The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-10-17

mill. As he was passing the camp hs
heard familiar voice calling out t.
him: "Hello, there, Smart Alec
Want to get acquainted with US
We're the cave diggers, and we know
how to seek revenge on a chap like
you."
Then, before Jimmy had chance
to say word, half dozen boys sur
rounded him and began to torment
him by calling him ugly names, and
to strike him pretty sound blows.
Jimmy, seeing that he had only the
sixth part of chance, decided not to
fight, but to use calm reason. "Now,
will you tell me, boys, what this all
means?" he asked, trying to dodge
the slaps from the various hands that
swung about him. ."I ask you to
please allow me to go on my way.
Mr.. Perkins has sent me on an er-
rand, and mustn't be delayed"
Mustn't is a pretty strong word
to use in your present condition, :"
boldly laughed Hank, giving Jimmy
a cuff on the ear which made it tingle
and tingle. "Now, take that and
that for your kindness in lending us
the spades the other day." And
Hank gave Jimmy several other keen
slaps across the cheek and ears. II
guess you'll not refuse to lend spades
to us again, if we ask for 'em, will
you :"
''You bet WILL" replied Jimmy,
with determination. "When I'm in
charge of another PERSONS property
I'll protect it. If you want anything
from Mr.. Perkins you'll have to go to
him for it,
"Oh, thanks for the information, +"
sneered Hank. "But we got spades
and picks, all that we wanted. And
if you'll turn around you'll see our
cave, one as fine as you'd find any
where. And If you'd have behaved
in friendly way toward US cave dig
gers we'd have invited you to go into
it and explore it. But you're little
Smart Alec, and we don't want to
have anything to do with you. So
get along, and don't come back this
way, either"
So saying, Hank gave Jimmy a
shove by way of emphasizing his
words. Then, with a loud whoop,
the boys ran to the mouth of the cave
and crawled in, one at a time. But
just as the last boy was half way into
the cave Jimmy heard a smothered
scream and, turning round, beheld
that the dirt was crumbling from the
mouth of the recently dug cave. He
ran back with all possible speed and
saw, to his horror, that the earth
about the little caves entrance had
fallen into the cavity, and the feet
and legs of the last boy entering were
still protruding. Without moments
delay Jimmy grabbed up spade that
lay Heer-e..1 h.e.--,Aieei-e fe--asar
and when he pulled him from the
debris the poor, half smothered fell
low could scarcely speak, so exhaust
ed were his lungs for want of air.
"All the breath I could get was from
the cave inside" he gasped. "But.
the other kids, I'm afraid they'll
smother" "We've got to get 'em
OUT" declared Jimmy. Here, get
to work with me; there's no time for
fooling."
Then came faint wall frcm the
interior of the cave, which was a
chamber of some six feet square, and
which the leave diggers" had found
on enlarging one Of the little tunnels
running into it from the outside. But
so much dirt had crumbled into the
entrance tunnel. which was about
four feet in length and eighteen inches
in height, that Jimmy and the res
cued boy (by name, Dan Smith) had
some difficulty in reaching the i'm
prisoned boys. But Jimmy felt sure
that enough air entered through the
loose soil to keep the boys inside the
cave alive for some time, and their
cries for help assured him in this sup
position, for every minute he could
hear them yelling at the top of their
voices: "We're alive Somebody
dig us out of here! Help! Help !"
And Jimmy would call back to
them: ''Be patient. Well soon show
you daylight. Help is coming I"
And all the time that he encouraged
them he worked like a trooper, Dig
ging with fury that astonished the
less vigorous Dan Smith.
After about ten minutes of work
Jimmy, with some aid from Dan, had
a hole large enough for the boys to
crawl out through. And a badly
scared lot of half suffocated fellows
came into daylight, heaving to fill
their lungs with fresh air. Gee, I
thought our time had come !" de-
clared Hank, splitting some dirt from
his mouth. "But = say - who"
And then his eyes fell on Jimmy, who
was resting ON the handle of spade,
perspiration streaming from his face.
"Say, did you = you - get-us-
out?" Hank asked of Jimmy, his
face flaming with blush of shame.
"Well, 1 helped" replied Jimmy.
"I got Dan Smith out, and together
we did the rest. But that's nothing"
Nothing p and Hanks voice
quivered. mo, and it was nothing
for me-coward that 1 was-to slap
your face little while ago, and Moth
ing for you to turn round and rescue
us all, six towards, from death, for
as sure as we are standing here we'd
have died in there if it hadn't been
for you, Jimmy. And for one I'm
ready to say that you're a hero and
that I'm a blamed coward, or was q
coward. But right here want tc
say that your conduct today has made
me ashamed of myself, and that after
this minute I'll try to act in every
way as 1 think you, Jimmy, would
act. You're a brick, you are, and
don't any of you boys here forget it. y