
] "Charlie," he cried, I've got an idea"
/ The little fellow smiled through his pain.
You Americans are full of 'em,' he said !;
81 knew you'd work it out"
/ Meanwhile Harry had rushed to the quarry.
| In a minute he had explored it, found what he
wanted, and hurried back.
Say, Fairfax" he cried, "will you trust me
to take you down that slide? The sledge is
there all right, and L can do it. VIII you try
| it, Charlie?"
The boy raised himself on one arm.
care you sure you can do it?" he asked.
It's an awful risky thing, you know"
Do it!" Harry exclaimed "Pve coasted
| all my life, and I've tobogganed in Canada too
| If fellow can do that, he can do this All you
will have to do will be to shut your eyes, take
| long BREATH and hold on. Hulloi" he cried,
/ looking down into the valley, there comes
the afternoon coach from Buttermere now; if
we can catch that we're all right. Get on my
| back, Charlie; the sledge is at the quarry, and
| when you're once on that I'll have you down in
| the valley in less than minute"
/ Reused by the others enthusiasm, Fairfax
allowed himself to be carried to the head of the