The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-09-26
were to he made, the boy remaining

longest under water two times ou
of three to be declared winner.
| If each boy won dive, the cont,s;
was to be continued until one of
them won two out of three.
To keep the beam from tipping
when the boys, with Alf, who gave tae
signals, stood ready to dive. four or
five of us stood on The other end and
held it down.
Two dives had been made, Parker
being winner in one and Rummcl in
the other, and very much excited, we
stood waiting for the signal from Alf.
who stood at the other end of the
beam. The divers were poised for the
leap, and we silently waited.
"One," said ALI, slowly and distinct
ly. "two, TIL"
Holt on dere-holt on dere." ex-
claimed familiar voice, in a warning
tone.
And turning quickly we saw Coleby
in the doorway at the front of the
mill.
And, grasping her by the neck. he
held up dead goose.
II was the goose that ALI had put
in the fiisherman's coop-thc very one
he had struck few moments before
with the stone. 1t had fallen out of
sight behind bowlder when hit, and
we did not notice that it did not swim
away with the others.
'\nt
enraged man, wat you call dis? I'll
show you how 30 kill my geese"
And he rushed at us with the fury
of madman.
At the very first sight of Colcby. At
had wound his leg around the rope At
the end of the beam and slid down
to the fsherman's boat.
Coleby did not see him, but came
at the rest of us, braudshing the
goose as if he meant to destroy us
with it.
AS he swung it around his head. we
jumped from the beam and scattered
in all directions. But we had forgot
ten. The beam, being left unbalanced.
upreared and plunged the three boys
with itself into the water.
There it stood, leaning up against
the mill, its lower end deep down on
the bottom of the stream.
The splashing of the boys in the
water, our outcrics as we ran here
and there to keep out of harms way
and above all, Colcby's cry of "rn
show you how to kill my gccsc." made
an uproar that was highly amusing.
Suddenly there came a cry of "Ilclp.
help" We stopped. Colcby stopped,
too, and the goose hung down on
the floor.
Help! help" came the cry from the
boys in the water.
We ran to the end of the mill
where the beam had lain. Rummrl
was diving down by il. Parker aud
Sawyer were swimming around, call
ing for help, shouting "!\lf's drown
ing!" both too frightened to do any
thing.
There by the beam. sticking up out
of the water, was the stern of the lit
tie boat, and by it Alf's hands were
beating the water. Now he sank, now
he rose, but his head did not rise
above the water.
In an instant we saw it all. When
the beam went down, ATS leg was
still wrapped around the rope, and il
had carried him, boat and all down
with it, and there lac was, drowning
before our very eyes.
"Quick-a knife" shouted, throw
ing off my clothes. An open pocket
knife was thrust into my hands
Holding it between my teeth,
plunged into the water.
Alfs leg was bound. | would cut
the rope and save his life. But my
mouth filed with water; strangird
and nearly lost my senses. | divcd,
seized the rope to cut it, but was 50
unnervcd that dropped the knife.
1t was all up. AIf would drown. Al
ready l saw him stretched out, pal"
and lifeless, his hair wet, his lips
blue.
No, no; not so bad as that. While
we quick-witted boys had exhausted
our plans for rescue, the slow old
blacksmith was just beginning to act
Slowly he took in the situation as
he leaned against the upper end of
the beam. Then he put his big hands
against it and began to push. He
pushed it out as far as he could reach,
but that was not far enough. With
all his massive strength, he pushed
ii again beyond the reach of his hands.
1t stood upright for moment, then
fell forward with great splash. il
sank, it rose, and with it rose the lit
tie boat, half full of water, but in it
was-Alf, strangling, half conscious,
but saved.
One week from that day, five of us
boys went over to see Colby. Thcrr
were Ed Sawyer, Sam Parker, Tom
Rummcl, ALI Waters and |.
AIf carried a stuffed goose. II was
til, goose he had put in the fisher
mas coop, and had finally killed.
81. looked as natural as if she We're
pic ing grass on the common. save
that her ewes had q stare somewhat