Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-03-12
CHAPTER m.

1900
his inexperfence In handling dyna mite
be might blow mp himself. 30 Sam
had agreed. though he didn't like the
idea OF paying So for work that ne
could do himself
A man named Nolan mad been hired
to Dc the work. and ne had come 0nf
Saturday afternoon 10 max a begin
ming. sam was anxious 10 learn about
the work 80 thai II future there'd he
no need 10 hire ONE one Else 10 do II
He drove across the field. nitched his
horse nj a safe distance n went over
to watch the proceedings
Sans companions. who had also
heard the first report. came M to iook
on. IL was interesting to watch Nolan
deftly place his blasts SO that they al
ways brought up the stumps. Some
times they popped up in the air like a
cork OUT of a Duttle; at other times they
split into pieees und went hurtling
through the air Under the largest
stump IN the held Nolan put a double
charge OF dynamite.
Better get clear. ne said to the boys
WuCH liz Mis- unuul lCd0t ~ LOa[1 ~
of. they al ucked away to a dis
lance OF thirty or forty yards and wait
ed He lightpd the fuse and ran over
to where they were standing.
Get down. he said. behind some
thing or IN the ground"
All except Joe Watson promptly drop
ped down dat behind a little ridge.
There isn't any danger this far off"
be said and remained standing.
"Get down. you dummy; It's going
off," said Sam sharply. and as Joe
made no move be grabbed him around
the ankles and gave a jerk. The boy
came down With a thud. and at the
same instant there was a roar. Some
thing sang over them like a bullet and
exactly in the path where Joe bad
stood u before
well you may thank your lucky
stars Nolan remarked to Joe as he
got up. that Sam pulled You down.
You see that big piece Of stump layin'
away out yonder? That's what whis-
tied over here. and II you'd "a been
standin' 1t would a. broke you In
two"
Joe was pale from fright at his mar
row escape. My" he exclaimed, but
W yon . big debt. Sam! You saw
ed me then. and don't think I'll ever
act the. fool like that again."
Ii was now the middle of the after
noon. and as the boys wanted to re
turn home early for one reason or an
other Sam stopped work for the day.
and they all drove home at a brisk
trOt.
On the next Monday sam was pres
ent AT the meeting of the Boys Corn
club and became a member. Bot Fa
gan was also there and joined. though
he was doubtful about getting his acre
cleared of stumps by planting time
In addition to the cash prizes already
offered. several firms and corporations
| ut the meeting that they
would give premiums to the successful
contestants These prizes were of We
rious kinds Among them We're a reg
istered Jersey COW a pair OF register
ed pigs. a corn planter, a trip TO Wash
lnklUu. u LIiO VI pttle pOHiliys q eoiu
watch aud an automobile.
sam went home happy thar day and
more firmly resolved than ever to win
some of the prizes. All the week he
worked after school hours loading and
hauling manure from the stable to the
farm. He was SO busy that he had no
time to talk even TO his mother and
sister about his work. But at the sup
per table ON Saturday Mrs. Powell In
CURED how he was getting along With
the work.
Doing tine,s said Sam. I've got
the field and the fence rows cleaned up
and the fences made pig tight and two
acres fortified and ready to be pillow
ed The next thing I'm going to do
is to have the land broke, cross broke
and narrowed"
''Going TO do all the field that way7"
asked Florence Powell
''Oh. no." Sam replied. II can't pre-
pare all the land as | did the two acres.
haven't time this year. but III put
some fertilizer on all of it and have It
broke once"
What are you going to raise on the
two acresg' his sister inquired, be
coming Interested.
'One acre is going to be In corn.
It's going TO be my contest acre. and
I'm going to try to win some of the
prizes OF the Boys Corn club. On the
other acre I'm going to plant Irish po-
tatoes at first, then maybe June corn
and black eyed peas"
MY. but that'l be three crops on the
same ground in one yeari" exclaimed
Florence. Can you do that, SamY'
"Yes. aud that's not ALL" said Sam
After | gather the corn and peas III
put in "a crop of turnips or rye"
rs one acre all you're going to have
in corn2" asked Mrs. Powell.
mo. mother" Sam explained. I'm
all I'm going TO plant i've acres in
ea a.