The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-05-06

L
die"
There was no clew TO Ives and Nc
Guire?" asked Barnett presently.
"None." 1t was the captain who an
swered.
The gig grated. and. the tide being
high. they waded TO the base of the
Icliff. Barnett carrying his precious ex-
plosives aloft in his arms.
Here's the spot" said the captain.
Sec where the water goes in through
those creviccs."
"Opcaing at the top, too" said Tren-
don. 50
He let out his below, roaring Oar
rows name.
Il doubt If you could project your
voice far into a cave thus blocked"
said Captain Parkinson. "We1l try
| this"
He drew his revolver and fired The
men listened at the crevices of the
rock. No sound came from within
Your enterprise. Mr. Barnett" said
the commander, with a gesture which
turned over the conduct of the affair
to the torpedo expert
Barnett examined the rocks with en-
thusiasm.
Looks like moderately easy stuff"
he observed See how the veins run.
You could almost blow n design to or
der in that" ..
yes. but how about bringing down
the whole caye;"
"Oh. of course there's always an ele-
ment of uncertainty when you're deal
ing with hgh-explosives," admitted the
expert "But unless I'm mistaken we
can chop this out as neat as with an
AK"
Dropping his load of cartridges care
lessly upon n fat rock which projected
from the water. he busted himself in
search along the face Of the cliff.
Presently, with an "Ah." OF satisfac-
breadth OF platform where grew a
patch Of purple flowers.
Throw me up a knife, somebody"
he called.
Take notice." said Trendon good
naturedly. that I'm the botanist of
this expedition"
"Oh. you can have the flowers! All
I want is what they grow In"
Loosenlng n handful Of the dry soil.
he brought it down and laid II with
the explosives. Next he called one of
the sailors to boost" him and was
soon perrhed on the Hat slant of a
huge rock which formed. as 1t were,
the keystone TO the blockade
Lets see." he ruminated. I'VE
want slow charge for this one thct
will exert widespread pressure with
ont much SCATTERING force; the No. 3,
think."
How Is that. Mr.. BarnettT" asked
the captain. with lively interest.
"You see. sir" returned the demon
strator. perched high like a sculptor Mt
work on some heroic masterpiece,
what we want is to split of this
rock" lie patted the flank of the
huge slab. There's a lovely vein run
ming at an angle inward from where
sit. Split that through, and the rock
should roll Of fits own weight away
from the entrance. It's held only by
the upper projection that runs under
the arch here"
"Neat programme" commented Tren-
don, with sardonic skepticism.
"Wait and see" retorted Barnett
bhthely. for he was in his element
now. I'll appoint you my assistant.
Just toss me up that cartridge, the
third one on the left"
The surgeon recoiled.
"Supposing you don't catch itT
"Wcll. supposing | don'tT'
Its dynamite. isn't it,"
Something of the same nature.
Joveite. it's called"
Still the surgeon stared at him. Bar
nett laughed
"Oh. you've got the high explosives
superstition" he said lightly. "Dyna-
mite don't go off as easy as people
think. You could drop that stuff from
the cliff head without danger. Have
got to come down for III"
With wry face Trendon tossed up
the package. 1t was deity caught.
'Now wet that dirt well. Put 1t in
the canvas bag yOnder and send one of
the. men up with it. I'm going to
make mud pie"
Breaking the package open. he spread
the yellow powder in a slightly curry
ing line along. the rock. With the
mud he capped this over, forming a
little arched roof.
"To Keep it from blowing away"
surmised 1rendon
mo. TO make it blow down instead
of blowing up"
| "Oh. rotr' returned the downright
surgeon. That pound Of dirt won't
make Il shadow of Il feathers differ
l'ncc."
| Wont IT, retorted the other. "Cu-
rious thing about high explosives. A