Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-07-23
catching up with Chairman

remarked, catching up with Chapman
and handing him half of his burden.
When Lane reached point that
should have brought the cabin in
view, to his horror nothing was Wis.
lble but an expanse OF rushing water.
For a moment he felt stunned; but,
looking back, he saw his two friends
with their heavy rope coils; and real
1zinS why they had brought them, he
started down the shore faster than
ever. AS far as he could see down the
stream there were no signs of the
cabin; but the river curved o short
distance below and thick grove OF
trees hid quite a long stretch of it,.
As he rounded the point and the bend
was disclosed, to his great Joy he saw
the house about half mile below him.
With glad cry to his friends, he
hurried onward and soon gained the
nearest approach of the shore to his
poor little stranded family.
Cheering them with shouts, he be.
gan to devise some means for effecting
their rescue. This appeared diff
cult matter. They were fully two
hundred feet from the shore; the cur.
rent between them was very strong,
and it would be hazardous for a swim
mer to try to reach them, because of
the floating logs and debris which
might strike and overwhelm him.
There were no boats to be had, all
those at the mill having been carried
away by the freshet; and how to get
them ashore was perplexing and seri-
GUS question.
Hart suggested that if they could in
any way manage to pass line to
them, large tub might be procured
and rugged to ferry them over. But
how might they get the rope to them?
Suddenly Mr.. Lane frightened up.
81 b'lieve Hero'll do it," he said, as
he hastily tied block of driftwood to
the enl of the smaller rope. Then,
making trumpet of his hands, to
carry his voice above the noise of the
river, he called: "Send Hero after
the block l throw out"
Fred reused the dog and bade him
watch sharp" and his father flung
the block toward them.
"After it, Hero. Get It'll" Fred
shouted; and Hero, true to his old
training, plunged into the rushing
water. But the dog was bewildered
by the strength of the current, and
when he felt himself borne down
stream, he turned and swan back to
the cabin. Fred scolded him roundly
and cuffed his ears while Mr.. Lane
pulled the block back to the shore and
ran upstream little distance, to cast
it in above the bar. Fred, in the
meantime, kept Hero alert. The dog
was prepared for another attempt,
and sat up watching expectantly.
MIR. Lane swung the block round
and round in the air, and then sent it
flying out over the water. The dog
plunged in, and made bravely toward
it. He understood the current this
time, and headed up stream against
it. Would the block be carried past
him? Would he bring it to them
should be reach it? Could he stem
the torrent and lodge the drift? How
the old fellow was cheered along
Shouts from the shore babe him 90
ahead; shouts from Fred urged him
forward. He reached it at last and
grasped it with his strong jaws. Then
for moment he hesitated, and seemed
undecided which way to turn. Whati
would he go to the shore with it?
The men shouted hoarsely and men,
toned him back. He was nearer to
them. and it would have been much
easier for him to carry it ashore; but
Freds voice rang out clear and shrill:
"Hello, Hero! Bring it to me. Here,
old boy. BaGk-back here with it /"
And slowly the faithful animal turned
and faced his little master. The cur
rent swept him below the house; but
he fought bravely onward, nearer and
nearer, until Fred was able to grasp
him.
Bravely done, old Hero! Rightly
named, for you saved two lives. Slowly
he raised himself to tho roof and Fred
passed the line to his mother, then
threw both his arms around Hero's
wet neck and broke out wildly sob.
bing.
Mrs. Lane hastily tied the rope to
one of the cabins rafters. The men
brought tub from farmhouse near
by and swung 1t by both its strong
handles. Mr.. Lane then jumped in
with q second rope, which he payed
out behind as he cautiously ferried
across the water. He hauled himself
along slowly, getting an occasional
wetting, but landed on the house roof
safely at last. How joyfully they well
coined him Hero claimed his share
of praise; and does any one doubt
that he got it?
Mrs. Lane was placed in the tub and
told to hold the rope firmly to keep
their frail makeshift from tipping, and
the men on shore slowly hauled it
across by means of the small line tied
to it. She landed safely. and the tub
was pulled back to rescue Fred and
his father. Hero stood Watching them,
until they were some distance from
the house, and looked as though he
| expected the tub to come back for
him; but he finally plunged in and
followed. He was first to reach shore,