The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-11-20


everybody around him was farming,
and all that Captain Tiller knew was
whales. which did not interest the
people of Croyille nj all.
He was sitting dlseonsolateiy on a
fence one day, when an automobile
got stuck in the sandiest spot of the
sandy roads that there were all
around Croyille
The captain had seen this happen
many times to many automobiles,
and had extracted a good deal of
amusement out of the frantic eff
forts OF the people to pull their
heavy machines out OF the sand.
They did not get as much amuse-
ment from 1t as the captain did, for
the sandy roads were not only ter
ribly sandy, but they were terribly
long and hot and uphill besides. so
that often the poor owners of the
automombiles had to pull and push
their machines over mile OF road
before they reached soil where they
could make them go again.
On this day the captain was about
10 smile as usual, bat the next mo-
ment his brows furled in thought,
Then he struck his knee with bis
hand and said.
BY ginger that's the scheme,"
The very next day he called on his
neighbor. Farmer Smallquart, and
after an hour bargaining he bought
two oxen from him.
That afternoon he nailed up a
wooden sign at the very beginning
OF the sandy road On 1t was paint
ed in SNOWY blue and red paint:
CAPTAIN JOHN TILLER.
LAND TUGS TO HIRE. AUTOMO-
BILEs TOWED.
Everybody in Croville heard of the
curious sign and before long any
number of people were asking Cap
tain Tiller what It meant. But he
only smiled and told them to wait.
Pretty soon great green automo-
bile came laundering and rumbling
and banging into the sandy stretch
only to stop dead despite all its
noise and explosive putting. as all
other automobiles had stopped.
The occupants sat in it helplessly
until one Of them spied the sign.
"IIullo," said he. here's a hopeful
outlook Let's go for him
So the man hurried to Captain
Tiller's house and soon that old
mariner appeared driving his pair
of oxen before him But he did not
drive them the way the farmers Of
Croville did.
He had fastened regular rudder
lines TO the horns OF each and these
were led back TO large steering
wheel such as is used on ships.
Between the heads Of the two
oxen dangled an anchor and on their
rumps was a little platform on which
Captain Tiller had arranged a bin
naele with a compass. a great Tia
horn and speaking trumpet
As soon as he was abreast of the
stranded automobile Captain Tiller
let go his anchor. The oxen stopped.
and the captain blow long. mourn
full blast on his horn. Their he seized
the speaking trumpet and hailed the
automobile.
ship ahoyl" he cried. do YOU
want assistance"
"Ay. ay. sir. said the occupants.
VERY we'll" said the captain.
Under the maritime laws concern
ing derelicts. could take you into
port and hold son for salvage. bat
III be easy on son and tow you
through the sand and 10 the good
hard road for s. a mile.
Very well. captain" said the au-
.omobilists
Hold hard then till come. along
side. shouted the captain through
his Speaking trumpet stand by to
tao a haEser." And with that he
thipv a line which the owner Of the
a obile made fast TO his vehicle.
Use faptaln halled in his anchor.
blew another long blast on his horn
end twisted the steering wheel a
sent she oxen ting. dragging the su-