The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-08-31
The Great Notchers Company.

But while all these preparations hac
been going on. Pegieg O'Donnell had moi
teen idle. He had noticed the air Of i'm
portance worn by Tommy, and the genera
excitement Of the boys on his Side" and
one of his "sweeties' had been instructed
to find what was in the wind. The boy had
made an able detective and Tommy's plans
| were well known-all except the date OF
departure. and this was communicated tc
| Pegleg late on the Saturday night.
He went at once TO Bradigans, and a.
| considerable length told what he knew,
| stretching out the story-for ne had not
| lived sixty years without learning some
thing-so that il embraced several treats
| ard being in for another when he con-
cluded by telling Dan Callahan that his
| Kid Tommy was at the head Of the move
| ment.
| Dan laughed. He was local organizer OF
the Knights Of Labor, and proud of Tom
| my, whom he declared was "a born ag1-
tator." Nevertheless, he thought the boy.
| as he said, "as flying too high" and ne
| considered it part of his paternal duty 10
| correct him and teach him a lesson. The
| other fathers present agreed with him, and
| together they formed plans for the follow
| ing night, task which they enjoyed and
( which Bradigan appreciated. as he was
| obliged to open an extra sexteI.
Before they left the place Jim Mooney
| had something to say, and when he said Il,
| there was. good deal Of laughter and ap-
| piause. The last words shouted to him as
| the crowd dispersed were.
| go over for the old man first thing IN
| the morning and fix him."
You bet cried Jim cheerily.
At eight o'clock on Sunday night the
equipped with a little. bundle and eager
for the start. The occasion was auspic:ous
for speech, and Tommy would not have
been himself had he not realized and ta-
| ken advantage of it.
Mounting in one of the cross-bars, he
cleared his throat and began.
''Fellers,'' he said, has youse all got ex-
ira duds and things?''
There was a chorus of 1--WE has
''We'se goin' TO set out on great under
taking" Tommy continued; "we'se goin'
to Alasky for to dig gold, and we'se COM
ing back here to the Notch all million
agrees an then we'se goin' to cut dash,
you bet. We'se goin' to keep togedder an
we'se got 10 work hard, an any man as
backs out IS "a gutter. We'se amt got
no soft snap. an it amt no dinkey job.
We'se banded togedder to work, and II
we'se has to fight we'se II fight, too, an
may the best man win"
There was scattered applause as Tommy
finished and the boys then waited for the
train. 1t was not long before they heard
the whistle for the switch in the yard, and
they knew the empties from the No. were
being picked up. Then, as the long train
came into view. Tommy gave the signal.
and the boys trooped down upon the cars.
AS they neared the track a most unex-
pected thing occurred. From nearly ev-
cry car shadOwy form arose and storm
OF missiles smote them and whistled about
their heads Some of the boys, struck and
hurt, turned and ran; others, with the in
stinct of self-defence. groped about on the
ground for stones and hurled them back.
Some few, Tommy among them, stood still
utterly confounded and confused. The
thing was so unusual; the brakemen never
objected to the boys; and as Tommy
thought it over and the train disappeared
up the track. he was convinced that their
plans had been betrayed and the repulse
deliberately planned.
When they met again under the chutes
Tommy advised them all to go home. 1--WE
has to wait till Monday night" he said.
Them Warrior Run boys on them cars
kinder knocked our calkerlations out, but
Wen start Monday night, all right; all
right, you hear me"
But in his heart Tommy knew the War
rior Run boys had nothing to do with 1t.
nor was he long in finding out who had SO
rudelessly spoiled his plan. Home he went
and home came his father soon after. with
a big black and blue lump on his forehead
and angry words on his tongue.
What are you fool boys up to?" he
cried to Tommy. "D'ye think we'se goin'
to let youse kids go to Alasky and run the
breaker idle? Not much. Youse is goin'
to stay right here and pick slate an IL
catches you tryin' to get away I'll wallop
you hard. Yes, an the others II get wal
loped harder. Youse better tell 'em all to
get some sense
Tommy had not been hit by a stray stone |
as had his father, but he was just as angry, |
although he said nothing, knowing by pain |
full experience that his father did not like |
back talk. So of he went TO bed and lay |
there planning. for one CT his chief quail |
ties was that ne never knew when ne was |
beaten. One thing was clear to him, that |
there was a traitor somewhere, although |
he did not think he was one of the forty. |
With their plans known II would be i'm |
possible 10 get away by the railroad, or /
by way Of Wilkes-Barre. without being dis |
covered and caught But there was an
other way-Tommy's brain was fertile with |
was the mountain cutoff |
where the valley freights passed by q
short cut clear Of the valley and on 10
Buffalo and the West. Tommys mind was
quickly made up. Here was the way to
go. Quietly he lay on the bed until after
midnight when the house was quiet; then |
he slipped softly out on the kitchen roof.
slid down with his boots in his hand, and |
cropped to the ground Then off he went |
10 Denny Dorris'S house, and a pebble
or two awakened Denny. The new plan
was hastily communicated, and Denny set
of down one street and Tommy down an
other 10 awaken the others. In an hour
they were all assembled and ready for the
tramp 10 the cutoff.
There was still light at Bradigan's. and
this place they carefully avoided, and in a
short time found themselves on the mount
ain-side. and slowly climbing up one Of the
paths. For an hour or so they |
plodded onward. and then Tommy. know
rg the cutoff was a long tramp. halted
them, and they lay down for few hours
sleep. confideu. that they could not be
overtaken.
II vas just becoming light as Tommy.
who had slept but little, awakened the 9th
srs, and, with many grow,s at being Dis
urbed the hslf-awakened boys again
started up the mountain. Hardly had they
gone hundred yards when they were
startled by a hail from below. Most OF the
boys scattered IN the underbrush. bu,
Tommy stood his ground. He thought one
If the forty had been left behind.
In minute or SO an Old man appeared, |
ciIing brea;hlessiy up the pain.
Hello he cried.
Hello yourself said Tommy. surlily.
..It-har.a Nnl, gin, -, asLei .hs