THE RESCUE
"Jack, he's here under all this stuff!" called out Bobolink,
excitedly.
"Poor old chap," said Wallace. "I wouldn't like to give much for his
chance of getting out of the scrape with his life."
"And to think," added Bluff, soberly, "that after all the
protestations made by the company that the old house couldn't fall, it
trapped one of the big owners when it smashed down. It's mighty queer,
it strikes me."
"Keep still again," warned Jack. "I want to call out and see if Mr.
Garrity can hear me."
"A bully good scheme, Jack!" asserted Bobolink. "If we can locate him
in that way it may save us a heap of hard work dragging these timbers
around."
Jack dropped flat on his face, and, placing his mouth close to the
wreckage where it seemed worst, called aloud:
"Hello! Mr. Garrity, can you hear me?"
"Yes! Oh, yes!" came the faint response from somewhere below.
"Are you badly hurt, sir?" continued the scout.
"I don't know--I believe not, but a beam is keeping tons and tons from
falling on me. I am pinned down here, and can hardly move. Hurry and
get some of these timbers off before they fall and crush me!"
Every word came plainly to their ears now. Evidently, Mr. Garrity,
understanding that relief was at hand, began to feel new courage. Jack
waited for no more.
"I reckon I've located him, boys," he told the others, "and now we've
got to get busy."
"Only tell us what to do, Jack," urged Wallace, "and there are plenty
of willing hands here for the work, what with these strong men and the
rest of the boys."
Indeed, already newcomers were arriving, some of them being people who
had been passing along the turnpike near by in wagons or sleighs at
the time the accident happened, and who hastened to the spot in order
to render what assistance they could.
Jack seemed to know just how to go about the work. If he had been in
the house-wrecking business for years he could hardly have improved
upon his system.
"We've got to be careful, you understand, fellows," he told the others
as they labored strenuously to remove the upper timbers from the pile,
"because that one timber he mentioned is the key log of the jam. As
long as it holds he's safe from being crushed. Here, don't try that
beam yet, men. Take hold of the other one. And Bobolink and Wallace,
help me lift this section of shingles from the roof!"
So Jack went on to give clear directions. He did not intend that any
new accident should be laid at their door on account of too much
haste. Better that the man who was imprisoned under all this wreckage
should remain there a longer period than that he lose his life through
carelessness. Jack believed in making thorough work of anything he
undertook; and this trait marked him as a clever scout.
As others came to add to the number of willing workers the business of
delving into the wreck of the ice-house proceeded in a satisfactory
manner. Once in a while Jack would call a temporary halt while he got
into communication with the unfortunate man they were seeking to
assist.
"He seems to be all right so far, fellows," was the cheering report he
gave after this had happened for the third time; "and I think we'll be
able to reach him in a short time now."
"As sure as you're born we will, Jack!" announced Bobolink,
triumphantly; "for I can see the big timber he said was acting as a
buffer above him. Hey! we've got to be extra careful now, because one
end of that beam is balanced ever so delicately, and if it gets shoved
off its anchorage--good-bye to Mr. Garrity!"
"Yes," came from below the wreckage, "be very careful, please, for
it's just as you say."
Jack was more than ever on the alert as the work continued. He watched
every move that was made, and often warned those who strained and
labored to be more cautious.
"In five minutes or so we ought to be able to get something under that
loose end of the big timber, Jack," suggested Bobolink, presently.
"In less time than that," he was told. "And here's the very prop to
slip down through that opening. I think I can reach it right now, if
you stop the work for a bit."
He pushed the stout post carefully downward, endeavoring to adjust it
so that it was bound to catch and hold the timber should the latter
break away from its frail support at that end. When Bobolink saw him
get up from his knees a minute later he did not need to be told that
Jack's endeavor had been a success, for the satisfied smile on the
other's face told as much.
"Now let the good work go on with a rush!" called out Jack. "Not so
much danger now, because I've put a crimp in that timber's threat to
fall. It's securely wedged. Everybody get busy."
