Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1891-09-16

aught he knew till morning. NO peyaI,
to suffer by and by from his cramped
position, but he dared not move even
the least bit lest the crevice would open
again.
He could not tell how time passed.
Every minute seemed an hour. He could
not hear the shouts of the men below.
There was only now and then the hoot OF
an owl rising above the roar of the water,
or the swish as clod Of earth was
sucked into the mad current He wished
he had not run away from his work.
He began to get drowsy; his limbs
were almost numb. He wondered what
would become of him If he should go To
sleep. If the waters should rise up over
the levee and drown him and ruin the
cotton, would it make any difference
then that he had tried to save it? He
was inadequate TO the problem, the like
Of which has puzzled graver heads than
his. The hooting of the owl grew less
and less frequent, the swishing of the
waters fainter and fainter, the pain in
his back easier.
Hemust have slept some time Sud
denly he was awakened by the gallop of
horse on the road below. He was too
weak to move. His voice was almost
gone, but as the horse and rider ap-
preached he cried out with all the
strength he could summon, "Marse
Tomp
Mr.. Aiken drew rein quickly and
turned his big lantern In the direction
Of the voice.
"Who Is it, and where are you" he
asked, dismounting.
"It's me, boss" answered the boy.
what the mischief are you doing
here. Pete" INQUIRED Aiken. peering into
the boys begrimed face. "Why, yor
are almost buried alive"
81 runned away from back yonder, "
the boy answered. II seed tho levee er
breakin here, SO stopped"
"Why, bless the boy" said Aiken.
"you must be nearly dead. What Is to
be done? Can you stand it till I ride
back and get help to fill the break? II
will open as soon as you move"
"Yessir, but hurry, boss" answered
the boy.
AS Aiken turned to remount he heard
the sound of boat wheels around the
curve and the whistle sounded out
hoarsely.
"By Georgep exclaimed Aiken,
"there's boat and three more inches Of
water will top the leveo here and then
all is lost"
In few moments the boat rounded
the curve and the big lights shone out
across the water.
"The Marsden," Aiken said, as he saw
the two smokestacks, "with Morton at
the wheel; shall have to fight for It,"
So saying he picked up his gun from
where he had dropped it when he dis
mounted and strobe on q few PAGES up
stream to meet the boat.
"Steer for the other side~ he called
out when the boat was in hailing dis
tance.
"Pm running this machine" respond
ed the coarse voice Of Morton, land
guess the river is free"
Aiken could see the little tongues OF
water as they overlapped the bank above.
If the boat did not turn she would send
the water over the levee lower down
where the boy was, and he and the
whole embankment would be sucked In.
There was no time to be lost.
Swinging the lantern above his head
so that Morton might see him, he flung
his riho to his shoulder and called back,
"Come another foot nearer TO this shore
and you are dead man."
Morton knew what manner of man he
had to deal with. The wheel reversed,
the boat tackled and grazed the opposite
shore, which was already submerged.
"All right now, Pete" said Aiken
gently, patting the boys muddy pate.
'Pll go on and be back In a few mo-
ments."
When they came by and put sand bags
in the hole Pete had been covering the
little fellow was too weak to speak or to
stand, and Mr.. Aiken took him up in his
arms and himself carried him to the
house.
And now Pete does nothing but ride
on the back seat Of the carriage to open
gates for the driver or to carry parcels
when Tom Aiken's pretty wife goes to
Shreveport shopping, for his "boss" is
grateful to the little hero who saved the
plantation. n.-Patience Oriel In Philadel.
phia Times.