The Opelousas courier., 1898-09-03

again.
Billy promised not to move. HI
watched his father disappear in th.
cold, enveloping mist with a sense
of uncomfortableness. If the docks
had seemed a wilderness before, they
were nor Of one now with him lef
like an atom lost in the e%nshroudine
fog.
Just then he heard the 'splunk" Of
something falling into the water. He
started and tried to peer through the
wall of fog. Almost Immediately he
heard O shrill cry for help. Some
one, a boy, he imagined from the
sound of the voice, had dropped of
into the water. It was hard to tell
where he was from the sound, but
there was no doubt it was near at
hand. The cries were repeated shril-
ly. Billy went a little nearer the edge
and looked down into the milky green
water tapping the stone walls a good
distance below him.
"Keep hollerin'," shouted Billy,
"till I can find you. Swim toward
me, if you can, and don't lose sight
Of the dock"
If it vas a boy, Of course he could
swim, but Billy knew if he once lost
sight of the walls of the docks he
could have no idea where he ought to
head for.
"Here I am. Oh, help me out"
came back the frightened voice.
It sounded nearer, and in a moment
more Billy saw a shiny head and a
small white face with q pair Of scared
eyes in it. The boy was padding
around like a small puppy.
"Keep right there" shouted Billy.
There was no use trying to look for a
rope when he couldn't see more than
a few yards. He did the only thing
he could think Of. He stripped off
his outside clothes as fast as he could.
Then he tied his trousers to his coat,
and his coat to his stockings, and let
down this rope Of clothes toward the
boy.
It didn't reach him, so he hauled it
up and, pulling off his undershirt,
tied it on, too. Then he lowered it
again, with the shirt end down, think
ing the boy might pull himself up to
the stouter part of the life line, if the
shirt proved too weak to hold. He
gave him directions to this effect.
The boy clutched the end of the
rope. Fortunately, he was light. But
was q good tug for Billy to pull him
up. By the time the youngsters wet
head showed above the edge his
strength was nearly used up.
"Pull-yourself-up. I'm-played
out" he painted, falling on one knee
and bracing himself with the other
leg. He chung desperately to the line
of clothes. If the boy couldn't help
himself now, Billy was afraid it was
all up with him.
The other boy saw how matters
and squirming and getting his
grip a little higher up, he at last pulled
himself over the edge Of the dock. He
rolled over to get further way from
edge, and then the two sat up
breathless, gasping and not able to
say a word. They simply stared at
each other, with their mouths open.
Butnowt that the strain was over, Billy
began to get his breath. The cold, |
'aw air was making him shiver. They
both looked blue about the mouth,
md were shaking like Mexican hair
ess dogs.
"You'd better get home. Where
10 you live?" asked Billy at last, as
veil as he could with his teeth chat
"Down there" shivered the other,
pointing off through the fog toward
he end of the dock. "You come
slong and get dry. Mother'll give us
something warm. Come on"
They had both got to their feet,
Billy was Juggling at the knots in his
which the weight of the boy
lad frightened. The rescued boy
lent a hand. As fast as he got
garment loose Billy put it on. Ugh!
low cold and wet they felt. He
around to get warm.
He had just got into part of his
when his father came back.
lis alarm at seeing his son and heir
p%parent]y just after a bath, and one
AIKEN with his clothes on, gave him a
tart.
Chilly, you didn't fall off, did your"
g inquired, huskily.
"No; but he did," said Billy, tug
ing away at his knotted coat and
HE pulled me out with his clothes"
aid the other boy; "and [ tell him to
ONE down to the President an get
ry."
rs it far?' said Captain Hanford.
''No. Jes' down there"
"Well, I think we'd better go. Billy.
m afraid you'll catch cold."
All right. But I won't catch cold,"
Billy, who had got into all Of
is clothes by this time.
The small boy, looking like a
rowned rat, led the way and Captain
Iatt followed, gathering the details
+ the adventurefro rom Billy. He glowed
nth pride at his sons presence of
lind in devising this novel clothes
me and rescuing the boy. But Billy
reated it rs if it were the most com
,onplace thing in the world. He was
ealiy thinking more of getting warmed
p than anything else.
They both wondered q little where