Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1906-07-09

from the flooring TO the ground. Jim
Leo and l had once needed planks for
some contraption we were building,
and that was where we borrowed Them
had not got round to telling father
yet; but l had no doubt the hens
knew that hole as we'll as l did.
felt pretty sure they were stealing
their nests under the barn.
So with never word to anybody, off
| went to the south pasture, chuckling
to think how clever l was, and how
pleased mother would be when l came
in with a hatful of eggs.
The barn was nearly u quarter of
mile from our house, and even In the
country you would hardly suppose a
boy could 60 SO far in broad daylight
without meeting some one or being
seen But everything worked to favor
my scheme of surprise. l wasted
no time on the way, and l sighted no
living thing between our door and the
horse barn.
ran round to the farther side of
the barn, and stopped moment to but.
ton my jacket and cram my hat down
on my head.
1t looked lonesome there in the hole.
and it was q good deal of hole, too.
| wasn't afraid Of the dark. and l did
not suppose there was anything under
the barn to hurt me. but l knew that
the longer | waited, the less courage l
should take with me. So l got down
on my hands and knees. and in l went.
At the end of the barn there were
two feet or more of clear space be-
tween the stills and the ground. and |
could creep quite comfortably. I went
slowly, though; for even after my
eyes accommodated themselves to the
blackness, it was still very dark, and
| didn't want to find a nest by putting
my knee In it.
The point was, of course, to cover
the ground SO instead Of going straight
ahead l "weaved'' from side to SIDE
getting in a little further all the time
but sweeping my hands over the sur
fhce as l went, to make sure l missed
nothing. And it was nothing l found
just damp earth, with more or less lit
ter of sticks and straw and stones; but
felt as sure the nests were there as
If had seen them; and SO l kept on.
was not giving much thought to
what might he above me. All at once l
got a rap Oh the top Of my head that
made me cringe and draw in my
hoe I ho1 To
and when fairly understood, ducked
under it very cautiously, fiat on my
stomach.
1t is hard work to crawl on your
hands and knees, and after had rest
Ell and got some of the kinks out of
gle the rest Of the way, snake fashion.
1t was something like game when l
began it, for | would reach out and
stick my fingers into the ground and
try how far ! could pull myself for
ward without using my knees to help.
l was having great time all by my
self; and though ! had to squeeze II
little to get past the next beam. | did
not actually realize that the space be-
tween the earth and the floor above
was narrowing fast.
Not very far away, as ii seemed, a
| ray Of light shone through chink in
the boards, and l fixed my eyes on 1t
and drew myself toward that farther
end of the barn. For the moment |
had almost forgotten what was there
O., al I 90
forward. But all Of a sudden my back
touched the floor, and as lunged to-
ward the light my head scraped hard.
felt round little. Just beyond my
chast the earth seemed to fall away,
] and IL could move half u length Id
have more room, thought. l gave all
other hitch, vigorous one. My head
| rasped the floor again. and with al
most the same motion my chin pl0wed
up the dirt. Apparently there was not
! more than an inch or two Of leeway.
WELL" l thought II guess It's about
| time l was getting back
Mind you, l hadn't begun to be
scared yet An enterprising boy risks
his life about three times n day on an
| average, and he gets so used to being
| in danger that he seldom knows when
he is there. was angry that had
found no eggs. and my limbs were
cramped and my head was sore from
the bumps, but the idea that | might
not be able to wrggle out had not oc-
Cured to me.
Probably, though, darkness and soil
tude had begun to get on my nerves
for as l lay stretched out In front OF
me, remember wondering why | had
not had sense enough to open the barn
doors before | went under the barn.
II / had done that, reflected light
enough would have sifted through the
| floor to show me my way and to make
| things more cheerful.
| was beginning to feel cold. and
slapped my hands together and kicked
out strongly. One of my heels struck
the floor 1t hadn't far to go to find