Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-03-05

How is that, Mr. Barnett?" asked
the captain, with lively interest.
"You see, sir" returned the demon
strator, perched high like a 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 a lovely vein run
ming at an angle inward from where
l 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
Neat programme" commented Tren-
don, with sardonic skepticism.
Wait and see," retorted Barnett
blithely, 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 it?"
swell, supposing | don'tT
''Its dynamite, isn't it?'
Something of the same nature.
Joveite. it's called"
Still lue surgeon Stdfeu DIT ILL., bdE-
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 it?''
With a wry face Trendon tossed up
the package. 1t was deftly 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 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 Trendon.
| NO. To make it blow down instead
| of blowing up"
"Oh rot" returned the downright
surgeon. THAT pound of dirt won't
make a shadow of a feathers differ
ence."
Wont it, retorted the other. "Cu
rious thing about high explosives. A
mud cap will hold down the force n:
well as ton of rock. Wait and Sc,
what happens to the rock beneath"
He slid off his perch into the ankl.
deep water and waded out to the boat
Here he burrowed for moment. pres
emily emerging with box. This h
| TOD II
and opened. First he lifted out som,
soft padding. A small tin box honey
combed inside came to light. witt
infinite precaution Barnett picked on
an object that looked like % calibe
short cartridge, wadded some cottol
batten in his hand. set the thing in tn,
wadding, laid it on the rock. CAREFUL!
returned the small box to the larg
box and the large box to the boat
took up the cartridge again and wadet
back to the cliff, They watched hin
IN silence. 5,-.
This is the little devil" he said. in
dicating his delicate burden. "Ful
inmate Of mercury. This is the stuff
that'll remove your hand with neat
4
tempered little article in the business
Just give 1t one hard look and it's of. ;
Here" said Trendon, Il resign
From now on I'm a spectator"
Barnett swung the illuminate in hi
handkerchief and gave 1t to a sailo
to hold. The man handled 1t like
newborn infant. Back to his rocl
went Barnett. Producing some corr
he let down an end.
'Tie the handkerchief on and ge
out of the way" he directed.
With painful slowness the man car
ried out the first part of the order
The latter half he obeyed with sprigh;
ly alacrity. Very slowly, very delicate
~, the expert drew in his dangerou
burden. Once n current of air puffet
it against the face of the rock. and til
operators head was hastily with
drawn. Nothing happened. Anothe