The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-08-16
CHAPTER XII.

Johnston chung tenaciously to the
rock. He tried to look down to see II
the barge had passed beneath him, but
the intense strain on his arm now drew
his head back, so that he could not do
SO. Once more he made an effort to re-
gain his position OH the rock, but he
was not able to raise himself an inch.
He felt certain that the fall would
kill him, and he groaned in agony. His
fingers were benumbed and beginning
to slip. Then he fell. The air whizzed
in his ears. He tried to keep his feet
downward, but it was no use He was
whirled heels over head many times,
and his senses were leaving him when
he was restored by plunge into tho
cold water.
Down he sank. Itseemed to him that
he never would lose his momentum and
that he would strangle before he could
rise to the surface. Finally, however,
he came up more dead than alive. He
had narrowly missed the fiatboat, for
he saw it receding from him only a
few yards away. On the shore stood
Branasko motioning to him, and slow
ly, for his strength was almost gone,
Johnston swan toward him.
The latter waded out into the shallow
water and drew him ashore
"You had narrow escape, he said,
with dry laugh II saw the boat come
from under the cliff just as you hung
down from the ledge. At first I hoped
that you would get back on the rock,
but when I saw you try to do it and
fail thought that you were lost"
The American could not speak for ex-
haustion, but as he looked at the depart
ing craft with concern Branasko laugh.
ed again: "Oh, you thought it had q
crew. So did I at first, but it has no one
aboard. 1t is drawn by cable and
seems to be laden with COAL"
did they notice our fall up there?"
painted Johnston, nodding toward the
lights in the distance.
mo- they are farther away than I
thought"
well, what ought we to do?"
Hide here among the rocks till our
clothing dries and then look about u.s.
We have nearly "a hours to wait for the
sun to return through the tunnel"
"Where is the tunnel?''
''Over on the other side of that black
hill. There; you can S; q the mouth Of
the tunnel through which the sun
comes"
I'VE need Sleep" said the Alphian,
when their clothing was dry, land it
may be long time before we get
chance to get it. Let us lie down in the
shadow of that rock and rest.
Johnston consented, and, lying down
together, they soon dropped asleep.
They slept soundly.
Johnston was the first to awake He
felt so refreshed that he knew he must
have been unconscious several hours
He touched Branasko, and the latter sat
up and rubbed his eyes and looked about
him bewildered.
II had a horrible DREAM" he said,
shuddering. II thought that we were
in the sun and over the capital city,
when it fell down. thought the fall
was uNlui, uuu NuuU dlA Alpha was
afame. Then the fires went out, Every
thing was black, and the whole world
rang with cries Of terrified people. Ughl
don't want to dream SO again: Id
rather not sleep at all But, hush, what
is that?'
Far away, as if in the center of the
earth, they heard low monotonous
rumbling. They listened breathlessly.
Every moment the sound increased.
They could feel the ground trembling as
il shaken by an earthquake.
ut is the coming sun" said Branas-
ko I'VE must get nearer the tunnel
and see what can be done. 1t would re
useless to try to go back now"
Stealing along in the shadow Of the
cliffs to keep from being seen by the
workmen on the plateau above. they
climbed over . rocky moline and saw
in the aide Of 4 towering cli6 great