Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1889-10-05

something; signs were good, at least.
But the thing never panned out much,
though that's neither here nor there.
As | was saying, we thought we could
make it pay So left Jack and went
back to Hornetsville for provisions. |
had turned out of the branch gully, in
which we'd been prospecting, and was
scrambling along the sides of big sort
of caynon cut that lead down to the
valley in which the camp was situated.
The slope was pretty steep and slightly
pushed. [ had to make my way along
carefully, for below me the sides of the
gulch formed series of natural ter
races, and finally went straight down
to the little stream that splashed and
fixed and chuckled along the bottom.
"All Of a sudden | heard a noise like
thunder. 1t was the middle of the fore
noon, and the sun was shining brightly.
The roar grew louder. In an instant it
flashed upon me it was a landslide. |
didn't know what to do. | couldn't tell
whether to go forward or backward. |
was pretty scared for minute. But in
that minute an idea came into my head.
| crept down as fast as | could to the
edge of the little steep which led to the
first terrace. The cliff was perpendicu.
lar-inclining in if anything; it was
about twenty feet down and the ledge
below was some six or seven feet wide,
with grass and bushes on it. | was
hanging over there in another moment,
and down | pumped, pretty well shaken
up and bruised, but all right. The APP
preaching roar became louder and
louder. | lay down close to the rock.
Pretty soon stones and dirt and trees
came a-whizzing and rumbling off the
ledge and shot past me down into the
ravine-a regular cataract of stuff. 1t
kept up for about half an hour and then
the worst was over. But | had to snug
gle close, you better believe, after the
main body had got by, for now and then
a Struggling rock would tumble leis-
urely over the ledge, and sock down toe
close for comfort. l lay still till l was
sure the thing was done for. Then
got up and took a survey. | was in 8
pretty pickle. The terrace narrowed il
both directions, sort of alligator shape
1t was thirty feet down to the next ter
race, and that didn't appear to have any
outlet, either. OF course, / couldn'
shin back up that rock. | didn't know
what to do. l let off few yells, will
a faint hope that somebody might b'
, within hearing | could just catch
glimpse of Hornetsville, away down il
the valley through the opening of thu
guich, so far that it looked like a clus
ter of powders beside the river. hearC
no answer to my calls but the far of
echo from the other side of the gulcl
aud the faint clatter of the stream be
low. l sat down and thought, ever,
once in a while giving yell, till the
echo began to make me feel queer anC
lonesome like Then shut up and be
gan to smoke.
odd 10 Seven-up told me afterward
how it was. He and Jim Budgelov
we're playing a quiet little game of ole
sledge at Tom Mulligan's Double Par
lors. jim had the bind on him (J'
privately rendered me his thanks after
ward, in liquid form,) when Jim sud
denly dropped the cards and listened
He had fortunately forgotten his plug
, and left it at his boarding house afte
, dinner.
q Great Jobr exclaimed Jim, some
, body's in trouble up there in Red He
c Gulch Get out the boys and we'll g
S see what's up. Hear that yell? No. O
t course you didn't. You couldn't hea
the steam whistle down at the quar-,
S mill unless YOU climbed up on the roo
e and laid your ear to the pipe. Don
talk-go get the boys?
e 1t was beginning to grow dark whe
q ! heard faint calls away off down tn
/ mountains. | started mp, put my hand
o to my mouth and roared Ikea fog horn
I The shouts came nearer and nearer, an
t at last they were right above me. Prett
$ soon | could just make out Jim's hea
+ peering over the ledge above. They
It been forehanded enough to bring a rop,
?. so was soon out Of that But il
a hadn't been for Jim Budgelow's rigl
Il ear probably my bones would now b
# decorating that terrace in Red He
e Gulch.
e Jim didn't stay long at Hometsvil
j. after that. He got in a couple Of lit