davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07

were doing with it, the Lakerimmers
were bombarding the shore with
questions as to 5. ]. One or two of
the townspeople remembered B. ].
from the description the Lakerimmers
gave, and remembered seeing him
work like a beaver on the deck of the
boat as it left the landing.
Just after they started one of the
townspeople said, "the captain of the
boat sent the young fellow down on
the raft to fix something that had got
messed up. 1t seemed as if the boy
was not used to walking on slippery
logs floating in the water, because he
tripped and fell three or four times,
and came mighty nigh goin' down
through the raft. If he had got down
between two of them logs, he would
never have got up again. 1t don't
take more than one misstep to finish
fellow on one of them RATS"
The Lakerim boys in their swim
ming exploits had walked on logs, and
knew how dangerous test it is of a
sure foot and a sure eye. The thought
of poor B. J. scampering about across
a thousand or more wet logs in the
middle of the deep swift Mississippi,
gave them all a SILVER of terror. They
wasted no time in conversation, but
struck out on their way.
BY this time the "Mudd' was we'll
out in the middle of the stream and
her wheel was throwing out a long
train of bouncing waves, and her PROV
was sending to shore an arrow head
of long ripples.
The "Mudd" was a rusty and wcru-
out old boat and she was showing a
great stupid raft ahead of her, but she
was more than match for the ten
eager paddles of the Lakerimmers.
And they suffered the bitter sight OF
err in the distance.
But still they pursued, stopping only
for hasty snacks when their hunger
made them too faint to ply the oars.
And even then they rejoiced to see
that the current carried them for
ward.
Again night overlook them, and
again they made the best of tentless
night, this time on a strip of soft shore
land.
Early in the morning they set forth
again and about noon stopped at a
small town to ask information.
Once more, as II they were being
leased and tantalized on purpose they
found that tho boat was not far ahead
of them. A breakdown in the rickerty
machinery had compelled her to stop
for repairs. The first mate OF hand
some side-wheel packet boat which had
tied up at this town TO take on pas
sengers. told them that the Hiram
O. Mudd" had left only shortly before.
"Old Capt. Mudd put in here" he
said, "and patched up his boat for a
while longer. I told him that the So
ciety for the Prevention OF Cruelty 70
old Boats ought 10 keep him from driv-
ing that poor hack any longer But he
0Hed her M somehow with some Shin
gle nails and little muclage, and
went on. She'll sink with him some
day. and u Will be- good rlddsnce Of
bad rubbish
The Lskerlmmera took up their
dreaFy work aRain and rounding
curve ln fhe channel saw MOI far ahead
~ them the boat they hunted 20 eager
d. Far away ~ if was they could
hear " grunnng ana wheezlng, and a
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07

ST don't know whether you know il
or not, but I'm just about accustomed
to have my own way where my son is
concerned. You let him out Of that
closet before count three or I'll make
kindlin' wood of the door"
For answer Hutchins sat down in
his seat and called out, Third class in
reading stand up" They had already
been through with their lesson, and in
reality the work for the day was over,
but the teacher wished to show Mr.
Martyr that he was not afraid of his
threat
"You hear mel" said Martyr. strid-
ing toward the closet door. "a man
who would shut up a poor little tyke
like Henry on a scorching day like.
this amt fit to teach hogs how to eat.
Now, will you let him out or shall I
break the door down? One, two
three"
Silas Hutchins made no sign that he
heard what the farmer was saying,
and in a moment Mr.. Martyrs burly
foot shivered the light door, and with
a tug of his powerful arms he had
pulled what was left of it off its hinges
and disclosed to view the senseless
form of his little son. The heat and
the terror of the situation had over
come him.
Martyr picked him up and strobe
out to the pump with him. Dashes
of cold water from a half dozen will
ing hands-for all the children had
trooped out with no more thought of
Hutchins than If he had not existed
brought him around in a few min
utes.
Then Hiram Martyr went back to
the schoolrOom and picked a pad from
the teachers desk and wrote on it:
This school is closed until further
notice. Hiram Martyr, Trustee"
This he pinned upon the front door.
Then he said: Run out, children.
I'm sorry to have cut your schoolin'
short but Wen probably open in a
few days with some one to run the
school that knows how"
The children stood around, wide
mouthed at the words. Hutchins sat
at his desk in brown study. He was
wondering what to do next But Mr..
Martyr decided the question for him.
Young man." he said, i've nothin'
agin you. 1 dare say you're good for
somethin', but from all accounts you
amt a leader of men, nor boys,
neither, and 1 advise you to get some
place wher' you won't have no occa-
sion to show authority. Your resigna-
ton is accepted"
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07

