The National tribune., 1902-07-10

FROM THE ROOF OF THE NEW BUILDING
THEY TOOK IN THE GRAND PANORAMA"
ed rapidly toward a considerable fall. be
low which the rapids lashed the water into
foam, and would inevitably beat her into
fragments.
1t looked as if destruction was immi
nent, and hardly to be escaped.
Three or four rebel sharpshooters saw
their predicament, and opened a fire which
came annoyingiy near.
Monty, Harry, Gid and ALI opened on
them Il storm of bullets from their Spen-
GERS, the Minnesota Battery threw a vol
ley of three-inch shells into them, and De
Gress added 20-pounder for good meas,
ure. The rebels seemed to think they had
enough, and Hothin. could be seen of them
after the smoke raised.
Sandy seized Il pole, and running to the
downstream side of the boat, thrust it
down. and succeeded in making Il lodge
meat against the bottom rocks. Pete did
the same at the stern. and the boat was
held firm against them until there was
time to think.
Say. those batterymen left a long rope,
which | coiled up and chucked back out of
the way. behind those potatoes" suggest
ed Otterbein Kramer. You might get it
and make Il lariat ont of it. and throw q
hitch over that pinnacle rock there, and
then pull us out by main strength"
Why, Kramer, you're actually think
ing abont something besides pots and ket-
ties and something to eat shouted Shorty
delightedly, as he made Il dive for the
picket rope. Now, see me show you the
lessons | learned on the Mississippi, cast
ing lines over snubbing posts
'Snubbingposts is canal lingo. Shorty
said 81. iou must We learned that on
the Wabash Canal"
Shorty was too busy reeving loop to
reply to the jibe. Isl. yorf and Wash had
better relieve Pete and Sandy at the poles
and hold her fnan while I'm at this" he
said.
He finished his loop, and after two or
three Intellectual casts, got it fairly over
the rock, when the boat was pulled up and
worked into security behind the rock. They
rested for few minutes, and considered
what they should do next.
By this time the fog had lifted, and they
saw enough ahead of them to have de-
tered them from starting out if they had
seen it at first.
They were yet scarcely more than half
way across, and the stretch to be traversed
seemed even more difficult than that which
they had already passed. The turbulent
torrent rushed like a mill-race around
jagged rocks to a heavy fall some distance
below. In the mid-channel, Immediately
in front of them, the water tore through
with the violence of a Summer torrent
rushing down dry gulch. 81 sounded the
water in front, and looked around almost
despairinsly, for the pole went nearly its
full length.
Il believe I can reach the roots Of that
old pine there, if l hump myself" said
Shorty hopefully, pointing to where a
huge pine, which had floated down, had
caught its top on one of the rocks, and
then swinging around, lodged its roots
against another, and lay athwart the
stream. Once get over there behind it,
and we can pull along good ways by it"
"Will it hold, if you can reach it?'
our pull may start it around again"
It's got to hold" answered Shorty,
making ready his loop. Our business re-
quires it. If it don't hold, then the Lord
amt on the side of the righteous and just
foreverm0re"
Corporal Elliottr' admonished Otter
bein Kramer, in an awful tone.
No offense to you, Kramer" said
Shorty apologetically, as he sent his loop
whirling, and watched where it would light.
But this is the time when the Lord ought
to help us, if ever. We've done all we can,
and are in Il hole, where we can't go
neither forward nor backward without
little outside help"
The first cast fell short, but near enough
to encourage Shorty TO make another east.
That time he reached the roots of the tree,
but only caught on a smaller one, which
broke off on pressure being
applied.
That is Providential," interpreted OF
tcrbein Kramer. 'If we had pulled out
trusting to it. we'd've been surely swept to
1t is like many of Satan's
devices in this world"
Shorty widened his loop, so as to take |
in bunch of roots and one particularly |
large one. He caught it, and cheer went |
up from the anxious boys, which was /
echoed by 4 volley of enthusiastic accla-
nations from the thousands of watchers |
on the shore behind.
Shorty carefully wriggled the rope until /
It settled down to where the roots sprang
from the trunk, and gave the firmest hold.