Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-12
CHAPTER v.
The Old Drain.

Closing the door softly behind them. the
boys stood in the hall. regarding each other
with questioning looks.
How do you suppose 1t happened?" asked
Bob.
Tom shook his head. 81 don't know.
Come down and investigate"
Upon reaching the cellar they found the
coal bin wide open.
Try that outer door" said Tom.
Locked, just as we left IT, but look"
cried Bob. some one must have gotten In
through that window
There's no other way" replied Tom; 'the
building is always locked after school as
sembles.''
Going into the yard, the two made a care
full examination; suddenly Tom exclaimed:
Did you see that?
"What?" t.-.-
why, young Rafferty, dodge around the
corner. l wonder"
'Pll bet that little devil is at the bottom
of this somehow" Bob declared; ''he owes
you a srudge. and If he overheard what we
said about bringing Pete down-see here,
get on to these footprints In the snow; they
lead right up to the window; the kid
wouldn't have bit of trouble crawling
through
But how did the rooster get nied I'M In
it?'' asked Tom.
Bob had put the tall rooster down. and 1t
lay In the snow, too much exhausted to
stand. I've seen this bird somewhere" he
said thoughtfully; you wouldn't be apt to
forget him. he's so oddly marked"
We'll. let's take Pete home; we can come
back and look after this one later on"
He II not be here II that was Rafferty,
you saw just now" Little was said on the
way to Toms, the boys evidently trying to
account for the recent occurrence But
presently Bob stopped, and burst out laugh
ing: Il have It; that's stumpy Flynn's
We'll, IL 1t is,'' said Tom Joining In the
laughter, we needn't bother getting even
with the kid; Stumpy'll take care Of that
when he sees his bird"
The events of the morning had aroused
Petes combativeness and left him In a
very quarrelsome mood. AS soon as re-
leased and before the boys could interfere
and chased the hapless fowl into the depths
OF an old drain that ran under the roadway
a distance of sixty or seventy feet.
In days gone by when the heavy storms
filled the cutters to overlooking, the water
rushed into the mouth OF the drain with
the swiftness of a millrace and roar that
sounded angry and loud. Nothing pleased
the children more than to start pieces of
wood far UP the swift current and watch
them speed down and into the opening
Then quickly scrambling UP the bank they
would run to the opposite side to see their
small ships shoot from the tunnels depths
new culyert had been built and the old
drain, its entrance and exit hidden by weeds
and bushes, was forgotten save by few
people and the stray cats and dogs OF the
nefgh5orhood who sought refuge in its
gloomy depths.
After waiting a while for Pete to appear
Tom said: II wonder why those roosters
don't come out?'
1.-The pace they were going should have
carried them clean through the tunnel by
this time" laughed Bob, but I'll run over
and see." In a moment he shouted back:
mo; they haven't come out"
Tom looked anxious. II don't understand
1t; they've been In there fully ten minutes"
"Oh, they'll show up presently" 49, ee
But Toms uneasiness increased. II can't
risk losing Pete. I'm going In after him."
Bob looked his establishment you don't
mean to do such a foolish thing?,' -,.,,-
why not? was Toms reply, and despite
all protests, he crawled into the opening
and was soon out of sight. Bob continued
his appeals. but the only answer from the
tunnel was muffied laugh and Toms voice
calling back, but these sounds grew fainter
and fainter until they ceased altogether.
Bob shouted to several boys who were
playing not far away and they hurried to
the scene, and one after another the pass
ers-by. attracted by the lads excitement,
helped to swell the crowd that was fast
collecting. Bob waited until he could stand
the suspense no longer, then rushed, pale
and breathless. into the kitchen where Lucy
was at work.
Aunt Lucy! Aunt Lucyl Come quick.
oh. do come quick! Toms in the hole
and can't get out" 1e1 ..4.
Toms ginrally in hole. What's de
particlar kind OBJ hole dis timer she re-
piled, unmoved. for the boys loved to tease
her and experience made her cautious.
''The hole that leads into the old drain"
said Bob. tearfully. --..--.---
DE ole drain? What ole drain We talk
In 'boutr' Y-i.a45. .s5
THE one under the road. But please
come" fs-sfy1,
"I clean fo'got dat drain. But what Tom
want in dar?" she asked, suspiciousiy. go
long an quit yo' fooiin'."
I'm not fooling. Indeed, I'm not. Pete
chased another rooster In there and didn't
come out, so Tom went after him." And
the boy wrung his hands and hurried back
to the scene OF his friends disappearance.
II kneWed dat rooster gwinter sot dis
house by de ears" Lucy exclaimed. but. fm-
pressed by Bob's earnestness. she jumped
up scattering about the floor the potatoes
she had been peeling IFS COMM she
cried, snatching UP the poker: IT'S accom-
n" and darted out of the door
Elbowing her way through the crowd. she
cot down on her hands and knees and,
peered into the hole. but there was nothing
to be seen-her eyes could not penetrate
the darkness.
TON. Is you In dar?'' she shouted then
listened intently. Toni say, Toni, and
her voice grew louder and more appealing
Don We hear yo' Aunt Lucy a-callin'?1
But Tom either heard not; or. hearing,
xxtoa ,.y.ofS IN rnx1fU for, "a nfs1ao