The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-27

Dock flashed a look at the child and
his face warmed.
mot eff l knowed myself, Joe, boy"
throwing d gratitude into his voice whIch
was only part of the love which hoped
to hide from those trustful young eyes
mis- own inconsequence. To Joe, he was
somebody.
Mamma told papa you wouldn't; said
youd take care O me" finished the child
contentedly.
Mr.. Banks, who had been FESTIVE under
TINS daWdling could stand ii no longer
Come over here, DOCK, when you are
needed!' he called peremptOrily What
are you piddlin' round Their for?'
All right. Cap'n," answered the man
as ne kicked the sandbag in closer where
there appeared to be a tiny hesitant. sill
Yer leak. she seems a perSpirin -
thought he, picking up his shovel. Buck
shot earth and sand don't make the best
wall on earth, was his mental comment
an there's good 1900 feet Of it," but
what did Docks theories amount to? The
Ievee satisfied the builders
oo,, run n, along Joe, off'n them bags, or
come with me" was his parting advice to
the boy as re assembled the incline
Dot TO finish my Ievee," objected Joe
Wandering off some distance, where ne
was soon absorbed in the construction m
his own little earthwork
men.
Get to work, Dockr' ordered Mr..
Banks, sharply. "YOu'u find some excise
for Sinking, if it's nothing but PLAYING
with a child =
Dick did not resent the imputation. He
was used to snubs.
Hist the bag! Hist it!' impatientlv
Urged workman, encoura ged bV mis-
boss scCrnful manner. He was DiacInp
the sacks in position.
Don't wear you life out about moth
IN, rebuked Dock, mildly and unguard-
edly.
Mr.. Banks heard and turned on him
Nothing! If this levee were to break
under our feet you wouldn't call it moth
IN you'd be the very first man to bolt, -
with indignant contempt. Then more
quietly. I'd like to see those legs OF
yours timber up to a sprint for once.
Eff this levee breaks it won't be here. .
was Docks solemn inward asseveration
Mr.. Banks turned on his heel and walk
ed to the north end. The other man
shifted and Dock cast a loving eve on
the mighty sinuous river. There was a
frlend-Dock knew every change of its
yellow cOuntenance, and loved each one
When the river was meek and low and
gently flowing, he loved to sit on the
bank, legs hanging down, and talk to the
Kid, his other friend; when the river was
swollen and sullen, as now he loved ii
more than ever. The man rejoiced in the
independence and enormous power of the
Mississippi as the antithesis of his own
backbOneleSS self.
AS he came up the hill again, Dock
felt strangely the pent-up forces of that
swaying water broadening out so threat
eningly.
she looks dangerous to me-" he
thought; the water appeared to be press
ing toward the bank with increasing mo-
ton, but he dismissed the thought as
fancy.
Scarcely had he thrown his bag and
started down the slope for another when
his eye was appalled, by a colossal bub-
BILE Of sand and earth. bursting through
the base of the 'buckshot" embankment
The bubble shattered in the act Of for
nation, and, with rumble like thunder
in a subterranean cavern, a gush of
seething, foaming water spouted through
the hole. as through the mouth OF q
monster water main.
For an instant the gang stood para
lyzed; then, with a yell that shook the
soul, they fought past each other in a