let Hen. out me an Jason are goin'
to leave"
During this daring speech the school
masters face was a study. He SEEM
ed to be aware that he had failed, and
at one point he looked as if he were
going to own up that he was sorry,
which at that stage of the game would
have been as fatal as what followed /;
but his pig-headedness suddenly reas-
serted itself, and when Jim sat down
he said:
i don't propose to be helped in the
running of this school by any one, and
I'll keep Master Martyr in that closet
until tomorrow if l see fit.''
oh, all right" said Jim. Then me
and Jason will take a vacation, and
We'll do you the favor to send for
Hens father"
James and Jason then walked out of
the schoolhouse together. A spirit of
contrariness controlled Ike for the rest
OF the session. He did not care to be
on the same side of the fence as his
Two enemies and he gave Mr.. Hutch
ms no more trouble.
1t was sitting hot afternoon, and
the schoolmaster's conscience told him
that the small closet was no place for
a delicate chap like Martyr, but his
mulishishness would not let him open
the door, and class after class got UP
and recited, and still the little boy re-
manned in his suffocating prison.
School was generally dismissed at
8 o'clock, and ten minutes of that hour
Hiram Martyr. Henry's father, strobe
into the school. He had been haying
when Jim, on his way home, told him
OF the punishment that had been melted
out to his little son. He had also been
made acquainted with the various in
cidents that had enlivened the session.
Hiram Martyr was a tall, smooth
shaven, elderly man. He was one of
the trustees of the school. He walked
up to Mr.. Hutchins' desk and said,
"Wher's my son Henry?"
Il had to shut him up in that closet
for disrespect."
Had to shut him up, did yer? Henry
is little terror, | know, although it's
taken you to discover 1t. Now, jist
spose you let him out"
Mr.. Hutchins replied with more dig
nifty than he had yet shown. I'm
teacher here, Mr.. Martyr, and I'll run
the school as l please. When schools
over I'll let Henry out; not before"
Martyr compressed his lips and
worked his gnarled hands nervously.
He glanced at the clock. 1t wanted
six minutes to three.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07

had better go ashore and see if the
walking were good.
I'VE might get home finally by
walking" he said, unless even the
land down here rolls out from under
your feet faster than you can ske-
daddle''
But just then the boat came round
one of the endless turnings of the
river, and there ahead of them they
saw small city, the houses crowding
down to the waters edge as if they
were a thousand ducks about to take
a swim. At one of the wharves of
the town there was a SMALL stern
wheel steam boat.
TN bet that boat is the Hiram @.
Mudd'." said Tug.
No one, took the bet, but every one
took his oar, and the ten paddles
churned up the water in a fair imita-
tion of a wheel.
II can see the long raft there too"
said Punk. 'old Mudd has been wait
ing for that all this time
Eut once more fate was against
them. While they were digging up
the water IN their frantic haste and
getting nearer and nearer the goal,
the old boat was slowly starting out
on it's way, and nosing the clumsy
raft out into the stream. Tug was for
pursuing the boat straightway, but
Punk said
"If old Mudd is as much of brute
as they say, B. ]. is probably pretty
sick of his cruise, and 1 shouldn't be
surprised if he had escaped while the
boat was lying here at this town.
Whatever we do, we ought to stop
there for a minute and ask few
questions"
There was a short hurried debate
and it was decided that Punk's sug-
gestion was the safest one, so they
rowed to shore and stopping at the
landing, found knot of people who
had been attracted by the strange
craft. While the people on the wharf
were trying to ask what sort of boat
the Lakerimmers had, and what they
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07

Of the wine. the manufacture Of the
bottle and the placing of the wine in
the bottle-require but few moments.
The apparatus of the performer con-
sists first of three cylinders of card
board such as are shown in Figure 4.
Two of these cylinders should be about
four inches in diameter and about six
inches in hight.
They must resemble each other ex-
actly.
The third cylinder must be a trifle
larger.
Thin sheets of bristol board or card
board can be bent easily and pasted to
form a cylinder. A still more simple
way than pasting is to sew the edges
together.
Bottoms of cloth or of paper must be
pasted or sewed to the smaller cy1in-
ders. The larger cylinder has neither
top nor bottom.
The appearance of the cylinders is
no great matter so long as the two
smaller ones look absolutely alike.
An ordinary round bottle, such as is
shown in Figure /, is next in order
1t must be small enough in diameter to
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07
CHAPTER VIII.
Canoe Against Steamboat.


