The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1907-05-11
thoughts turned again to hurrowing un-

thoughts turned again to burrowing un-
der the rock.
Come along, Psyche, let us go back
to the place and see what we can make
of it." said | when we had put away in
our store all that was left Of The food.
She ran at once and fetched the ak,
and seemed rather sorry THAI glad when
| signaled that we were not going TO use
it again.
But there will be plenty Of work for
you by and by, you helpful little friend"
said /. only what we have TO settle
now il which way we are 10 employ our
selves to the best advantage, and not
rush into a hopeless task as we did in
our despair. Just stand quietly by my
side while think it out. Now, there's
that mass of fallen cliff that stands be-
tween us and freedom, and there's the
sand and shingle on which it rests.
Where's the best place to scoop out a tun-
mel and creep under the cliff? At first
sight it would seem that nature had done
a good deal for us in making a great
cavity dow there for us to start from.
But l now begin to think mat the idea is
very misleading. | think that must be
the most difficult part to begin upon, just
IL
the mass did not descend a great way
there, and present a great obstacle, it
would have been filled up before low by
the sand sitting up every time the water
rises. Where the sand is highest, Psyche.
there the fallen cliff must have opposed
the least resistance to the inwash of the
tide. Now there's little water at the
bottom there; We'll scoop it out, and then
see on which side the water flows in most
quickly. Run and fetch me the crock,
Psyche-crock."
She looked at me an instant, and then
remembering the words l had taught her,
ran off swiftly, and returned with the
crock, hugely delighted. | descended in
to the hollow and baled ont the water,
and watched what followed keonly.
There" said l in triumph, LOOK at
the little thread of water glistenng in
the light. That comes from the right
hand, and there exactly as it should BE
the shinglC and sand are highest
Acting upon this theory, | found 4he
highest point of ground, and, digging
down with the Ak against the racc of the
fallen cliff, made beginning Of this 'Crg
job. As soon as Psyche perceive! what
| was about, she fell on her knees and
dug out the loose sand, using her hands
for a tool.
"Wait a bit, little onp," sad l. You
have blisterS on your hands; come with
me. and let us see if we cant find some
thing in the shape of gloves to cover
them"
Among the things she had hung ahout
her alcove were some pairs of thick knit
ted stockings, for whicr sha had found
no use. made her slip her rms INFO
pair, and the feet covering her hands,
served as a very good protection to them.
They excited her mirth Immensely, and
though they seemed at first to tickle her
arms and produce discomfort. she was
well content to wear them when | sig
nihed my approval of their use
Digging in the sand was far less labo-
rious than cutting a cliff, and we worked
on without feeling fatigue until | de-
cided that we should take our dinner
hour BY that time we were standing in
hole as high as my armpitS, but we had
not yet reached water, though the tide
had risen its highest, as one could see
by the pool in the hollow. ! was very
well satisfied, however, with the pro-
gress we had made, and, standing on the
edge when | nodded apprOvingly to
Psyche, she looked down and rodded ap-
provingly to me.
After our meal we set 10 work again,
and kept on till the light faded, only
pausing for half an hour in the afternoon
to rest and refresh ourselves with some
bread and water. How we reished this
simple fare no one can imagine who has
not suffered privation and done a long
SDGu of good hard work
We had made less progress in the af-
ternoon than in the morning, for not only
was the sand and single more compact
and difficult to work as we got lower,
but the labor of throwing it up out Of
the pit was far greater; and for that
reason l gave Psyche the AK to loosen
the ground while l scooped it up with
a piece of the broken crock and shot 1t
out. However, we had every reason to
be content with our days work, for we
had sunk the pit to depth of seven
feet, and the tide rising again at the
time we struck work showed hat we had
come to the level of high water, If not
below 1t.
ITO be continuedl