The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1903-03-14


"Where'll l find the boy?"
There's one right behind w.
would do"
Mr.. Johnson turned and sv.
Jacks slim figure. Apparently n
inspection satisfied him. BOY, won
you like to earn s25?" he said.
Jack had been shuddering a; ~
bare thought of that descent. p,
S25! 1t would save the necks
Tiny and Hoarsy and Dick. 1t wouI
be wealth to the family just no,
Would he like to earn S25?
"Yes, sir!' he answered, eagerly
"I'll give you s25 if you'll go dow,
this well-it's pretty deep-and tie
rope around the tools"
I'm ready, sir" Inspired now n
the thought of S25 Jack was su,
he'd be all right. So would TIM
Hoarsy, Dick and father.
Good boy!' said Eric. He al
tached the sand-line from the buck,
and showed Jack how to make M
hitch" having him do it numb
of times with his eyes shut. The
Eric tied the line under the boz a
arms, and to relieve the strain o
his body, looped the end for his fee
The end of the main sand-line 4
Jacks hand, all was in readiness.
"All right. Lower away" Jac
said, bravely,
For the first 90 feet the drill bal
passed through clay, following out
big hole which had been cased viii
wood to keep it from caving in;
here there was plenty of room, d
Eric had cautioned him. Jack n
Trained from looking mp, but watchs
the wooden walls rise slowly in tn
dim light, and wondered if he woua
not soon be at the bottom. But III
descent was only begun.
The wooden casing ended at
stratum Of sandstone, and here Ii
hole had funneled down to 16 inche
in diameter, and there was bare
room for the boy to pass. Slow
he sank, rubbing against the dan
walls. The men were lowering hi
by hand, very carefully. Jack wisht
they would hurry.
The darkness deepened until !
could not distinguish the rock befo
his face, and still the downwai
course continued. He closed his ey
and waited what seemed long tim
When he opened them again utt
blackness encompassed him.
His imagination was going wi
now. Terrible stories of men d
ceiving and killing boys came to b
mind. OF course that story of 4
lost tools was a cruel falsehood,
vented to induce him to go dow
The well had no bottom. How wal
it was! They would let him dov
into the center of the earth, whc
there were lakes of fire and mott
rocks, He would not go.
Desperately he thrust out his 70
to stop himself. But the smooth wa
of rock afforded no foothold, and, I
terly helpless, he sank down, dow
down!
He closed his eyes again, and tried n
TO think. Suddenly his foot s'ruc
some yielding substance, the loweriI
process stopped, and a voice TIL
seemed to come out Of the solid rot
and FIJI all space with sound, said;
Hello! Have you reached the
yet?"
Amazement, added to his fears, mad
the boy dumb. Presently the vol
came again:
"Hello, down thercl Can't yc
hear?"
"What is it?' Jack asked, in IA
tering accents.
Have you reached the tools yet
Al. then there were tools there
miles underground! Then there mu'
be a bottom for them TO rest on Jack
confidence returned
"My feet are on something thi
moves" he said.
That's the cable, Push II aside"
IAN right | haye!" Jack called,
The lowering began again. JAG
managed to worm past the cable en-,
and then he felt the iron rope-socke
That's far enough" he cried.
Making the hitch with such limite
clbow-roOm was no easy matter, bu
a, last il was accomplished,
AN right" he cried, ITS fas,'"
The return began Jack looked VI
Not a ray Of light reached him. IN
well was blackneSs, Were they real,
lifting him? After long time b
saw disk Of light, but it was no large
than saucer. Had the well closed /
while he was below
70 be sure, the opening enlarged a
ke gazcd, but still II 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 abou
him; he was pulled out Of the hole, an,
stared round on the sunllgh, and h
ky with kcener JOY than any he hat
ever known.
Good boy, again." said Eric,
"llcrc's your coat" said Jim, "Ant
you're u bully one for grit"
"llcre's your S2j," said Mr. johnson
"And thank you, tool You're n might,
brave little mani" But he did not "a,
that ill the heavy iron rose by Jack
hitch In the dark,
with his money In his hand, Jack st
of at run, What II his mother hat
already killed one Of the chickens
Butno, there they were, cuckng an,
pecking ms usual lie held ont the rol
Of bills to them Ike pardon fromth
governor, They did not seem at al