The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-06-08

| Who would have thought that the
peaceful dreamy little Badger Of week
| ago could have changed to this coffee coll
| ored torrent that was rushing so madlv
by, carrying logs RATS, henhouses, sheds,
| shocks of corn and pumpkins in a bewil-
dering tumble?
1t looked like a procession of vegetables
taxing themselves to market. Dick
watched the panorama with boyish in
terest. It was the annual "fall rise'-
the rise which, when the flood began to
subside little, would send the coal fleets
scurrying, putting and snorting down the
Ohio
There had been floods before, but none
| IN the memory of man like this It was
already above high water mark and still
rising.
Near where Dick sat a small creek en-
tered the Badger through a deep ravine
which cut the hill at that point
Inc 3. +. and n. were erecting a trestle
over this ravine. To the north of it they
already had tracks laid and construction
trains running, as had also the B. r. The
| hill there not being so precipitous as it
was on the south, there was room for
the two by a little crowding
An engine had just stopped a little
above where Dick was sitting, and a.
short, stocky man stepped from the cab.
Humph," muttered Dick. ether walk
In boss s come to take a look at their
old road.' ....l
AS the general foreman alighted he
called to the foreman Of the gang which
was at work there, and the two walked
down toward the trestle. They stopped
just behind a boy who was apparently
intent upon throwing stones into the
| river, oblivious to all else
Price said the new arrival, IT want
to do bit of hustling tomorrow Rogers
says he will have this trestle so we can
| run trains over it by tonight Now is
| our chance to clinch our hold and make
| the B. R. sick Of their job. want you to
| get your men out by daylight in the morn
| ing and work them to the limit I am
going to run trains over here and dump
| r1prap down on the 3. r. I'll make them
a present of more ballast than they ever
saw. I'll bury them clear out Of sight.
| and there won't be any resurrection for
| them.
'They have had the advantage of US
heretofore because they could run trains
in from both ends. Since they got that
| culvert completed down there they were
| in a position to couple up their track
right off and run trains clear through. if
| this flood hadn't stopped them. But I
wouldn't have had them get a train
| through for the world"
| The general foreman rubbed his fat
| hands in gleeful anticipation of the things
| ne would do to and the surprises he had
D. Il.
The two men walked back over the
trestle and on up the track, leaving a
small boy throwing stones at a big yellow
| pumpkin that seemed to be in a great
hurry to get somewhere, closely pursued
| In this commendable effort by an old
farmyard gate. They did not know the
boy-in fact, gave him no thought. Their
minds were full Of weightier matters for
were they not fighting great battle-a
battle In which fortunes were at stake?
That was where the construction boss
made his mistake for the spy is often
| more dangerous than the general, and
| that small boy was likewise thinking Of
other things than the pumpkin which
| seemed to absorb his attention
| Dick was thinking Of Jop and the bitter
| contest waged for so many days between
his fathers gang and the men in the cut
! above. He watched the general of the op-
posing forces disappear into the cab again
after the train had been unloaded.
His brain had been in a whirl. What
| should he do? Their own tracks-his own
| tracks he almost considered thena-were
| under water here and no trains running.
| 1t was already o'clock, and none of the
| b. r. men about, and construction head
| quarters were at Barnstable, twenty miles
up the road. AS he heard the whistle of
the engine on the rival company's train
| calling In their fagman preparatory to
starting back a firm resolve took possess
| sion of him. He hurried across the tres
tie and caught the last car just as it was
| moving off. It was a gondola. He pulled
himself over the side and crouched down
on the floor out of sight, bound for Barn
stable.
| The engineer of construction Of the
| b. r. was just leaving his Office when he
| heard some one running down the plat
| form and calling: ''Mr. Bent! Mr. Bent!'
He turned about thrust his hands deep
| into his pockets and looked from under
| the peak of his cap to see who was call
| ing.
| Dick came up out Of breath.
! well, what is it?'' inquired the engi-
| neer.
"I-Tve got-eh-a somethin' to tell ye,''
pulled the boy
"All right Catch up with your breath
as quick as you can and let's have it.
| But who are your
I'm Dick-Dicl< Gallagher 7 live down
| at Houseton. My fathers foreman at-at
| the rock CUT
| "Oh. Jerry Gallagher's boy, eh? Well,
| what's up?"
| '"The B. F. and N. Is goin' to run over
their trestle tonight and start dumpin'
on our tracks. They say they will bury
| us out Of sight by the time the water
| goes down."
"What'' exclaimed Mr.. Bent incredu-
lousy, looking intently at Dick. "who
told your
| Between gasps for breath Dick told his
story. The engineer thrust his hands
deeper into his pockets. His eyes seemed
to retreat under his shaggy brows. His
| chin was thrust forward, and he bit saw
| agely at his mustache.
Come with me- he said, leading the
| way back to the depot and into the tele-
| graph office. The operator had his lunch
| basket open in front OF him and was al
ready about half through with his sup
| per.
! Call up c. D. quick as you cam
| said Mr.. Bent, taking a chair by the
| operators side. "Clickety, click" went
| the instrument.
II have him, SIR
ASK him if the superintendent is in and
| say want to talk with him."
After a short pause there came an an
| swering stutter in the receiver
He IS there now, SIR was the inter-
probation given by the man at the wire
Then began an exciting lot of jabber, as
| though the instrument had gone crazy
| After 1t had continued for about fifteen
minutes back and forth Mr.. Bent said:
That's all right. Now call I'D A. Y and