Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-08-21


other. 1t was situation in which a
gun could not be used. For moment
he hung midway between the foo; and
the ceiling. dazed by the glare o. the
torch and conscious all the while IF a
fierce snarling close below him ', hen
he finally gained good view OF the
room by holding the light over his
head his first impulse was to laugh. for
little to his left was the pan, her,
screaming aperily and tearing with
might and main at the old corn-husk
mattress from off the bed, which lay in
the middle of the floor. under which,
coiled up in knot was the unfortu.
nate trapper. holding it tightly over
his body and uttering muffled appeals
for help. But it was no laughing
matter, for at every dig of the sicious
claws the husks flew, and if some one
didn't interfere pretty soon the hungry
brute was going to make supper of
Torpetus Van King. Dick was quick
to see this, and. taking good hold or
the moose, he was about to try IA cast
when the beast turned with swapping
ewes and sprang upward. just in time
Dick dashed the torch down. The
blazing brand struck the panther in
the face, driving him with a howl o.
pain, to the corner of the room, but,
unfortunately. slipping from Dick:
nand, 1t tell to the floor, and lay burn
ing brightly only yard from the mat.
tress.
But the brute was made valorous by
hunger, and. with no idea of losing hi:
supper, he sprang once more on poor
Torpetus, making the husks fly, and
lashing the floor with his long tail al
every dig.
For a brief second the reddish brown
back was turned toward Dick swing
ing himself quickly to and fro in the
air, he seized his chance and dropped
the moose cleverly over the ugly head.
One quick, sharp jerk, II shout to the
anxious watcher above, and then he
shot upward, letting the rope slip
through his fingers, but keeping it
tightly stretched in spite OF the furious
struggles at the other end.
As he came out on the roof his father
snatched the rope and hauled on it With
ali his might, shouting down through
the trap: "Now's YOUR chance. Tor
petus! Make run fur it, an be
sure ter shut the door"
Torpetus evidently did make n run,
for in an instant the door was heard &c
bang violently, and, rs Dick dropped
through the tree to the ground, the
old trapper reached the porch with his
clothes hanging in tattcrs and his
hands and face scratched and bloody.
''What kind Of dodgers are YOU keepin'
now. Jake Tobinp" he demanded
angrily. 'lt's "A marcy I'm Twin"
Mr.. Tobin deferred his explanation
until the blazing torch had been put
out by bucket of water passed up to
the roof by Dick, and then, leaving the
half-choked panther to get rid of his
hempen necklace as best he could, he
shut the trap and came down to the
ground just AS Luke Carter and Silas
Heck appeared on the scene.
Feeling uneasy about the safety Of
their prize, they had concluded to re.
turn to the tavern.
A general explanation took place,
the sole result of which on Torpetus
Van Kings part was IA contemptuous
sniff and Il fervent wish that all present
might pass through a similar happy
experience before they were much
older.
His tale of his adventure was very
thrilling. He had opened the cage by
mistake, and, alarmed by the growls OF
the panther, had staggered back
against the bed and seized the mattress
just in time.
When he heard how he had been
saved he patted Dick on the head and
called him "A brave bov--a tribute of
praise which Dick accepted rather
obviously, remembering that his for.
getfulness had caused all the trouble.
With much skill and free use of hot
irons the pugnacious panther was
driven back to his box, and at day
break the next morning he began his
journey down the river in Il batteau.
Torpetus accepted seat in the boat
AS u partial reparation from Carter
and Heck, and Dick watched them from
the shore till they vanished round D
bend.
When the old trapper returned on
foot five days later he stopped at the
'"' oAh iohS odO'Sh " PiSoSHl blCh
with a beauty ofa gun-a breech-loader.
OF course-that Jim Ferris declared was
better even than the one he had seen.
The youngster deserved it, be
said, 'tor many a man wouldn't a.
taken such risks as that"
SO Dick got his gun very unexpect'
eddy and the old muzzle-loader that
had served three generations was laid
away on the shelf to enjoy the rest that
belongs TO worthy old age WIl!tam
Murray Graydon IN Philadelphia Times.