Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-05-12

wonder If we'd find him fit as fid-
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
cliff, Barnett carrying his precious ex-
plosives aloft in his arms.
Here's the spot" said the captain.
"See where the water goes in through
those crevices.'
Opening at the top, too," said Tren-
don.
He let out his below, roaring Oar
rows name.
II doubt if you could project your
voice far into cave thus blocked"
said Captain Parkinson. "We'll try
this"
He drew his revolver and fired. The
men listened at the creyices of the
rock. No sound came from within.
Your enterprise, Mr. Barnett" said
the commander, with 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 design to or
der in that
yes, but how about bringing down
the whole cave?"
oh, of course there's always an ele-
ment of uncertainty when you're deal
ing with high 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 fiat rock which projected
from the water, he busted himself in a
search along the face of the cliff.
Presently, with an "Ah!" of satisfac-
ton, he climbed toward hands
breadth of platform where grew a
patch Of purple flowers.
Throw me up 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
1 want is what they grow In,
Loosening handful of the dry soil,
he brought it down and laid 1t with
the explosives. Next he called one Of
the sailors to "boost" him and was
soon perched on the fiat slant OF a
huge rock which formed, as it were,
the keystone to the blockade.
Lets see," he ruminated. 1--WE
want slow charge for this, one that
will exert widespread pressure with
out much shattering force; the No. 8,
think
"How is that, Mr., Barnett7" asked
the captain, with lively interest.
"You see, sir" returned the demon
strator, perched high like sculptor at
work on some heroic masterpiece,
what we want is to split off this
rock" He patted the flank Of the
huge slab. There's lovely vein run
ming at an angle inward from where
sit. Split that through, and the rock
should roll Of its own weight away
from the entrance. It's held only by
the upper projection that runs under
the arch here"
Meat programme" commented Tren-
don, with sardonic skepticism.
wait and see," retorted Barnett
blithely, for he was in his element
now. "1'll appoint you my assistant.
Just toss me up that cartridge, the
third one on the left
The surgeon recoiled.
Surprising you don't catch itT'
"Well, supposing don't?"
cts 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 OF as easy as people
think. You could drop that stuff from
the cliff head without danger. Have
got to come down for it?'
With wry face Trendon tossed up
the package. 1t was deity caught.
Now wet that dirt well. Put it 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 slightly curv:
ing line along the rock. With the
mud he capped this over, forming a
little arched roof.
ITO keep 1t from blowing away"
surmised Trendon.
mo. To make it blow down instead
Of blowing up
"Oh, rot!' returned the downright
surgeon. 'That pound Of dirt won't
make shadow of feathers differ.
ence."
won't it~ retorted the other. "Cu.
rious thing about high explosives. A
mud cap will hold down the force as
well as a ton of rock. Wait and see
what happens to the rock beneath"
He slid off his perch into the ankle
deep water and waded out to the boat
Here he burrowed for moment, pres
emily emerging with box. This he
carried gingerly to convenient rock
J and ops2sd: First he lifted out some