Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-22

found that 1t was a basin-like place about
two rods in diameter. which appeared as If
1t had been scooped out of the hillside with
one dip of a gigantic shovel. No large
trees grew in the basin and there We're
only few saplings. On a critical survey
a slight depression was discovered in the
level ground of the niche close to the
rocky bank that lowered above them. This
little hollow seemed to promise something
and they at once set to work.
Ihough the ground was hard and stony
the boys piled their tools with so much en-
ergy that in a very short time they had
made a small circular excavation three feet
deep. when they struck solid rock and were
forced to stop. Undaunted, they dug in q
fresh place and with the same result They
kept on. however, until half dozen gapins
holes had been made without even finding
an encouraging sign. Then they sat down
In disgust
AS they rested IT occurred to Arthur that
they had not sufficiently tested the solidity
OF the rock in the first hole. He picked I'D
the crowbar and began to probe At the
third stroke the bar found a crevIce filed
with dirt. and dropped down several inches.
Quickly investigating the case thew found
that the point of the bar had entered a
small, irregular hole, five inches In diam
eter that ran straight into the ledge of rock.
The mouth of the opening was worn smooth
as If by some other agency than that of
nature
In great excitement a sapling was cut
ana as soon as 1T was trimmed they thrust
1t into the opening. But the stick could be
pushed In only little way. not over two
feet Next they tried to enlarge the hole by
chipping away the rock with the bar soon
to find that this was too slow a proceeding
Say exclaimed Arthur. eff we only
had some of that blasting powder father
uses over in our stone quarry we'd soon find
out what there is to thiS'-he hesitated-
there's three cans In the Toulouse"
why not go and get some?" asked Hugh
We can pay your fOther for what we use -
Father and mother amt at home so
can't ask for it," objected Arthur. II don't
believe father would want me to use it; he
be afraid we'd get hurt"
Huh scofTed Hugh, I'VE amt babies
any more. 1 know how to use 1t; I've
helped fire the old cannon on Cemetery
Hill lots of times. and my folks never said
nuthin. Did they. George?"
George affirmed that his brother spoke
the truth. and Hugh continued:
IF you don't want to go and get your
fathers powder. we could chip in and send
TO town for ii: but that will take so much
longer"
We'll. I'll go to the house." said Arthur.
his eagernesS to explore overcoming his
scruples. In less than half an hour he was
pounds of powder; length of fuse, and
some matches.
AS the assure in the rocks was too large
to effectively hold the powder. the boys
partly filed the opening with packed clay
Then Arthur poured in the powder. tamped
1t with "A stick, put in a long fuse, and
plugged the hole with fragment of rock
driven in with the crowbar. The fuse was
lighted. and the boys ran down the hillside
a safe distance. Sure that they We're our Of
danger, they faced about to wait. breath
lesSly.
While they stood thus. n cracking Of n
stick farther down the slope caused Hugh
TO look around: and in direct line with them