The San Francisco call., 1904-12-04

end Of the timber and towed II to the
boom pile. Another man stepped on
the log with Darrell. They stood fac
ing each other, bent-kneed, alert. Sud-
denly with one accord they COM
menced 10 birl the log from left to
right The pace grew hot. Like squir-
rels treading a cage their feet twin
kled- Then ii became apparent that
DarrelPs opponent was gradually be-
ing forced from the top of the log.
He could not keep up. Little by little.
still moving desperately. he dropped
back TO the slant, then at last to the
edge and so of into the river with a
mighty splash.
Clean birled," commented my
friend. One after another a half doz-
en- rivermen tackled the imperturb-
able Dick. but none of them pos
sessed the agility Of ray on top in the
pace he set them One boy of Is
seemed for moment 70 hold his own
and managed al least to keep out Of
the water even when Darrell had ap-
parently reached his maximum speed.
But that expert merely threw his en-
tire weight into two reversing stamps
OF his feet and the young fellow dove
forward as abruptly as though he had
been shied over horses head.
The crowd was by now getting up
roarious and impatient of volunteer
effort 10 humble DarrelPs challenge.
II wanted the best and at once. It be-
gan. with increasing insistence. to
shout a name.
Jimmy Powers!" it vociferated.
Jimmy Powers"
And then by shamefaced bashful-
ness, by profane protest, by muttered
and comprehensive curses 1 knew that
my companion on the other pile was
indicated.
a dozen men near at hand began to
shout. Here he isl" they cried, Come
on, Jimmy" Don't be a Highlander"
Hang his hide on the fence"
Jimmy, still red and swearing, suf-
fered himself to be pulled from his ele-
walton and disappeared in the throng.
A moment later I caught his head and
shoulders pushing toward the boom
piles. and 80 IN a moment he stepped
warily aboard TO face his antagonist
This was evidently no question to be
determined by the simplicity Of force
or the simplicity Of a child's trick
The two men stood half-crouched, face
to face. watching each other narrowly,
but making 10 move To me they
seemed like two wrestIers sparring for
an opening. Slowly the log revolyed
way. then slowly the other. 1t was a
mere courtesy Of salute. All at once
Dick birled three rapid strokes from
left to right, as though about TO roll
the log, leaped into the air and landed
square with both feet on the other
slant Of the timber. Jimmy Powers
felt the Jar and acknowledged il by the
spasmodic jerk with which he coun-
terbalanced DarrelIs weight. But he
was not thrown.
AS though this daring and hazardous
maneuver had opened the combat both
men sprang to life. Sometimes the log
rolled one way, sometimes the other,
sometimes 1t jsrked from side to side
with the rapidity of light, always in
a smother Of spray and foam. The de-
clded spat, spat, spat Of the reversing
blows from the calked boots sounded
like picket firing.
The crowd was appreciative and par
tisan-for Jimmy Powers. 1t howled
wildly, and rose thereby to even higher
excitement Then 1t forgot its man
ners utterly and groaned when II made
out that q sudden splash represented
its favorite, while the indomitable Dar-
reu still trod the quarterback as cham
pion birler Of the year.
I must confess that I was as sorry
as anybody. I climbed down from my
cormorant roost, and picked my way
between the alleys OF aromatic piled
lumber in order to avoid the press. and
cursed the little gods heartily for un-
due partiality In the wrong direction.
In this manner I happened on Jimmy
Powers himself seated dripping on a
board end and examining his barred
foot.
I'm sorry," said behind him. How
did he DO it?'
He whirled, and could see that his
laughing. boyish face had become sud
denly grim and stern. and that his
eyes were shot with blood.
"Oh. it's you. is it?" he growled, dis
paragingly. We'll, that's how he did
st."
He held out his foot Across the in
step and at the base Of the toes ran
two rows Of tiny round punctures from
which the blood we oozing. / looked
my inquiry.
He corked mel" Jimmy Powers ex-
planned. TANNED his spikes into me!
Stepped on my foot and tripped me.
the" Jimmy Powers certainly could
swear.
why didn't you make a kick?"
cried.
That amt how I do It." he NUT
tered, pulling on his heavy wooden sock.
But no." 1 insisted my Indignation
mounting. It's an outrage. That
crowd was with you. All you had to
do was to say something-"
He cut me short. And give myself
away as a blanked fool-sure Mike.
ought TO know Dickey Darrell by this
time, and I ought to be big enough to
take care of myself" He stamped his
foot into his drivers shoe and took me
By the arm, his humor apparently re-
stored. mo, don't you lose any hair.
bub; I'll get even with Roaring Dick"