Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-12-31
When the Crackers
 Lay Over

bOooocooooooooocooCoooooo RTyHE four boys who packed the bar rele of crackers in Bonney's bakery gathered about the foreman, Frank Morse, as he examined the fresh baking khat had come up by the elevator from Ehe basement oven.
 All slack baked!" was Morse's dis wusted comment. They'll have to lie over till tomorrow, and that means you boys will have to get here early to pack. Nothing more for you to do now. You bnay go home
 Roy Delano fingered.
 How early Tn the morning, Mir. Morse?" he asked.
 s'Oh. don't get here before half past Ehree. the foreman answered. He meant to be jocular, and the other boys, hearing the reply, grinned. They knew Ithat six o'clock would be early enough Hut Roy was new hand and took the 8oreman's remark literally. The next morning t25 minutes past three he was hurrying to his work.
 There was faint glow from the four fncrusted basement windows, showing shat the night bakers had not left the building. Above, in the packing room, all was dark.
 The front door was, of course, locked, and Roy went round to the side door, opening into the basement The stairs ascending to the packing room rose in >5Sront of this door, and Roy had to go round them in order to see the bakers, who were putting on their coats in front 0f the brick ovens and getting ready to go home.
 Has Mir. Morse come yet?" he asked.
 Mo- said one of the men. He's never here when we leave. I don't fnow just what time he does come"
 T guess he'll be here before long," Roy said, because of the crackers that Dad to lie over"
 You'll be all alone for awhile, any Way." the baker told him.
 When the men had gone, Roy looked about the long basement, which seemed Eo him strangely quiet White bread was rising in covered troughs; brown aoaves were slowly baking in the brick ovens. The warmth and the crisp, sweet nmeIl of the place were pleasant after ehe wintry air, and Roy had not worked 60 long in the bakery that his senses were Elnggish in receiving such impressions.
 The great cracker oven in which the s7ayovers" were resting filled one side, of the basement, and rose above the aoor of the packing room overhead. It was, In fact, a brick vault-shaped like a beehive inside brick building.
 Roy thought of opening the door and taking 8 look at the crackers, but then Aecided that this was none of his busi- ness. It occurred to hip, however, that he might find something to do in the packing room while awaiting the arrival of the foreman; and he therefore plodde1 go the stairs, making little noise in his tabber overshoes.
 TE>s room was chilly-at least by com oarison with the basement-and Roy crossed to the iron door in the brickwork of the cracker oven. This was set flush with the floor, and was used when it was necessary to make repairs on the ma chi@ery. Behind it revolved vertically the great oven wheel, which was fitted with swinging shelves, that carried the crackers during the baking
 The machinery that propelled the xheeI was now, of course, disconnected; and although there had been no fire un- der the oven for hours, it's interior heat was considerable. Roy therefore opened the door and lay with his back to the hot air.
 After moment he rolled over with an adventurous idea of clambering in upon the wheel and exploring the oven. Reach ing in, he touched one of the swinging shelves, but the wheel yielded under the pressure 1t revolved freely, now that kha machinery was disconnected, and Roy realized that if he stepped aboard shelf he would be carried to the bottom lof the oven, and be left there with no chance of escape.
 Suddenly faint sound drew his atten- xion in the direction of the office, which Ra3oiued the packing room.
 The sound was repeated and Roy, with nome wonder and little suspicion. rose and stole across the room through the darkness The door into the office proved ]. to be ajar. Pushing 1t open, he saw by She rays of a distant street lamp an obs acurs figure knssliug in grept of ths MAEs