Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1903-04-09

feet long, remember, and hell salJ
go down to the top of 'em."
"Where'll find the boy?"
'There's one right behind yot
would do"
Mr.. Johnson turned and eyed
jacks slim figure. Apparently the
inspection satisfied him. ''Boy, would
you like to earn $25?" he said.
Jack had been shuddering at the
bare thought of that descent. But
s25! 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 $25? d.,
eyes, sir!" he answered, eagerly.
eth give you $25 if you'll go down
this well-it's pretty deep-and tic a
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 a number
Of times with his eyes shut. Then
Eric tied the line under the boys
arms, and to relieve the strain on
his body, Topped the end for his feet.
The end of the main sand-line in
Jacks hand, all was in readiness.
Cali right. Lower away!" Jack
said, bravely.
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 O.
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 lie
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 vile
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 we'll 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:
"Fello! 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?"
"What is it?' Jack asked, in fall
tering accents.
"Have you reached the tools yet?"
All, then there were tools there
miles underground! Then there must
be a 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! I have!" Jack called
The lowering began again. Jack
managed to 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, bat
at Last it was accomplished.
| GAIL right" he cried. cts fast!"
The return began. Jack looked up.
Not 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 we'll 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.