River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-03-12

feet long, remember, and he'll only
go down to the top of EN-"
"Where1l / find the boy?'
"There's one right behind you
| would do"
Mr.. johnson turned and eyed
Jacks slim figure. Apparently the
inspection satisfied him. boy, would
you like to earn 1852" he said.
Jack had been shuddering at the
bare thought of that descent. But
S25i 1t would save the necks OF
TINY and Hoarsy and Dick. 1T would
| be wealth to the family just now.
Would he like to earn S25?
eyes, sir!" he answered, eagerly.
"I'll give you $25 if you'll go down
this well-it's pretty deep-and tic
rope around the tools"
"I'm ready, sir" Inspired now by
the thought of $25 Jack was sure
he'd be all right. So would Tiny,
Hoarsy, Dick and father.
Good boy!" said Eric. He de-
tached the sand-line from the bucket
and showed Jack how to make the
''hitch," having him do it number
of times with his eyes shut. Then
Eric tied the line under the boys
arms, and to relieve the strain on
his body, looped the end for his feet.
The end of the main sand-line in
Jacks hand, all was in readiness.
''AII right. Lower away!" Jack
said, brayely.
For the first 20 feet the drill had
passed through clay, following out a
big hole which had been cased with
wood to keep it from caving in; so
here there was plenty of room. AS
Eric had cautioned him, Jack re-
| Trained from looking up, but watched
! the wooden walls rise slowly IN the
dim light, and wondered if he would
not soon be at the bottom. But the
descent was only begun.
The wooden casing ended at
! stratum of sandstone, and here the
| hole had funneled down to 16 inches
in diameter, and there was barely
room for the boy to pass. Slowly
he sank, rubbing against the damp
walls. The men were lowering him
by hand, very carefully. Jack wished
! they would hurry.
The darkness deepened until he
could not distinguish the rock before
| his face, and still the downward
course continued. He closed his eyes
and waited what seemed a long time.
When he opened them again utter
blackness encompassed him.
His Imagination was going wild
now. Terrible stories of men de-
ceiving and killing boys came to his
mind. Of course that story of the
lost tools was a cruel falsehood, in
vented to induce him to go down.
The well had no bottom! How warm
it was! They would let him down
into the center of the earth, where
there were lakes of fire and molten
rocks He would not go!
Desperately he thrust out his foot
to stop himself But the smooth walls
of rock afforded no foothold, and, ut
terly helpless, he sank down, down,
down!
He closed his eyes again, and tried not
to think. Suddenly his foot struck
some yielding substance, the lowering
process stopped, and voice that
seemed to come out of the solid rock
and fill all space with sound, said:
''Hello! Have you reached them
yet?"
Amusement, added to his fears, made
the boy dumb. Presently the voice
came again:
hello, down there! Can't you
hear?"
nj fa1
tering accents.
"Have you reached the tools yet?''
All. then there were tools there
miles underground! Then there must
be bottom for them to rest on! Jacks
confidence returned.
''My feet are on something that
moves" he said
That's the cable. Push it aside"
Gail right! | have!" Jack called.
The lowering began again. Jack
managed 10 worm past the cable end
and then he felt the iron rope-socket
That's far enough!" he cried.
Making the hitch with such limited
elbow-room was no easy matter, but
at Last it was accomplished.
'All right" he cried. ITS fast!"
The return began. Jack looked up
Not a ray of light reached him. The
we'll was blackness. Were they really
lifting him? After a long time he
saw disk of light, but it was no larger
than a saucer. Had the well closed in
while he was below?
To be sure, the opening enlarged as
he gazed, but still it was so very small!
And he was wild now to get out. Sup
pose the rope should break!
Just then he felt the cold air about
him; he was pulled out of the hole, and
stared round on the sunlight and the
sky with a keener JOY than any he had
ever known.
Good boy, again!" said Eric.
''Here's your coat" said Jim. ''And
you're bully one for grit!''
I Here's your $25,' said Mr.. johnson
"And thank you, too! You're a mighty
brave little mani" But he did not saw
that till the heavy iron rose by Jacks
hitch in the dark
With his money in his hand. Jack set
off at run. What if his mother had
already killed one of the chickensI
But no, there they were, cluckipo and
pecking as usual. He held out the roll
of bills to them like pardon from tbe
governor. They did not seem at ali
impressed.
But mother! He did not know what
/ fearfuI +hioU ba bo5 ,Jo, =,