The Lakerimmers found themselves
in a cluster of small islands. At
distance it seemed that any one of
them would be an ideal place to pitch
q camp. On approaching each one,
some special fault was to be found
with it. On this one there was no
good place to land. On that one the
underground of shrubbery was too
thick. on the third there was no shrub
bery at all on the fourth there was
suggestion of snakes. And so it went
until they reached the last island, and
the last drop of sunshine was wone.
When the sky was squeezed as dry of
DAYLIGHT as an old sponge, the Lake
runners bumped their canoe into
patch of rocks and stumbled and
ripped up a shelving bank to a mis-
cradle little patch of an island. There
was no end of trouble getting the tent
ashore, and once it was carefully I'M
folded, they decided it would be a waste
of time to put it up. The sleeping
bags were next hunted for and in the
Hight of little campfire the pushed
their weary feet into the sleeping bags,
laid their tired bones on the mattress
Of pebbles ana roots or trees, and tried
10 sleep The eleven of them squirmed
like a can of fishing worms for long
while before they grew so drowsy that
they found any position good enough to
sleep in and any rock good enough 70
sleep on.
"There is one good thing about this
island" said Jumbo, drowsily. there is
no room for any wild animals or
snakes. We cover every inch of ground
there is"
and l hang over the edge in about
four places" said Sawed-off. IF
didn't have a good grip on the stump
Of a tree I'd slide off into the river.
And if my right hand goes to sleep
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07
CHANGING A BOX
OF BRAN TO A
BOTTLE OF WINE.

The performer explains to the spec
tators that wine usually is made from
the juice of grapes, but that he has dis
covered that wine can be manufactured
from ordinary bran, which is much
cheaper.
The method of manufacturing wine
from bran is much more rapid than
that in which wine is made from grape
juice, and aside from its cheapness and
it's rapidity this method has the great
advantage of manufacturing the bot
ties at the same time.
All of these things-the manufacture
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07

mouthed man would be dead easy"
Hold out your hand, SIR said Mr..
Hutchins. Ike held his hand out palm
down and wiggled his fingers, looking
over his shoulder at the other children
and grinning oafishly. The wiggle was
followed by a giggle from the pupils.
"Silence!" roared Mr.. Hutchins. II
will be master"
Then followed an exhibition, pitiable
in the extreme. Ike would not hold his
palm up, and after vainly trying to
make him, Mr.. Hutchins brought the
ruler down on his knuckles, as he sup
posed, but a turn of the hand at the
right moment saved them and the
ruler descended with some force on
the teachers own knee.
A litter ran around the school, and
the poor school master colored to the
roots of his hair. No man ever had
better intentions than Silas. but he
lacked tact to surprising degree, and
now, instead of ejecting the mutinous
pupil boldly from the school, which act
would have restored his prestige-for
Ike was a muscular boy-he said petu-
lantly. go stand in the corner for
a quarter of an hour" OF course Ike
refused, and Henry Martyr. small,
delicate boy, aged Z, said under his
breath, GOOD boy, Ike"
Mr.. Hutchins heard him and imme-
diately dropped Ike's case.
"What'd you say, sir?" said he to
Henry. Henry Immediately began to
whimper.
'How dare you incite rebellion, sir?
Go into that closet and stay there until
tell you you may come out.
Henry, a nervous. pallid, little lad,
obeyed with trembling legs. After he
had squeezed himself into the closet,
which was pretty nearly filed with
kindlings, broken desks, stools and 9TH
err rubbish, Mr.. Hutchins locked the
door and said triumphantly, II will be
obeyed in my own school"
Ike meanwhile had gone back to his
seat where he sat with a malicious
grin on his loutish features. Jim lean
ed over and whispered to Jason, who
nodded his head. Then he rose and
said: "Mr. Hutchins, like to be ruled
by man that knows how to rule. The
teacher we had before you made us
boys mind and we respected him. He
didn't try to bullyrag us at all; but
you amt fit to govern a class because
you don't know how to act yourself
yet.
Now me and Jason were goin' to
help you to keep order If you'd gone
about it fair and square. We're no
friends of Ike. if he did get the best
of you: but when you shut up little
kid like Henry Martyr fer whisperin'
I don't want to belong to a school
that's run that way, and if you don't
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07

