Evening journal., 1899-06-15

face appeared out OF the hole.
IL was the pale face of boy, and, as
Mike stared, he recognized the features
OF the lad who had pleaded so hard TO
g Stony Brook with him.
,ow did you get in thereT the en-.
gineer gasped.
81 crawed in when you went to met !
iht conductor at the station. You |
wouldn't let me so. aud my mother was
IN dagger"
Mike looked az bis helpless fireman
aud drew a long breath.
"Well. now that you're here suppose
you help mel Can you shovel coal2"
"Nes. easily"
In moment the boy had crawled out
OF the water tank. and be swung the
shovel so successfully that the fire
burned brighter than ever.
lis II cool in the water tank?" Mike
asked. lookingly longily at the hole.
"Yes, much cooler than out here the
lad replied.
"Well, go back into It, then, until ]
need more coal III call you when Il Is
time"
Beriie-that was his name-jumped
back into his cool hiding place; but be-
fore closing the Top he threw bucket
OF water over the PROSTATE fireman and
another over Mike.
That's good" Mike said. shivering
with pleasure. as the water temporarily
cooled his parched. aching brows.
Hut the run was not by any means
over vet. nor had they reached the
worst part OF the fire. The heat became
more intense as they proceeded. until
IL seemed as II no human being could
live in such superheated atmosphere.
They entered a dense patch OF fir
, trees. where the smoke rolled up in
piichy-black clouds. Great flying ban
ners Of fame hoated down upon the en-
gine and cars from the trees on either
side. The cars were ablaze in a dozen
places. and the tracks were warped and
twisted.
Mike began 10 grow faint and dizzy.
. a sensation OF falling seemed TO come
over him. and he uncousciously called
to his boy companion for help.
Bert opened the top OF the tank 10 see
] II the engineer needed more water. Az
he did so he saw that the engineer had
! been overpowered with the heat and
! smoke. and, though sitting up with his
hand on the lever. he was unconscious.
] In his fall backward the engineer had
3 accidentally shut Off the steam, and the
pounding train was rapidly slackening
p It's pace. To stop an instant In such a
desert OF fire meant death to all on the
j train
The boy realized this, and IT took him
but a minute TO climb into the cab and
d open wide the throttle.
He did not know much about steam
i engine but IN this terrible run through
the fiery woods he had watched the en-
gineer mechanically, and he soon found
a that he could stop or start the huge
monster at will. It was a simple thins
o to do; but the boy felt elated at his dis
e covery.
b In few minutes the engine was 60
Ing MS fast rs ever. They were rushini
n along 20 miles an hour
Hidden in his water tank he had no
b. experienced the full intensity OF th
* hear. but now he began TO realize wha
,r an ordeal the fireman and engineer ha'
passed through With only light pro
b. lection from The binding burning
Be smoke aud flames fhe engineers posi-
10 lion seemed almost. unbcarlbie
Bertie prayed for strength HekneV
.y that his own NE that of bis mother
B. and of hundreds Of Others dependc'
he upon him. lie knew that they mus
+" soon be at Stony Brook; he had hear
~ Big Mike say that. II he could hold on
id a little longer.
?" But the heat and fever grew upo
him. His head seemed ready 20 burst
id Every half minute be plunged his hea
il into a bucket Of water; but that was s.
Of hot now that half its effect was neutral
~ lied.
1T "How much longer9 How muc
longer?" he gasped.
nr Nothing but the roar Of the fire an
OF swered him. lie looked steadily ahead
~ but there was no relief in sight.
e. Il can't stand it'any longer" he muI
IL tered. "Oh, my God, help me an
of mother"
On He closed his teeth and renewed h
energy for an instant. Then hi
nk strength tagged and waned again. HI
ne spirits were dropping 10 the point {
pi yielding. when suddenly the cloud
be around him seemed to tighten up.
IN. lie glanced ahead Of him eagerly, an
by in ecstasy Of joy he shouted;
ne am nearly through; I'm nearl
throughl"
OF The volumes Of smoke were less dens
se- and ahead Of the engine he could see
Ike clear space. He caught glimpse Of u
en- track half a mile beyond. Even the il
re- tense heat and suffocation OF the a
ed lessened.
he In n few moments more the reli'
train rushed out of the fire area and el
m tered new world. where blindiu
air smoke and flames no longer made life
re- torture. As the boy cleared his eyes
tn. the smoke. and glanced far ahead, h
ch little heart seemed 10 throb clear I
gel into his throat.
A cleared space in the woods reveals
lis fbo small .illaoe of Stony Brook al