The National tribune., 1902-02-27

| evening, which will be overcoming almost
superhuman difficulties"
Send another note to Mr.. Graham, in
| charge of the men below" he continued,
that l have requested all the pontoon
| trains to be ordered forward; likewise the
wagon with the engineering tools and a
| regiment of men to use them. l shall
have the plans prepared by the time they
arrive. Meanwhile, he is to go ahead
preparing the approaches"
''Mr. Graham?" said 81 to Shorty
'That must mean Shad. Let's go down
there and find him."
They made their way past the pontoon
train standing in the road, and under the
bluff, at the waters edge. they found
their old comrade. Shad Graham, hard at
work with his company. They were out
of sight and direction by the Colonel, and
each one was busy with some practical
work. The greeting was brief. and the
boys saw at once that the best thing to
do was to join with him. They tied their
horses to the brush near by. stacked their
arms, piled their accouterments under
their OvercOats, and offered their services
to Shad.
Shad Graham had some of his men cut
ting down trees, some saving them into
lengths with crOss-cut saws, some in ca
noes and skiffs, polling the water to as
certain its depth, and guiding the sections
of logs to their places, where they were
set up on end to serve as piers, and then
stringers were spiked on, and other poles
laid across to form a causeway to where
the pontOonS would extend the bridge
across the deep water.
1t was very hard, chilling work in the
rain and the icy water of the creek, but
everybody was animated by the knowl-
edge that he was doing something real
and practical, and so the work went on
with rapidity only to be appreciated by
those who have seen soldiers work under
such circumstances.
From time to time Shad would receive
notes from the Colonel, which he would
thrust into his pocket to be read when he
had more leisure.
IN tell you what you do. ST." he said
Put your men into one of these pontoon
boats, work your way across, and tear
down those old buildings you see over
there, for flooring and StringerS. Meas
ure the depth of water on that side, and
I'll send you over some piers, and you
can begin to work this way. l reckon
you'll have to come this way about 200
feet, before the pOntoons we have will
reach across the gap"
ST instantly gathered his squad into one
of the boats, and they pOled and padded
across.
There had been, apparently. some sort
of a trading point there once, of which
there remained a dilapidated store-room,
a house and blacksmith shop, all of
frame. Sandy was sent in n canoe TO
Pete to paddle. Full warnings were
given TO Pete of the crankiness of the
craft, which required his sitting straight
and padding carefully. Shorty was re-
luctant to trust him, but he was too little |
for the other work, and, besides, pleaded
so anxiOusly for the job that he was al |
lowed to go.
The rest attacked the buildings, which |
furnished just the material desired, and |
became so interested in their work that |
they almost forgot how hard it was rain
ing.
Sandy's fertile mind devised a new way
of keeping tab on the depth He gath
cred bundle of dry reeds that had grown
on the bank of the creek. and every time
he made probing he broke one off to
the exact depth of the water. This would
enable him to pick out at once from the
log-sections Shad sent over the right
length for pier, and arrange them at
once in order, by which time was saved
Pete was so tickled over his partners
smartness, and his own success so far in
the dug-out, that he began to
be smart, too, and think he knew great
deal more about canoes than Shorty.
If there is one thing more than another
that IS dangerous to be smart with it is
an old-fashioned dug-out canoe. Like
II Always SecIuS 10 De whiting tHe
time for the rider to be sure that he has
fully mastered it to give him his hardest
fall.
Pete began to "show off, to the other
boatmen, and in an instant over went his
canoe, and he disappeared under the logs
Sandy gave a yell as they went over.
which 81 and Shorty heard. They dropped
heir axes and plunged into the water.
81 had no trouble in dragging Sandy
lshore for that youth had promptly I
taught hold of a section of log, and held l
IN for dear life. But Pete came up splut-
ering amid the logs, where Shorty could 1
lot see or reach him for some time. At I
asst, however, he saw a hand stick I'D I
lbove the logs as Pete was going down q
gain, made a grab for it, caught Pete's 3
leeve and dragged him ashore, where he c