ut easily into one Of the smaller cyiin-
ders. In length it should be eonsidera-
bly, longer than the cylinders.
The bottle must be cut in half where
the dotted line crosses II. There are
two simple ways Of cutting a bottle in
half. One requires patience and the
other skill.
The first way IL TO file Il in half The
second way Is TO heat the bottle until
IL is very hot and then wrap a cold
wet string around II at the point where
Il IL desired 10 have II come apart.
q narrow ridge Of sealing wax around
the inside ~ the upper half OF the bot
he. The ridge Of sealing wax IL indi-
Gated by a dotted line IN Figure 2
Ia order 20 make this ridge Of seal
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07

than the cylinder. Parts of the spring
from an old curtain rod will answer
admirably. See Figure 4.
The straight line at the top of the
spiral spring in Figure indicates the
bottom of the cardboard disc.
Fill the upper half of the bottle with
some colored fluid to represent wine.
Press the bottle down into the cylin-
der and fasten 1t by pulling the string
tight and then tying the string with
a bow knot to small tack driven into
the outside of the cylinder
II the cardboard is too thin to hold
a tack, drop a little sealing wax around
it and the tack will be firmly held.
Bury the cylinder containing the bot
tie in box of bran. Cork up the bot
tie, of course, SO that the wine will not
run out.
To perform the trick dip the small
cylinder which does not contain the
bottle deep into the box of bran and
fill 1t. To show that there is no deceit
empty the bran out and fill second
time.
AS you fill 1t the second time ex-
change the empty cylinder for the one
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07

when do, I'll have a bath before I'm
ready for it,"
And the next thing they knew it was
morning.
During the breakfast-a beautiful
word to waste on such a skinny affair
as they made of it-Sleepy grew very
eloquent upon the importance of turn
ing back. He informed his friends
that they were getting farther and
farther from home and mother. That
they had almost no money with them
IN case anything should happen, and
that in place of relieving the anxiety
Of r. Us mother and father, there
would probably be twenty-five more
fathers and mothers in mourning, for
sons who had left home and never
came back.
Besides" said. Sleepy. Suppose we
did find B. J. after we had chased him
10 the end of the Mississippi and
across two or three oceans. and cor
nered him on a kopje in South Africa.
oposin' when we had him cornered he
thould say, No, thanks; I don't care
TO go back Then what would we do.
and what proof have we that he would
ever go back with us?"
They were all aching in every bone
rom sleeping on their rocky beds, and
the cold morning light took the ro-
nance out of the pursuit Their reso-
Iutlon to pursue =. ]. to the ends of
me world seemed to have an attack of
rheumatism, and when Sleepy appoint
90 himself chairman and then made a
motion to return home, and seconded
tne motion, eleven hearty ayes re-
sounded.
So back into their boat crawled the
a DnnfC
AoIneWard, and very pleasant it was to
mink Of Lakerim again and of all the
comforts of home. But. once they were
our of the lee of the island the full
current of the Mississippi caught
mem, and it was necessary to paddle
with will and without rest. They
were all feeling as though they had
IoWed fifteen miles up stream, and
lhat 1t was quite time to rest a while,
asked.
That island over there looks pretty
familiar. When did we see that be-
They were all glad for any excuse
10 stop rowing, and they discussed the
island. II had very familiar look
10 all Of them, but they could not
pace It. At length Boobies ex-
Why. that's the measly island we
out:
DO you mean 10 say that we've
Deen simply padding az a standstill
III this time?
Looks as If nothing had been NOV
ins around here for the last two
Nours. but tfis fool current"
Sleepy Was the last 10 speak. He
had stared a. the island IN dumb
hfnazement and reDroach. lie said:
"Ihaf Island sticks closer than a
younger brother. ! think we'd better
arm awhile and zee IL We don't run
INTO = J. after ail."
20 they shipped their paddles 10
disgust an6 The current fOWfd them
aipng 10 n n were electricity anq ibf
canoe trolley car
fislfy nes gpsf suggesting that thsy
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07

