FOR OUR BOYS & GIRLS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 19, 23 January 1897, Page 3 (Supplement)

FOR OUR BOYS & GIRLS.

Fights that Won.

FOKBST KITSON'S STRUGGLES

WITH A BIG BULLY

By Pint-]. Verkili. Mighhels.

The bridge thab spanned the Brunswick ditch was wide and stout, and its beams wero large, for bbc little stream that ran so quietly along, though twenty feeb below in summer, surged like a borrenb when- the sun of spring melted tha snows in the mountains. Ib waa near bho county school, and was popular with all bhe boys who played beneath it and upon ib, before and after fche session, and during the intermissions. On an afternoon of ovary falla-dozon boy* who had lingered alter school on the bridge to play stood aghast and angry, gazing at the bully of tho mining camp. Ho was balaucod on a plunk that projected further bhan its fellows on ii side ot the bridge, and wus holding, head downwards by the haols, a slip ot a boy, and swinging him slowly back and forth over bhe rocks thab made the bed of the creek below. Tho lad wan screaming, his brain swam dizzily, blood had rushed to his head, and his piteous appeals to bo lifted back woro rapidly growing fainter. ' Oh, bho coward 1 He'd never dare do ifc if Forest) Rifcson was hero 1' said one of the boys. ' Whab shall we do ? Can't we do eomefching—the crowd of uh ? It's awful. Look, look ab that—poor little Bricky I' The bully was raising and lowering the lad and grinning at his agony in a heartless, cruel manner, thafc made the blood of the other boys boil wifch anger. .Let's make a rush,' said ono, stepping impulsively forward. •Gil away or I'll have him drop,' cried tho rowdy. His arms, indeed, were weary already, bub ho meant) to continue fcho torture a rnomont longer. ' Gob enough V ho mockingly called ab his victim, looking down in the purple faco. Then, becoming frightoned when no rep'y was made, ho added, ' Well, I'll leave ye up.' But hi* strength waß gone for the momenb, tho effort failed, his grasp relaxed, bhe fingers slipped, and downward .hob the boy. With a cry of horror the crowd ran forward to look bolow. The eighb they saw was a wonderful surprise, for there, in the shallow wabor, holding Bricky in hi-i arm;., waa Forebt; Kitson. Ho had como alor .. down the boys' pabh, that ran by tho edge of bhe sbream, and Beolng the boy who was

dangling from abovo, hurried quickly ahead. Just aa ho got beneath his tiny friend, tho bully's graap had loosened, and IToresb, ab the greatest risk, hud caught tho lad as he fall. Kitson now came striding up to the bank and placed his oharg. on the grass, where he quickly revived. The rowdy, whose face had whitened with fear, was grinning now, and making much of his trick. ' I'd like to know what coward it wn<? that came so near bo killing Bricky,' said Forest. •Don'b you call ma no coward, Kitson.' 'I do call you a mi^eri-ble sneak, coward, and bully, Ramire..' Forest replied. He was calmly removing his coat. " And what is more, I am going to give you a thrashing.' ' Yeh can't do ifc. Coma on 1' sneered Ramirez, throwing down hi-' hat. He w«. taller than Forest, strong and fierce, a Mexican by birth, and hot lor a light. Forest stepped to tho front, prepared to battle 'fair,' but tho Mexican made a .ui»h, they cloned, and tha struggle on the bridge began. Hither and yon they proved nnd laboured, the Mexican, "« quick as a cat, avoiding the hug of Forest's splendid arms, and preventing a blow from tho powerful 1i.6. Rising suddenly Ramirez threw'his. hand about young Kitston's neck and fastened his clutching, bony talons on tho latter'- fchroi't. It lookod like a horrible moment for Forest. Bub ho whirled ..bout instantly, presenting his back to his fno, grasped tho wrist that was thus brought across his shoulder, and, bending his back, gave a giant tug and lift, fetched tho bully fairly over hi. head, and dashed him down upon the planks of tho bridge. The Mexican lay there stunned and limp, unable to move, and hardly breathing. • Water ! bring him water, quick !' cried Forest. In a moment he had clashed the ashen face, and fche eyes slowly opened. Fifteen minutes later Ramirez got upon his feeb, abaggering and sullen, and wibh a i treacherous, bhreaboning gleam in his eye. ' There,' said Forest, • better go home, Ramirez. You've got all you can stand. Just remember hereafter to pick on soma ona your size.' _~«__ Tho bully answered nothing afc all, but went hia way, and bhe crowd ah length disosrsed. Forest, bidding his friends goodby and dusting bis clothes as he went, proceeded on his way down to 'Lower Band,' which was part of the mining camp, and went to a building over the door of which appeared the sign: Wk-LS-Fargo & Co. Express Stage

Office.

