Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-02-24
AN INVOLUN-
TARY BATH
By ALDEN CHAPMAN

operations on the barrel upon which
he was putting the finishing touches as
an expert of the cooperage art.
'What for? I'm afraid" came
voice from anywhere, nowhere, certain
~ not emanating from any person in
view.
well, Dan Milton has just gone
down the road and he's got a stick
with him. Now, Walt, you follow my
advice and sneak home. Get into the
house as quick as you can, and maybe
he'll forget to hunt you up and all
about your breaking that jug today"
mot him!" scoffed the same mys-
terious voice, and then its owner pro-
truded head, and then a pair Of thin,
ragged shoulders into view from the
depths of barrel standing at one end
OF the old cooper's work bench. "Say,
l can't stand 1t no longer, being half
starved and damned for nothing and
treated like dog! Tn going to run
away from home, l am!''
Don't you DO 1t, son." counseled
Robert Bryce, seriously. cit never
pays. Stay and fight II out. You're
nothing but homeless orphan boy
buffeted about at everybody's will, but
such have come to the top as great,
good men in my knowing"
"Why don't, you get me away from
Dan Milton and make cooper OF meY'
suggested Walt earnestly. 'If I am
nobody's boy, you can get me, can't
you? You like me, and SO does Miss
Rosy, and so does Ned Townsend, and
I'd die for any one, or all three Of you
together, If 1t had to be-"
"What has Ned Townsend got to do
with it?" demanded the old cooper,
pricking up his ears.
"He-oh, well, he's Roxy's fellow, or
hopes to be, and wants to be. Don't
you like him, Mr.. Bryce?'
Like him well enough" growled out
the old cooper, "but he's poor as we
are, and I'm not going to let Roxy join
her life with fellow who can't give
her better than she's got. Now, you
run home. It's your chance"
But 1t was not Waits chance. He
crawled from the barrel and made a
dash across lots only to run squarely
across the path of big, wicked faced
Dan Milton, who had doubled on his
tracks. it seemed.
Hi! You come here" yelled Dan.
''I've a rod in pickle for you.''
Walt uttered a weak, terrified wall.
Then he formed s,Slden resolution.
His little limbs increased vivid action.
II was getting on towards dusk. A
clear stretch spread out before him.
Beyond that was rising ground and
struggling timber, further on yet the
wilderness Of derricks and tanks mark
Ing the oil fields active Sld experiment
tai. There were a thousand places
whese he could hide.
Dan Milton pursued. kept up half n
mile chase. then halted. irate and
GREATNESS. to shake his club menacing-
ly at the refugee. who dove into a
swampy stretch Of brush rock and tim
Der and was lost in its depths. There
was a splash. n cry, less of pain than
disgust. Past some shelterlng vines
Walt plunged, to land up to the neck
into a small, but deep pool. His feet
touched bottom, but heavy, sticky
substance Overcoated him completely.
1t was with difficulty that Walt waded
climbed and crawled out of his pre-
dicament. Even then he staggered as
he walked. The substance adhering to
him seemed heavy as lead. The oily
odor emanating from 1t was more nau-
seous than pungent.
"And now I'm in fix !" he dolefully
medtated. 1--WE spoiled my clothes
and I'd be about skinned alive r
went home this way. Oh It's get far
and fast away from Alton for me-" and
Walt turned his face away from the
town, feeling that II would never do
TO return. Half mile laboriously COW
cred, Walt halted,~ and his longing
glance was fixed on light in little
clean cabin he knew well.
81 shouldn't wonder If Ned Town
send would house me till ! get these
clothes scraped off and rested bit"
unused Walt, and hopefully trudged
over to the shack where his friend
lived Ned was foreman Of we'll
boring crew. He smiled pleasant
welcome as Walt crossed the thresh-
old Of his humble domicile. Then he
stared at him almost in stupefaction.
Then he came closer and shifted, and
then ran his hand across the glistening
stuff that coated Walt as If he were
mailed knight and examined it closely.
Meantime Walt stumblingly told his
story. There was a vivid token Of in
terest in his auditors eyes.
"Say. lad he spoke, and there was a
trace Of keen excitement in his tones,
"can you lead me TO where you fell
into that pool OF oilT
~ sure can" assented Walt, and did.
And then, more reused up than ever,
Ned took him back to the cabin. A
better meal and more comfortable
couch Walt had never enjoyed and.
seeing his young guest comfortably set
tied, Ned Townsend scurried from the