containing the bottle. Enough bran
will be collected in the top to hide the
bottle.
Keep the side OF the cylinder to
which the tack is fastened away from
the spectators. Place the cylinder on
a table and place over It the large
cylinder.
Under the pretense OF stirring up
the bran 20 hasten the manufacture OF
the wine. put the magician's wand (any
small stick viii answer for a wand
inside Of the large cylinder and poke
the string loose. The spring viii, %
course, force the bottle up out % the
bran.
When the large cylinder Is removed
there Is a bottle profruding from the
box Of bran, and the magician nay
~ q glass from its contents
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07

ing wax. 1t is necessary to heat the
wax and let it fall upon the glass.
Cut disk of cardboard, as shown
in Figure 8. which will just fit into the
lower end of Figure 2.
Paint the disk with some sort of oil
color so that it will be waterproof and
then fit into the lower end of Figure
2. The ridge of sealing wax will
prevent 1t from slipping up into the
bottle
Another ridge of sealing wax must
now be made under the disc to keep it
from falling out, and also to keep it
from leaking about the edges when
the upper part of the bottle is filled.
Tie a piece of string to a short stick
and then glue the stick to the bottom
of the cardboard disc.
Run the string through a spiral
spring and then through the bottom of
one of the smaller cylinders. The
spring should be just a little shorter
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07

ed out of school altogether Most farm
ing communities boast of at least one
such boy, dull of eye, coarse in fea-
ture, stumbling in gait, coward and
bully and disturber of schoolroom
peace.
Mr.. Hutchins had the teaching quail
ity and he was able to make the les
sons interesting. With force added to
his other accomplishments he would
have been a success. AS it was, the
morning passed pleasantly.
At the afternoon session Mr.. Hutch
ms was hearing the first class in
reading. Mabel Stillson stood up and
read Pretty soon those in the bal
cony heard the sound of drums" This
seemed to be the cue for a roll of
drums from the fingers of Ike Roberts.
Dub, dub, dub, dub dub dub, dub dub,
dub dub dub-followed by the bass
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07

drum (heavy heels on a loose board
under his deskJ.
Such an impudent defiance of au-
thority could not have been passed
over by any teacher, and Mr.. Hutch
ms, who had been anxious to show the
school that he was master of 1t, was
secretly elated. "Sit down." said he
to Mabel. Come up here!" he called
out to Ike.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07

unable to catch up with 1t.
CHAPTER TX.
After a time a long neck of land
pushed out into the river. and the chan
mel made a great wide curve. Every
extra mile of distance meant so much
more labor and pain to the Lakerim-
mers, and they had no kind feelings
for this new way round. But as they
came closer they found that a little
strip of water separated this neck of
land from the main shore. 1t was too
narrow and too shallow for a steam
boat TO cut through, but they decided
to try it in their light craft So into
the sluice-way they turned, fearing
that it might be only blind alley and
lead them far in-shore and then con-
front them with dry land.
Now and then there came the omi-
nous shutting sound of a keel scraping
the bottom of the stream. Twice a
number of the Lakerimmers had to step
out of the boat to tighten her across a
shallow place. They did not object to
the wet feet and the discomforts of
this, but later they came to a sandy
place where the water crimpled like
curly hair, and the sand beneath was
smooth as any beach. Here they ran
aground again. Tug instantly leaped
out of the boat to drag it along, but his
feet sank under him and he went down
and down.
"Quicksand," he cried as he sank.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07

seemed as If the old tortoise could not
forever win the race against the swift
hare, their canoe. But still the tor
toise plodded on, and the hare, for all
its gracefulness and f1eetness, seemed
unable to catch up with IT,
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07

THE CRUISE OF
THE LAKERIMNERS
BY RUPERT HUGHES,
Author "The Lakerim Athletic Club "The
Lakerim," Etc.
Copyright, Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate, 1908.