'Ia the manager in ?' ho asked of a man who was standing inside, «or have I come too late ?•' ~, ~ __. «That door fco bhe right,' said the man. Forest entered, to find himself confronted by an elderly pcr?on who shu. his mouth very hard and lid throus.'. hia mawivo

eyebrows over a pair of gold ■ rimmed glasses. j ' Well, young man,' bhis personage said, < * what can we do for you ?' j ' You can give me a chance to drive fche j stage to Red Canon.' Forest believed in i getting at once to the point. * You don't say so,' said the astonished manager, ' and why do you think we should.' ' Wall, sir,' said fcha boy, wistfully, 'I'm almost alone in tha world ; I'm living with grandfather, and trying to help ; it's work thab 1 can do and like ; and I could save considerable money.' The man regarded him oddly. 'You're frank and have a heap of assurance,' he said. ' What's your name—who was your father?' ' Hia nam. was Forest Kitson nnd so is mine. This is his watch I wear.' Tho boy produced a fine golden bimepicce, but bhe man took little hood. 'Hum,' ho said, turning to a stack of papers near ab hand, ' you won'b be old enough for bwo years yet, my boy. It's

men wo ncod for drivers, out here in Cali- ** fornia—-it's risky but-mass.' _ t ' Two years ?' echoed Forest, in despair ; t 'why, I'd like to leave for college two I years Irom now.' \ ' Two years . yoa, come round in bwo f years,' the man repeated absently, being absorbed in his work. Then ha called out, 1 James, have you got those reports?' and i (forest, knowing that the intorviov. was nb c ;.n ond, turned away, bitterly diaap- 1 pointed. ' | *• Tho boy had counted long on making this application, and his hopes had been c iiii'h. Two drivers woro always employed r by" tho company, ono to go in eithor _ lirecfcion every day, for tho distance fco j Lied (.'anon wns noarly 40 milos, requiring . bwo days for the round trip. Ho waa . Friendly with 'Old Hank ' Hutchinson, the . veteran driver, from whom ho had roamed 1 that tho other driver was unreliable The company longed and hoped to got another c man aa steady as old Hank, for tho route 1 was quifco as important as ib waa trying on f men und horses. Foreab climbed tho hill again slowly. 1 Such v load of helplessness seemed to lie on I tho heart of his dearest ambition that I evening. Bub 'never give up' was what ' he lived by ; fcho morning, with its golden -.in, could always dispel hia,cares and start ] hia scheming off afresh. ' About two weeks had passed since bhe i intorviow with tha manager. Late one | chilly afternoon, when the shadows were - .„n«*> on the hills and valleys, Forest was , standing by bho roadway, just outsido the limits of a mining camp ton mdea from homo, whither he had walked in an unavailme. .parch of another position. Ho was slapping with & switch, at his leather loggings, in a thoughtful mood. Presently the rocking stage, with ifcs six dusty horse's, came rolling around a bend, old Hank on top alone. ... . ~ . 'Hey Forest,'called fcho driver, 'climb up an' 'ride-Whoap, Baldy.' The horses -topped and the boy was on the box beside hi. friend in a moment. ' TaL-o tho ribbons a m'nit, while I light tho pipe,' said Hank. This was really a trick of his to let the lad assume bhe reins, for bo know what an itching Foreab felt to nuide the team up the long ascent. The road was on an easy grade for half ot the distance home, bub the last five miles wound -fc-_atf up a hill, to go a distance of !o<*& than two. ' us the crow flies. _ Forest told his bale to his sympathetic mend as they rode, the latter smoking in onmforb and "Bitting wi h his arm. across liis chasb to listen. He was secretly admiring the stout round wrists of the boy, tho firm strong hands, and tho roaolute face. „ , ,~, Just at the foot of the final hill was a dense growth of as pons, alders, and sapling pine trees that clothed a mi c or more of gulch, gully, and slope. Bushes and boulders also had bheir place, close by the _ide oi the sandy road. Hank and Forests, quite absorbed, looked up together at tho hill ahead. Suddenly, from themanzaniba, jumped s man, masked in a sack and armed with a double-barrelled gun. , ' _fcop !' he shouted, ' throw your hands up in a hurry !' ' Give 'em the whip ! muttered ioroab. • Ho, he'd kili us~bhrow 'em up,' h«3kily answered his friend. 'Chuck down fcho express!' demanded bhe lone highwayman, * an' don'b yell try Ino funny bu.ineas !' The box of treasure cama down with a bhump to fche ground. 1 Now coma down with your hatchet, driver, an: bust her ope--— hole on, yoh can 1 fetch thab young sneak's watch.' ' No!' cried Forest, angered beyond an- ' durance, ' No, Hank, it belonged to my fatter.' .. 1 Ain'b wu.h so much ez yor life en ho s • got tho drop,' said the driver wisely, and ' slipped tho golden heirloom from its pockeb, ' while the boy gave a low moan of di.tro.s. f In less theu tan minufce. tho company's box was gaping open, the robber had told bhem bo ' git, an' never look back,' and he himself was gliding away in the brush and . woods, with bis booty slung from his 3 shoulder, in a aack. •Oh why wouldn'b you let me whip bhe horses'?' said the boy aa they breasted bhe , "'They could never do no runnin' wibh a 0 mountain ahead, laddie, en' we'd a been

