Evening journal., 1899-02-06

face appeared out Of the hole.
1t was the pale face of boy, and, as
Mike stared. be recognized the features
Of the lad who had pleaded so hard to
go to Stony Brook with him.
How did you get in there?' the en-
gineer gasped.
II erawled In when you went 10 meet
the conductor at the station. You
wouldn't let me go, and my mother was
in danger"
Mike looked at his helpless fireman
and drew a long breath.
We'll, now that you're here, suppose
you help mel Can you shovel coal2"
'Nes. easily"
In a moment the boy had crawled out
OF the water tank and he swung the
shovel so successfully that the fire
burned brighter than ever.
"Is II cool in the water tank?" Mike
asked, loolsingly longily at the hole.
"Yes. much cooler than out here the
lad replied
well, go back into it, then, until
need more coal. I'll call you when it is
time"
Bertie-that was his name--jumped
back into his ccol hiding place; but be-
fore closing the top he threw a bucket
of water over the PROSTATE fireman and
another over Mike.
That's good" Mike said, shiyering
with pleasure, MS the water temporarily
cooled his parched, aching brows.
But the rua was not by any means
over yet. ncr lad they reached the
wors' part Of the fire. The heat became
more Intense as they proceeded, until
it seemed as if no human being could
live in such a superheated atmosphere.
They entered a dense patch of fir
trees. where the smoke rolled up in
pitchy-black clouds. Great flying ban
ners Of flame hoated down upon the en-
CINE and cars from the trees on either
side. The cars were ablaze in dozen
places. and the tracks were warped and
twisted.
Mike began to grow faint and dizzy.
A sensation of falling seemed to come
over him. and he unconsciously called
to his boy companion for help.
Bert opened the top of the tank to see
/ II the engineer needed more water. As
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
, accidentally shut off the steam, and the
pounding train was rapidly slackenng
} its pace. To stop an instant in such a
desert Of fire meant death TO all on the
! traiul
The boy realized this, and it took him
but a minute to climb into the cab and
/ open wide the throttle.
He did not know much about a steam
q engine. but in this terrible run through
the fiery woods he had watched L hc en-
gneer mechanically, and he soon found
! that he could stop or start the hug,
monster at will. 1t was a simple thing
D to do; but the boy felt elated at his dis
e eovery.
D In a few minutes the engine was go
ing as fast as ever. They were rushing
D along 70 miles an hour.
Hidden in his water tank he had no
. experienced the full intensity of th'
p heat, but now he began to realize wha
r an ordeal the fireman and engineer hat
passed through. With only slight pro
- lection from the binding. burnin.
= smoke and flames, the engineers posi-
o ton seemed almost unbenrab,e.
BERTHE prayed for strength. Helsney
Y that his own life. that of his mother
:. and of hundreds Of others depended
e upon him. He knew that they mus
- soon be at Stony Brook; he had hear
II Big Mike say that. If he could hold ou
d little longer.
" But the heat and fever grew upo
him. His head seemed ready TO burst
d Every half minute he plunged his hea
II into n bucket of water; but that was s.
4 hot now that half its effect was neutral
g lied.
It How much longer? How mue
longer?" he gasped.
n Nothing but the roar of the fire an
# swered him. He looked steadily aheaC
y but there was no relief in sight.
.; Il can't stand it any longer" he nut
T. tered. "oh, my God, help me an
If mother"
n He closed his teeth and renewed hi
energy for an instant Then hi
k strength tagged and waned again. III
le spirits were dropping to the point c
}t yielding, when suddenly the cloud
le around him seemed to tighten up.
n. lie glanced ahead of him eagerly, an
" in ecstasy Of JOY he shouted:
D. I'm nearly through; I'm nearl
through!"
Of The volumes Of smoke were less dens
e. and ahead of the engine he could see
Se clear space. lie caught glimpse OF I'll
m track half a mile beyond. Even the il
e. tense heat and suffocation Of the q
I'd lessened.
ne In a few moments more the reli'
train rushed out of the fire area and ei
n tered new world. where blindir
ir smoke and flames no longer made life
e. torture. AS the boy cleared his eyes
h. the smoke, and glanced far ahead, h
,h little heart seemed to throb clear 1
ct into his throat.
A cleared space in the woods reveal'