The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-11-13

is going in stays"
'You little scamp!" cried the second
mate, who was with us; snow did you
ever get there? What will your faith
er say to us, you young villain?"
''Oh, oh, ohl'' walled the poor fell
low. 81 was going up to the eagles
nest, and l slipped and got we6ged in
this crevice. l can't get out Come
up quick-quickr'
Some thirty or forty feet above him
was the eagles nest, sure enough. 1t
seemed astonishing that any human
creature should ever have had the
recklessness to attempt such fool
hardy feat, and still. more astonishing
that he should have been able to climb
so far.
Upon further view of the cliff
we were appalled,. Who of us could
feel like creeping from jag to jag up
the side of that almost perpendicular
rock? and how, even in case of his
being reached, was the half-disabled
boy to be got down? To make the
matter worse we were brought to
halt by wide chasm directly in front
of us, so that to reach the foot of the
precipice it was necessary to seek out
some place for crossing.
While looking for such spot, we
heard Arthur Clifford calling to his
young Shipmate, aud presently saw
him going up the side of the rock. 1t
surprised us to see how fast he
climbed. We ran to long distance,
until it began to seem as if we were
never to find a place to cross, and
when we finally did so, Arthur had 81
most accomplished the ascent
"Hold on. Waltz" he cried; don't
be afraid-Tm coming. Just keep
where you are. "
"Oh, the eaglesn' answered Walt.
Zone of them has just knocked my
cap off! Hurry up, Art-oh, come
quick"
1--WE got him clear!' Arthur shout
ed down to us at length, as we were
strung along the face of the cliff, some
high and some low; " but l wish the
eagles would keep away. Only see!
there are four of EN- now"
1t seemed as if a second pair had
come to assist the first, and, embold-
ened by their numbers, the whole be-
came startlingly ferocious Seeming to
know that the two boys were attempt
ing to retreat, they pressed the attack
with frantic rage. Arthur cap shared
the fate of his companions, and both
lads got number of blows. As Wal
ter, after all, had no broken bones, he
was still quite active, though dreadful
ly cowed and frightened. He crouched
into as small a space as possible, while
Arthur, knowing him to be severely
bruised, took the more exposed posi-
ton.
Suddenly there was a more than
usual thunder of the sail-like wings.
All four of the birds seemed to swoop
down at once; their tails were broad
ened, and their beaks and talons
looked like hooks of steel. We saw
Arthur strike out with his arms, and
heard a terrified yell from Walter.
In another moment our hearts stood
still with horror. Arther Clifford had
gone completely off the rock, in mid
air, over three hundred feet from the
ground! What spectacle it was!
Such shock as we then experienced
could never be forgotten by any of us.
But the next instant, what was our
surprise to see that, instead of falling
like stone, he was merely sinking
slowly. There was prodigious flap
ping of wings about him, and we re-
allied what had happened. Two of
the enormous eagles had fastened their
talons in his stout flannel shirt and his
weight, dragging them down, pre-
vented them from getting clear. Prob
ably they had both struck him at the
same time with what Tennyson would
call their ''hooked hands," and this
had caused him to lose his balance and
fall.
Would their hold continue? Would
it not give way and permit him to be
dashed to a shapeless mass?
80, if they should unlock them
selves" cried the second mate. but
there-see! see! He has got them by
the legs besides Hold on, Arthur!
hold on hard.' he added, shouting
with all his might.
The beating of the broad wings was
like the Tapping of windmill arms and
the screams of the royal birds could
have been heard for miles. Faster and
faster, however, they settled with their
load, while the two that were still free
circled around the others, shrieking as
loud as they. The descent may have
occupied q minute; for those huge
wings, twelve or fourteen feet from tip
to tip, had immense resisting power.
Then Arthur struck the earth and
the magnificent creatures, making
last desperate effort, tore away from
him, taking long strips of his blue
shirt in their terrible talons as they
scared screaming aloft.
The brave boy knew better than to
make any effort at OBTAINING them; and.
indeed, he was already badly wounded
by their claws and out of breath from
his exertions, although wonderfully
cool in mind.
where's Waltz" he asked. They
haven't thrown him off, have theyP"
And the noble little fellow glanced
anxiously up at the high rock. He
had saved his companion at the risk of
his own life; for Walter, seeing the
way clear, at once recommended his
descent and soon got down to where
two of us were able to assist him. His
lower limbs were much injured where
they had been wedged in the crevice,