Why He Held On.

Otago Witness, Issue 2051, 15 June 1893, Page 50

Why He Held On.

Workmen were hoisting stone next door to Frankie's house, where a new building was going up, the motive power being a donkey engine. The signal for hoisting was given by the sound of a whistle, and the man to whom fell the duty of blowing this stood out of sight of the engineer. One day Frankie and a small friend were standing as close to the rope as they were allowed to come, when the whistler was called away for a moment. The man who made the stone fast went for a drink, and the two boys crept up to the tackle. Unluckily the other boy spied the whistle lying on a timber, and just as Frankie had seized the rop?, his i'riend gave a shrill blast. The engine inside its shed began to puff-, and, with a squeal, up went Frank into the air. The workmen came running, shouting to the engineer to reverse the machine, and to the boy not to let go. The lad was up to the second storey before he could be stopped, but here a carpenter managed to seize him, and draw him unhurt into a window. "You did well to hold on, little fellow," he said, as he got the boy into safety. " Oh, I had to," Frankie answered ; "mother told me not to fall into the mud with my new clothes."