THE NKBRASKAN
47
toft side o( a board, and if Jack wants an'- room I nearly fell over the recumbent sleeper,
thing he can halloo." the only effect being a short grunt and a
"Yes, and you follows would sleep peace- louder answering snore. Recovering, 1
fully on while 1 was wearing my lungs out," threw the window up to the full height, and
objected Jack ; "that won't do, guess again." hurried on to Jack's rescue. Poor Jack, there
"Why don't you run a string from Jack's ho hiy immovable, vehemently breathing out
bed under the door of his room and lie it to ancient history relaliw to Hill, myself, stoves,
your toe, and then if he wants anything, let heat, like the steady How of a low-browed,
him pull," suggested 1. hut industrious sausage machine.
The suggestion being abopted, the fiery At length 1 made myself heard above the
little monster in the corner was accordiiiiilv uproar, and he paused for an instant to listen
filled and "set," and the string properly ad
justed and attached to Hill's big toe, and
to my query of, "Why didn't you pull the
string, Jack?" But he was simply resting,
leaving Jack still muttering because it wasn't aml l)roke out afresh with a new and ap-
a rope, I ambled away to bed, closing my proved line of expression that was simply
room door to avoid the heat. sublime in the way of description.
I do not know how long I had been sleep- "Didn't I pull? Isn't his leg dangling at
ing when I was aroused bv a commotion the end of that string? Did you want me to
and bombardment that brought me out of my Pul1 him in here, all of him, and mutter sweet
chamber and landed me in the middle of the words in his ear? Squire, if you love me,
room at one leap. Pausing for a moment to don't set the police on me. Say he commit-
recover from my dazed condition I was soon led suicide. I know I have pulled him apart,
enlightened as to the cause of the noise by a If T haven't, and he isn't parched as crisp and
vigorous pounding on the other side of the mown !,s a jam tart kick him' Squire: kick
wall and a series of energetic exclamations him hard ' and sa.v' if he revives, that I told
which, from their character and coloring, I 3'" lo do il'" he shouted,
knew came from none other but jack. No ntisHcd with, and not understanding
Alive to the situation at once, I sprang much lhat he -said' ! essayed an investiga-
towards the door alluded to, but stopped lion " m.V own account, and after walking
short at the crackling sound which greeted olU and delivering sundry vigorous kicks on
me; it was was fairly warping. However I Bill's recumbent form, I succeeded in arous-
dashed lorward, wrenched it open to be pro- '" him to a contemplation of the circum-
jected backward half the , igth of the room stances. Then I descried the string, and
by the volume of heat which rushed into the tracing its course from Bill to the door, there
opening, and which 1 at once discovered discovered the source of all the trouble. That
proceeded from the little stove in the corner slrinS was knotted ; knotted in a good round
which had worked itself into a perfect frenzy knot' and that knot' in a manner totally un-
of heat, and was "red hot" all over; from be- accountable, had discovered a small sliver
vond came an unbroken stream of eiacula- cropping from beneath the door, and there it
tions, mixed with the noise ol cracking pa
per, and above it all rose the mellow cadence
of Bill's sonorous snores, keeping ryhtmic
time to his heavy breathings. The perspira
tion streamed from ever' pore, yet on he
slumbered.
rested; and all of Jack's efforts to pull it
through had been wasted ; and innocent Bill
lay and slumbered peacefully through it all.
The stove was finally subdued, but it was
many days ere Jack recovered his health,
tranquility and good nature, and declares he
will fvnr tot:iin :i vivid rnr'nllorf inn nf flint
Realizing that heroic action was required, nighu an(, chcrishes unto this day in memory
I plucked up my courage and rushing swiftly Df his terrible experience, the end of a broken
past the blazing demon and into the torrid string. B. B. D.