Jack led in the work himself, and the way they removed the heavy
beams, many of them splintered or broken in the downward rush of the
building, was surely a sight worth seeing. At least some of the town
people who came up just then felt they had good reason to be proud of
the Banner Boy Scouts, who on other notable occasions had brought
credit to the community.
"I can see him now!" exclaimed Bobolink; and indeed, only a few more
weighty fragments remained to be lifted off before Jack would be able
to drop down into the cavity and assist the prisoner at close
quarters.
Five minutes later the workers managed to release Mr. Garrity, and
Jack helped him out of his prison. The old gentleman looked
considerably the worse for his remarkable experience. There was blood
upon his cheek, and he kept caressing one arm as though it pained him
considerably.
Still his heart was filled with thanksgiving as he stared around at
the pile of torn timbers, and considered what a marvelous escape his
had been.
"Let me take a look at your arm, sir," said Jack, who feared that it
had been broken, because a beam had pinned the gentleman by his arm to
the ground.
Mr. Garrity, who up to that time had paid very little attention to the
Boy Scout movement that had swept over that region of the eastern
country like wildfire, looked at the eager, boyish faces of his
rescuers. It could be seen that he was genuinely affected on noticing
that most of them wore the badges that distinguish scouts the world
over.
"I hope my wrist is not broken, though even that would be a little
price to pay for my temerity in entering that shaky old building," he
ventured to say as he allowed Jack to examine his arm.
"I'm glad to tell you, sir," said the boy, quickly, "that it is only a
bad sprain. At the worst you will be without the use of that hand for
a month or two."
"Then I have great reason to be thankful," declared Mr. Garrity,
solemnly. "Perhaps this may be intended for a lesson to me. And, to
begin with, I want to say that I believe I owe my very life to you
boys. I can never forget it. Others, of course, might have done all
they could to dig me out, but only a long-headed boy, like Jack
Stormways here, would have thought to keep that timber from falling
and crushing me just when escape seemed certain."
He went around shaking hands with each one of the boys, of course
using his left arm, since the right was disabled for the time being.
Jack deftly made a sling out of a red bandana handkerchief, which he
fastened around the neck of Mr. Garrity, and then gently placed the
bruised hand in this.
"Was any other person injured when the ice-house collapsed?" asked Mr.
Garrity, anxiously.
"A couple of girls were struck by some of the big cakes flung far and
wide," explained Bobolink. "Little Lucy Stackpole has a broken leg. We
sent her home on a sled, and the doctor will soon be at her house,
sir."
"That is too bad!" declared the part owner of the building, frowning.
"I hoped that the brunt of the accident had fallen on my shoulders
alone. Of course, the company will be liable for damages, as well as
the doctor's bill; and I suppose we deserve to be hit pretty hard to
pay for our stupidity. But I am glad it is no worse."
"Excuse me, Mr. Garrity, but perhaps you had better have that swelling
wrist attended to as soon as possible," remarked Jack. "You have some
bruises, too, that are apt to be painful for several days. There is a
carriage on the road that might be called on to take you home."
"Thank you, Jack, I will do as you say," replied the one addressed.
"But depend on it I mean to meet you boys again, and that at a very
early date."
"We're going to be away somewhere on a midwinter hike immediately
after Christmas, sir," Bobolink thought it best to explain. Somehow
deep down in his heart he was already wondering whether this
remarkable rescue of Mr. Garrity might not develop into some sort of
connection with their partly formed plans.
"Yes," added Bluff, eagerly, suddenly possessed by the same hope, "and
it's all going to be settled to-night when we have our monthly meeting
in the big room under the church. We'd be pleased to have you drop in
and see us, sir. Lots of the leading citizens of Stanhope have visited
our rooms from time to time, but I don't remember ever having seen you
there, Mr. Garrity."
"Thank you for the invitation, my lad," said the other, smiling
grimly. "Perhaps I shall avail myself of it, and I might possibly have
something of interest to communicate to you and your fellow scouts,"
and waving his hand to them he walked away.