WHEN FRED CAME HOME

New Zealand Tablet, 2 October 1913, Page 61

WHEN FRED CAME HOME

It was Saturday morning, and Roger Mason and Skip, the little water-spaniel, were on their way to the Centerville Station to meet Fred. It had been nearly a month since the younger boy had gone to visit Uncle Henry in Weston, and now he was coming home. Roger's heart beat fast with joy, and even Skip seemed to know that there was good reason for being happy. Roger crossed the new bridge, bright with its coat of red paint, and was soon at the station. When the train rushed in, Fred, who had come all the way from Weston in the care of a friendly conductor, stepped off. The first thing that he said was, ' My ! How Skip has grown !' The spaniel knew that they were saying nice things about him, and he wagged his tail with all his might, and barked in answer.

Soon they were on the road home, and Fred was listening to Roger’s stories of the adventures he had had with their companion, Skip. Before the red bridge was reached, the boys and the dog came to an old farmhouse where no one lived. The roof had sagged, and nearly all the windows were broken, and the paint on the walls had long since been washed away by the rains. In front of it, under the great maples that shaded the yard, was a well of icecold water.

‘lsn’t it hot?’ said Fred, squinting up at the sun. Let’s go in under those trees, and try to get a drink of water.’ He led the way into the yard. On a nail in one of the trees hung a pail, with a string tied to its handle. A moment later the boys were drinking — because the water was almost icecold.

It was a deep well, walled with rough stones; and way down at the bottom, in the round mirror of water, they could see their own faces as they stood cautiously near the edge. A cool, moist, mossy smell floated up from its depths, \ Skip came panting from the squirrel thicket and stood beside them. Roger poured half a pailful of water into a cup-like hollow in a flat rock, and the spaniel lapped thirstily. Then he looked over the edge and saw his own furry head mirrowed in the pool below. He barked, and the dog at the bottom of the well opened its mouth and seemed to answer. Skip danced excitedly, barking louder than ever, while his two masters shouted with laughter. Suddenly, almost overhead in one of the maples, a bird, frightened by the noise, flew twittering from its nest. The boys turned to gaze after it. In that same instant they heard a strange yelp from the little spaniel, mingled with the sound of a

falling stone. They looked round. Skip was gone from 1 the edge of the well! A moment before he had been almost at their! feet, and now there was only an ugly, fresh mark in the earth where one of the stones had slipped- from the edge. They dreaded to look down, but a tiny splashing sound came from below, and they peered over the brink. There—very far below, it seemed—was Skip, swimming bravely in a circle. Twice he tried to climb the smooth rocks that lined the well, but each time he slipped ' back after pawing vainly for a■' foothold. As he paddled round and round, he whined in such a piteous way that the tears came to the boys' eyes. The rope cried Roger. , He; had no sooner spoken than Fred began to lower it with the pail at the end but it was a very small pail, and although Skip made for it the moment it touched the water, and tried to Hold on with teeth and paws, all his efforts seemed of little use. Every time they tried to pull it up, the spaniel clung desperately for a moment, then fell i back and disappeared with a splash. Again and again they tried, but all in vain. The, last time Skip did not have the strength to swim for the pail, but clung motionless to a rock, with little more than his nose and two appealing eyes showing. We must get something else,’ said Fred, trying to keep the sob from his voice. He ran toward the farmhouse, and looked about. An old peach-basket was lying beside the rickety steps. He seized it and rushed back to Roger, Quickly they tied the cord to its rim, though their fingers trembled from fear that they were too late. Here said Roger, as he placed a stone in the bottom. That will make it sink so fast that we can get it under him.’ Together they lowered the basket, while Skip, who was too exhausted to swim, watched it come down with eyes that showed that he realised that this was his last chance. The basket sank. The boys moved it carefully under him, and began to pull upward. ‘ He's in!’ shouted Fred.

- The load was heavy for the slender cord, and they lifted slowly, hoping that it would not break. A moment later they stepped back from the edge with their strange basket-load. b Little Skip could only wag his tail at first, but ten minutes in a sunny spot by the road with his two happy masters rubbing him down, and wiping the water from his fur, and patting him again and-again, quite brought back his liveliness, and barking and frisking round Fred and Roger, he thanked them plainly in his dog language. Then the three companions started home the sun seemed to shine brighter than ever, and a great deal of joy was in their hearts.