Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-10-25
DICKY AND BILLY.
The Latter Innocently Led the For
mer Into Danger.

ers and sisters at one cruel stroke by I
the falling OF IA giant tree. little Billy |
had been brought to the house a badly
frightened and very noisy little ball OF
yellow down. looking more like wad
OF wet and tangled cotton than a lineal
descendant o. a champion Pekin duck.
What pity" said Mrs. Gibson
Dicky's mother. as she placed the |
lonely orphan in snug nest before the
fire. where the genial glow would grad
ually dry and enliven his bedraggled
feathers. There were nine OF them
this morning -such pretty little hook
and the old duck was such pet'
Well. we'll, don't reckon the little
thing will live. but still. we can let
him take his chances.
Watch Dicky. or he'll kill him
afore night" remarked Mr.. ellison,
laughingly; "thinks there never was
soch purity thing, Dicky does keep
him away from him. mother. or you'll
have no duck.
What's the differenceP" growled old
man McCrory. the hunter and trapper
Sho made his home with the Giison's,
the boy might as well kill him as the
armints. Why! scch sign OF coon as
there is along the edge OF the bottom!
an mink tracks till you can't rest! no
LANCER that the bird will ever have ter
lie of old age"
But IL Billy merely loved his young
friend for the sake of the dainty It'd
bits that they shared together, the
,ame charge could not apply to Dicky.
Billy was his only playmate in the long
hours McCrory's big. good-natured
hound. Track, was absent with his
master In the woods. When Track
was at home. Billy was often neglected
/ - for never was there such good,
playful. giant OF dog before but
when the hound was absent then
he baby and the duckling were
AS iuseparable rs brothers. Dicky's
nome was at the verge of one
IT tho many great swamps OF
the Southwest Years before his father
had cleared farm and built IA house
On a low mound near the confluence OF
! river and smaller creek. In the
Try season OF tho year this cultivated
mound WIS little sunshiny paradise
IN "a wilderness of canebrake and cy-
press but with the heavy rainfall that
might come at any time, the swollen
streams overlooked the neighboring
ow-grounds. and Gilson's hill as it
vas called became an island and sepa-
atod from the narrow highlands by IA
leep strip of water. which was many
DDS wide ut the narrowest point.
A few yards from the rear of the
house was the boat landing, where
, rom one years end to another, the
aalf-dozen skiffs and dugouts owned by
Mr. ellison and his friend McCrory lay
ioating in the submerged grass and
/ weeds, or high and dry on the bare
ground, just as the stage of water
, ihanced to be And here, one morn
ng in August. the aquatic instincts Of
, he restless Billy led him to wander
lnd close in the rear followed the
| traw hat, and long. linsey skirt of his
a riend
Z
iressive severity. "tum bat here to me
lo'll dit d'ownded II 90 do In dar!"
But Billy knew better than that; h,
walked with grave deliberation to tn,
waters edge, wet his throat with a few
lrops. then lay one side of his hea,
,nd neck In the black ooze. As though
= rying Il mud application for the ear
r che; and as II satisfied with the re
ult shook himself gaily. waded fur
p her out and Boated like an autumn
,af on the bosom OF the waters
oh. ducky, duckyl boo tum bat.
r ried the anxious baby but his appea
n vas uunoticed and In vain. Never be
n ere In Billy's reco lection, had he en-
A Dyed himself so well as at the presen
a noment The choicest morsei OF cak
a n pie could not have euticed him I
a he shore.
Dicky stood with his little bare toe
n the water aud rubbing his eyes say
Il gelv with his fat, dimpled fists Iii
a silly was gone--yes, he was! he kne'
$ led never come back any morel II h
a ould only catch him once.
a II Dieky could get In the boat. pei
n ,aps he could regain possession of hi
! rot Losing his hat in his haste h
crambled about. and made his wa
v aek TO the stern. and the added weigh
II the boat swung the how clear OF tn
A lank aud around into deepar water.
a With mischievous firt and
d buckle the runaway Billy darted IA
X her out. and rs picky reached out
II letsiu it he caugh. at u hanging bust
a nd meonsciously exerting his baby
.e III strength, saw with delight that III
,r loat was moving, actually tollowiu
(. lis escaping property.
" "Dess I'll dit him d'wec'ly." mu
a lured Dicky, aud indeed. it began
look as though there was some chan
of il, for the water of the river. risil
:, rapidly had left the channel and W
cutting across back OF the hill with
= current quite strong enough to swift
- watt the young voyager beyoud sig
and hearing of his home.
- Fortunately. however all voyag
r must come to an end. and. half-ml
. from the land. the pilotless era
: caught by cross current swung up
a huge floating cypress tree, caught
; trailing grapevine and was he
hard and fast, and after circli