The Washington herald., 1909-07-11


and ar an auspiciOus moment when the
most OF the enemy were disporting on
the far side OF the channel, rush the re-
mainder into the water, seize the cloth
ing OF the swimmers, and make for the
ravine I have described. where We bad
thoughtfully cached about Two bushels
Of beautiful dOTnicks. with which 20 re-
sist any assault upon our position once
IN the ravine. we were 20 tie the cloth
ing Of the adversary as only the youth OF
that day knew how 70 tie knots. SOAKING
the knots occasionally IN order 20 tigaten
them Then the strings were 10 be taken
from the shoes and the collars and shoe
strings tied together. using the button
holes 10 weave the strings IN and out.
Right here I want 70 say IL was Tot
altogether pure deviltry that melted this
action. The Creighton boys claimed do
minion over Sycamore Beach. and two
summers before had captured two OF
our bateaux in the reach. returning
from ashing expedition 10 the head
quarters OF our club at the spillway at
the foot Of Twenty-frst street, upset the
bateaux. and made our boys 'trot' home.
abandoning their boats. fishing tackle,
and oars. and giving the fish 20 one OF
their cOlOred allies from Murder Bay as
a long row OF shan;ies along the canal
was called. We got The boats the next
morning. and then and there registered
vow 20 get revenge
Our plans worked better than We had
hoped. We surprised the outpost around
the bend, buIdOzed them into silence, and
left them under guard Of one and then
crept along the blum until We got within
rushing distance. Presently the entire
crowd OF Creighton boys were on the FAR
bank. plastering each other with the soft
mud We made our rush. cut them on
from their stone piles, held them in the
water until the clothes 20 the last suit had
been gathered up and taken into the "a
vine. and then proceeded 70 make a grave
tactical mistake. Everybody wanted 20
enjoy the fun o. preparing the enemy's
clothes for a 'chaw-bacOn' match, so we
( ali rushed into the ravine 10 help. the job
along. Il did not take the Crelghtons
I long 20 take advantage Of our mistake,
/ Tor we had no sooner disappeared Up the
ravine than a rush was made from the
water. and. in forma paupeTls, the Creigh-
tons lined up beside the ravlre. loaded
with stones.
! We were bottled Up. True. we had
/ their clothes, and they could not storm
Us. We had them az a distinct disadvan-
I tage so far as coming into the ravine was
concerned. they had Us in that our escape
was cut OF Blacksmith Bob ordered a
sally. but The vOiley OF stones that met
/ the first party that neared the exit OF the
r2vine showed Us it was useless 70 at
/ tempt 20 escape that wav, so we made a
i good Job IN the clOthes-tying line, and let
matters drift.
1T was growing late The tide was
was going down. and the water was
I sweeping toward the Long Bridge We
/ had 10 catch the turn of the tide or Il
would take US all night 10 pull the
bateau up the Dutch Gut as the chan
mel between the towparh and the marsh
was called. Then came a parley from
4 the enemy. We were told that z we
brought out our clothes. united. we could
20 unmoIested- Refused Not that we
doubted the sincerity OF the offer. We
knew the Creighton boys TOO well fOr
that When they made q promise they
\ kept 20 II. and no two Of them ever
n Jumped one boy. After awhile another
message was delivered from d safe DIS
tance. Il was announced that Bob D.
a splendid fellow. who lived in the
neighborhood OF Franklin Park. a leader
OF the Creightons. and e yOurgster Of
great courage and much skin with his
fsts. would fight any one Of our party;
Il our man got licked. we were 70 unite The
( clothes. and would be given FIVE minutes
! start-they did not know our boats were
drawn UP ready FOR Us az the outlet
lock. luckily for Us This propOsiJiC-
met with great favor. but much time
5 was consumed IN determining who
should be our champion, jim Bagby-
p that's near enough; he's a weI-knowr
merchant IN t0Wn-aud Blacksmith Bof
nearly coming 20 blows over the claims
Of each 20 deliver the individual battle
but Blacksmith Bob prevailed. and ~
gathered up the clothes and marched
out into the open.
Bob D directed that a ring be formed
= and stated that he would settle person
+ ally with any Creighton boy who en-
d 6eavored IN any way 10 interfere IN an
. OF the arrangements he had made, an
2 jim Bagoy declared that anybody from
Foegy Bottom who did not abide by III
! terms laid down would forever there
- after be sorry.
J a ring was formed. Bob D. wearing
: nothing but a very confident smile. albei
he was shivering. as the night air wa
, getting perceptibly cool. Bagby seconds
= our Bob. while a now prominent nava
, officer did the same for Creighton Bob
. and they were soon al f. First one an
then the other would have the advantage
and Il seemed that Bob D. was wearint
our man out gradually. But Blacksmith
Bob was a stubborn cuss. and was no
10 be denied also. he was as gallant
gentleman in the rough as ever. cam
over Phyllis Hill for he soon saw tha
the night air vas telling upon the uncla'
Creighton champion. and. bruised an
bloody as he was-lndeed, as both were
during a luu IN the battle his hand wen
I'D in the air. and he said.
This fight stops here until Bob get
his clothes on: III take mine II IT'S com
IN to me, but don't want any advan
tage'
There was a cheer from both sides
and Bob D. held out his hand 10 Black
smith Bob. and said: You're all right
but there are others here that are cold
This fight IS over; you fellows Jrot- Vel
take our medicine and settle this matte
somehow another time
And we trotted. Not man called on
'Chaw bacon as we drew or IN goo
order. gained our boats. and went back q