Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-17

| nait deep enough into a log to hold So
Jef laid the boat alongside of fine, big
fellow and Clay really caught 1t and got
a nail into IT, and got the slip-kno over il,
| and then told JEFF to pull for the shore.
JEFF tried to obey orders, but the boys had
! not noted until then that the current had
carried them SO far down stream that they
were about half a mile below the sawmill.
| and were going further at rate that was
| mere rapid than pleasing.
Pull harderi Head more up stream
shouted Clay. JEFF tried, but the best he
| could do was to run a race with the trees
on the bank and see that the trees were
beating him slowly, but oh, SO steadily.
Give me the oars said Clay, moving
| forward. jeff obeyed in haste, but It made
no difference with the boat, and soon Clay
''wen get it-ashore whsrever-we can,
and-drag it up through-the slack water
The log finally consented to be tied to a
tree on the bank. and the boys pulled up
! stream about mile. so that the next
| prize would not have to be dragged against
| the current. About this time jeff looked
ashore at the clock in he court house
| dome and drawled:
'Say. we've been out exactly an hour,
and haven't got anything to the mill yet,
| out and find out how much money we've
| made"
| 81 don't believe you've got enough spirit
| to keep a mouse alive in a cheese factory %
replied Clay. giving the shingle vicious
! kick. unfortunately with The foot from
| which he had taken hts shoe: then there
was moment Of profound and eloquent
] silence.
| Still, there were other logs in the river,
| and soon The boys got one OF them in tow
| and landed it just above the mill, where
| they. tied it to a stake In the bank to await
company of its own kind; they also got a
| big stone with which to drive nails into the
| logs, for the heel of Ciay's shoe had OBJ
| 5ected to being used as a hammer head.
| and to save itself further battering it had
| come off, Still. the boys picked up two logs
| in the next twenty minutes, by pulling up
| stream for them and letting the current
| help them on the shpreward pull. Even
with this assistance the work was very
| hard. for tree trunk weighing nearly q
ton doesn't change its course and its IDEAS
| of right of way" without a heavy, sulien,
| ugly protest One by one. however. the
| they took a rest SO that Clay could cipher
out the profits. Just as he laid down the
single. now covered with figures. jeff
| said: ~. .-.-
You'll have to make allowance for the
price of new clothes line for my mother
or I'll have to set whipping. for I've had
to cut on three or four yards Of it each
time to tie up the logs we've brought in
We needn't take account of any such
small item as that until We get our pay"
| said Clay.
| ~ soon, then, for there's only about enough
rope left for one more log" jeff continued,
so We'll hayr. to knock off work long
enough to buy another"
"We'H borrow rope at the MILL" said
Clay. but let's catch another one first"
on they went and fortune seemed to go
with them, for soon they struck two logs
bound together at one end by bit Of
grapevine. They were 50 near shore, too,
and looked so like raft that Clay could
not resist the temptation of boarding them
and raising a cheerful howl, as he had
read of privateers doing when finally they
stood upon the deck of a prize. He did it
in good style, too, giving one foot to each
log, very much as IL they were circus
horses and he was to ride the two at
| once. Perhaps he had forgotten that the
one shoe which he still wore was very
wet as, at any rate. JEFF suddenly heard
large splash, and when he looked around
between the logs of the v were the head
and the hat of Clay, although both were
not on the same part of the waller. For a
moment or two 1t appeared that an able
bodied boy was to be made into jam, but
Clay finally dfved under one of the logs
and got to its outer side, where he tried
to hold on. but the log kept turning in
the water and Clay kept changing his hold
ed and acted as if it was having fun and
would like to keep 1t up all day. Finally
he got to the end Of 1t and the log was
merciful and allowed him to get into the
beat, but by this time they were almost a
mile down the river once more and as
Clay picked the bits of bark from under
of them to kindle a fire, if they were dry.
Lets get back to what we've caught.
drop down the current with them to the
mill and sell them: then I'll get you to help
me to wiring out my clothes"
So they towed their entire catch down to
the mill. and Mr.. Drewell the mill owner.
came and looked at the ends, and said:
Il can't buy those. Don't you see the
owners marks stamped in the wood at the
ends? Those men could have me arrested
Tor buying stolen property
"Oh. how I'll catch it for cutting UP that
clothes line" groaned JEFF.
why" said Clay, It saw you buy q log
from another man two or three hours ago"
"Ah. yes, but that had no marks, so no.
one could prove property. That's the cut-'
ter's fault. and I'm sorry for him; still, If
kind shall be glad to buy them"
But what becomes Of the marked logs"
asked Clay. IF the owner doesn't take care
of them, and they get adrift?"
for his labor. If he can prove the time he
spent" was the reply. Send the owner of
these logs to me; I've seen you fooling
about the water here for two or three
let me see; well, about fifty cents for your
trouble"
Just the price Of new clothes line for
mother" said jeff.
the piece Of charcoal from the boat so as
to make up the accounts promptly, looked
at that Single for just moment, and then
he sheltered" that innocent slip Of wood
so vigorously that it went about fifty yards
away and into the river, where 1t fell face
upward. and the black marks on 1T seemed
so many faces that were making fun of
Clay as they meandered along with the
current.
When the mill owner came to understand
the situation. his heart got down to his
pocket, for he had been boy himself, so he
advanced the boys fifty cents on salvage
account of the logs they had caught, and
he sent Clay down to the engine room to
be dried. When finally the boys walked
bomeward, JEFF drawled:
You said that figures don't lie"
IT take 1t back" said Clay. They lie
worse than a circus poster. or man that's
been out fishing and had nobody see him
till his fish have been cooked and eaten"