Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-10-12
How Fred. Crossed the River.

going with him. They expected to
travel four weeks horseback and camp
out every night, and every boy in
Fred's school wished his father bought
mines.
They went by rail to the city of
Chihuahua; there Mr.. Bell bought their
outfit for the journey of 800 miles into
the mountains. There was Il stage
coach for $50 miles, but as Fred was
not very we'll his father decided to give
him as long an outing In the mountain
air as possible. So they We're to go
all the way horseback. Mr.. Bell
bought two mules for himself and
Fred to ride, as mules We're safer in
the mountains than horses, and he
bought four burros to carry the packs
of bedding, clothing and provisions.
There were two moZos, Mexican ser
wants, whe went afoot to take care of
the pack-burros and to prepare the
meals.
The second day, about noon, they
reached the Santa Ysabel river, and
found that the early rain in the noun
it could not be forded.
What was to be done? Fred and his
father sat on their mules, on the bank,
and looked in dismay at the flood Of
water that dashed and foamed past
them.
Finally some men who saw them
from a neighboring ranch and told
tbntY,
by letting them swim, and swimming
at their heads to help them.
So the burros We're unpacked and
the packs divided to make them light
er. Each bundle was wrapped in oil
cloth and tied securely. Then a rope
was fastened to the burro's head, one
of the men took hold of the other end,
the animal was led into the water, and
both the man and the burro swan
across. The burros had to swim very
hard to keep from being washed down
the stream, but the men who swan
with them helped them by keeping the.r
heads turned toward the current and
they all crossed safely. But they had
to make three trips to carry all the
packs across.
Fred and his father who had dis.
mounted to give what help they could,
stood and watched them until every.
thing was on the other side. Then
Fred mounted his mule, toswim across.
His father told him to hug the animal
with his legs so that he would not lose
his seat in the saddle, to keep his
mules head turned upstream, and not
to be afraid.
Fred said he wouldn't be afraid, and
urged his mule into the water, and
they started all right. But before they
were half way across the river some,
thing happened. Fred never knew
just what it was. But suddenly, the
| mules head was turned downstream
and they We're whirling along With the
current, sometimes endwise and some.
times sidcwise.
Mr.. Bell shouted to Fred to turn the
| mules head upstream, but the water
made so much noise that the little fel-
low could not hear, and he would have
been unable to obey if he had heard.
The mule made many frantic efforts to
recover control of himself, but the
stream was too powerful and he al
ways ended by whirling along as be-
fore, sometimes endwise, sometimes
sidcwise, Fred clinging fast hold with
both arms and legs.
Mr.. Bell run along the bank on his
side Of the river, trying to think of
some way to help Fred, and the Mexi-
cans ran shouting along the bank ON
their side. But Fred and his mule
continued down stream at speed that
Fred thought must be equal to that
of an express train, though it was
really not so fast that his father and
the MeXicans could not keep up.
About half mile below the ford, the
and just at the turn the lower bank
was quite fiat and sandy. Mr.. Bell
was very anxious about what might
happen when the boy and mule
reached the swrling water of the
bend; but luckily the two We're dashed
along close to the lower bank, and
when the mule felt the sandy bottom
beneath his feet, he made a great effort
and partly scrambled, and partly
was dashed by the water up on the
bank-nnd then he staggered along for
a few feet and sank down on his knees,
just as the McXicans came running up.
Fred slid Off the mules back drip
ping, entirely unhurt though feeling
rather dizzy, and waved his hand to
his father, which was the same as if
he had said, 81 told you l wouldn't be
afraidr'-The Favorite.