The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-22
Copyright, 1903. by 7. c. Mcclure.

IL.
Something always occurring-some eccen-
trictly of mature of circumstance was nvari-
ably starting in his daily path to the school,
room He may "thinln' squirrels"
and yet the rarest and most evasve of that genius
always crossing his TRAIL he not have been hutn'
honey and yet wild bees nest in the hollow of an oak
absolutely itself before him. wasn't bird
within stones throw. grown
hunters always the most wonderful animals when
they hadn't gun with en- and seemed to be his lot
in his restricted possibilities the way
school, If thus capricious with his elders,
why should folk think it strange if she mis-
chevous with small boy?
this particular morning Johnny been beguiled
by the unmisakable footprints-so like his own-of
bears cub. What chances he had of coming up
with them what he would have done if he had he
did not He only knew that at the end of hour
and half he found himself two miles from the school
house, and, from the position of the at least
school. He knew that nobody would
believe him. The punishment for complete truancy was
little than being late He resolved to accept it,
and by of irrevocability, at burnt his ships
behind-in devourng part of his dinner.
Thus fortified in his outawry he began to look about
him. He was thcky wooded terrace with a blank
wall of outcrop side nearly high the pines
which pressed close against it. He had it
before, it two three miles from the high road
a virgin Wilderness But close
animation with the eye boy bred in
mining district that the wall of had not escaped
attention mining prospector There
of his pick in some attractive quartz seams WALL
and further more ambitious attempt evidently by
party of miners to begin tunnel shown an abandoned
excavation the heap debris before it, It had
identity been abandoned for time ferns already
forced their green fonds thru the stones and gravel
and the yerba buena vine beginning to mat the
face of the heap But the boys fancy quickly taken
by the traces of singular accident and one which had
perhaps arrested the of the excavatos The
of large pine tree growing close to the ecavators
and the tree had fallen with of its largest
still the opening the miners had made apparently
blocking the entrance The large tree lay as femid
another but much smaller outcrop of rock
which stood fifteen feet above the level
" low, ~ 1ohn1s h IsO fnnnv - sa,ad 90
easily balanced it would capital
This he felt must be looked to hereafter But
here his attention arrested by something alarm
S01olx ott11 min Pc coll
land sounds detected the cracking Of underwood in the
distance His equally sharp the figures of two
approaching But as he recognized the features of
of them he drew back with beating heart hushed
breath and hurriedly hid himself in the shadow For
he had that figure before-fying before the
sheriff posse-and had forgotten
1t the figure of Spanish Pete, notorious desper
and sluice robber!
Finding he had been unobserved the boy took
and his small faculties became actively alive The
two together cautiously and at little dis
the man. Johnny did know, parted
from his companion and began to oiter and down,
looking around acting sentinel for the desper
ado who advanced directly to the fallen Suddenly
the sentinel uttered exclamation, Spanish
paused The sentinel examining the ground
the heap of debris.
whats up?" growled the desperado
Foot tracks! Weren't here before And fresh ones
Johnny's heart sank 1t was where he had just
Spanish Pete hurriedly Joined his companion.
"Foot tracks be -" he said scornfully What
would be crawln' round here barefooed? It's young
Johnny the footprints were his own Yet he
recognized the truth of the resemblance it
plmentary, but he felt relieved. The desperate
forward and to the boys surprise began to climb the
small ridge of outcrop until he reached the fallen tree
Johnny that he carrying heavy stone. Whats
the blamed fool goin to do?" he said to himself; the
mans evident ignorance regarding footprints had
ened the boys of him. But the strangers
took Johnnys breath Standing the fallen tree
he to rock
To Johnny surprise it began to move The end
descended slowly lifting the root in the excavation
at the lower end and with it rock, and re-
yealing cavern behind large enough to admit a man.
Johnny gasped The desperate cooy deposited the
stone the tree beyond it's axis the that
it would keep the tree in position leaped
the rock, and quickly descended At which joined
by the other who carrying heavy chamois
leather bags. They both proceeded the opening
miraculously disclosed, and disappeared in it.
Johnny sat breathless wondering, expecant, not
daring to The might any mo-
ment; he had enough to know their enterprise
well their secret, and that the desperate
would subject witness to it, innocent
unwilling. to horrible penalties. crept slowly