bored fco deabh wibh buckshob in a minib.' •To have fco submit like that!' Forest exclaimed indiguanbly. 'Bub by jinks. Hank, I don'b propose to ride away at a walk. I m going bo climb bhe hill on foob—l can beab you an hour and the company's gob to be informod without delay.' * Right fer you,' said Hank, «good luck ! He had halted tho team, Foroab slipped fco bhe grouud and was dashing away through bhe trees in a jiffy. He had gone perhaps half a mile, and was weaving his way through a bangled copsa, as a forest creature might havo done, when, coming abruptly to a clearing and skirting an enormous boulder, he found himself face to faca with Ramirez, tho bully with whom he had fought. _ Tho follow was down on his knees making a hole in the sandy soil. Againsb a tree that was growing near, a shot gun leaned, and near ifc lay the sack of treasure. Ramirez was fche lono highwayman 1 Quick as a thought fche Mexican had bounded bo his fesb and made a lunge for his gun. Too late. Forest knew, for the

whole situation flashed on his mind in a twinkling, that there waa more than juab a desperate robber, here was a deadly foe. Leaping between the rowdy and his weapon Forest grasped him stoutly—"-and a terrible fight commenced. Over rocks and fcwistod roots, forward and back they battled, the wiry Mesfcan clawing ab-ornpting to bite, and crushing his opoonoub with all his fierce wild strength. Forest, too, was powerful, bub muscle counted little with a riond so cunning. Making a pass, like tho rnavomonb of a cabas she pounces, Ramirez drew a long and gleaming knife. Ho raised ib high to strike at the throab of his young antagonist. Bub tho latter, taking instant advantage of the opening, gavo him a quick and skilful trip bhnb broughb bli6m both to earth ; and a boulder, near, struck bhe knife away. Over and over they rolled in the fury of a deadly combat, With a wonderful effort Kitson arose, for he found tha ground in favour of his foo. As ho gob to his feeb the Mexican was up, cat-quick, and wound a tightening arm about young Forest's neck, holding the head of the boy beneath it in tha dreadful lock that ia called in wrestling 'chancery.' Now was a strange bbing done, for Forest, who knew the trick, threw his free right hand up over the Mexican's shoulder, found tha cruel face with his ringers and, grasping tha nose, wrenched ib backward with a mighty jerk. The hold around his neck gave way, tho robber reeled, tha pressure on. the nose increased, aad in less than five seconds Fores', was sitting astride his enemy, whom, with a gianb efforb, he had burned face downward. Braabhing hard, as he was, Foro&b yeb had a greab reserve of sbrengfch. Ha jerked his enemy's arms across hia back, whore, by reason of their cramped position, he could hold fchem oasily, and looked about for a cord with which fco bind thorn. Nob a thing did ho have in his pockets, but with inward joy ha noticed the leather thongs that laced hia leggings bo h_B knees. Quickly changing his position, ha sat upon tha Mexican's head, tbe easier to hold him helpless and at hia mercy, and pulled the leathers forth. With these he firmly bound the prisoner, hand and foob, so hard and firmly that escape or even a struggle was utterly impossible. Aa hour later the posse that had rushed to the scene, headed by Hank, who was frantic with fear for tho 'laddie' who. had not returned, answered thoshoubßof Forosb in fcho copao. They came ab lasb to where he was, watching his foe in the gloaming. Stained with blood woro his hands and face, bub victory shono in hia eyes. « We'd be glad to give yon a gold wafceh, 'in addition to making you a driver,' Baid the manager, looking kindly over the rime of his glasses, ' bub you'll treasure yoar father's moro; bo we've made ib a puree, with a trifle inside.' The ' biifla' Foreeb found bo be $50,.. in geld. ' You know,' said the boy, who desired to be fair, ' I shall hope to leave in aboub bwo years.' •Two yoara hence you go fco college,' replied bhe manager, beaming wibh unsurpassed admiration, *if 1 have to pay your way myself.'

'Ah, Mike, allow me bo congratulabe you,' said the heavy member of the firm to the porter. 'Who was fche besb man ab your wedding?' 'Binny Gilgorry, sor. He bate foive mm and bwo polacemin, Bor.' When an Irish docbor reproved a friend for hia boo liberal use ot brandy, ' Bah 1' said ho, Tve drunk of ib since 1 was a boy, and I'm sixty.' ' Very likely,' replied fche docbor; ' bub if you had never drunk of it perhaps you would now bo seventy.' ' It is a settled principle, your honour,' said an eminenb Q-.C, ' thab causos always produce effects.' 'They always do for lawyers,' blandly responded the judge; • but I've sometimes known a single cause to deprive a client of all his effects.' • While we were in the counbry we wont to the theatre. The play was ♦ The Robbers,' and ib was ao naturally given thab when we camo o_4 my wj_a missed her braes}*!'*-'