It was a torrent now, for not only was it coming through the dam, but it
was rushing down in cascades from the new channel. Without a word the
miner placed himself facing Dick, and the moment the bucket was again
down the three grasped the handles. But quickly as they worked, the edge
of the water was within a few inches of the shaft when the next man
reached the surface; but again the bucket descended before the rope
tightened. However, the water had began to run over the lip--at first
in a mere trickle, and then, almost instantaneously, in a cascade, which
grew larger and larger.
The bucket was half-way up when a sound like thunder was heard, the
ground seemed to tremble under their feet, and then at the turn of the
valley above, a great wave of yellow water, crested with foam, was seen
tearing along at the speed of a race-horse.
"The dam has burst!" Saunders shouted. "Run for your lives, or we are
all lost!"
The three men dropped the handles and ran at full speed towards the
shore, while loud shouts to Dick to follow came from the crowd of men
standing on the slope. But the boy still grasped the handles, and with
lips tightly closed still toiled on. Slowly the bucket ascended, for
Red George was a heavy man; then suddenly the weight slackened, and the
handle went round faster.
The shaft was filling, the water had reached the bucket, and had risen
to Red George's neck, so that his weight was no longer on the rope. So
fast did the water pour in that it was not half a minute before the
bucket reached the surface, and Red George sprang out. There was but
time for one exclamation, and then the great wave struck them. Red
George was whirled like a straw in the current; but he was a strong
swimmer, and at a point where the valley widened out, half a mile lower,
he struggled to shore.
Two days later the news reached Pine-tree Gulch that a boy's body had
been washed ashore twenty miles down, and ten men, headed by Red George,
went and brought it solemnly back to Pine-tree Gulch. There, among the
stumps of pine-trees, a grave was dug, and there, in the presence of the
whole camp, White-faced Dick was laid to rest.
Pine-tree Gulch is a solitude now, the trees are growing again, and none
would dream that it was once a busy scene of industry; but if the
traveller searches among the pine-trees he will find a stone with the
words:
"Here lies White-faced Dick, who died to save Red George. 'What can a
man do more than give his life for a friend?'"
Red George worked no more at the diggings. After seeing the stone laid
in its place, he went east, bought a small farm, and settled down there;
but to the end of his life he was never weary of telling those who would
listen to it the story of Pine-tree Gulch.
*A BRUSH WITH THE CHINESE,*
*AND WHAT CAME OF IT.*
*FROM "TALES OF DARING AND DANGER."*
It was early in December that H.M.S. _Perseus_ was cruising off the
mouth of the Canton River. War had been declared with China in
consequence of her continued evasions of the treaty she had made with
us, and it was expected that a strong naval force would soon gather to
bring her to reason.
In the meantime the ships on the station had a busy time of it; chasing
the enemy's junks when they ventured to show themselves beyond the reach
of the guns of their forts; and occasionally having a brush with the
piratical boats which took advantage of the general confusion to plunder
friend as well as foe.
The _Perseus_ had that afternoon chased two government junks up a creek.
The sun had already set when they took refuge there; and the captain did
not care to send his boats after them in the dark, as many of the creeks
ran up for miles into the flat country. As the creeks not unfrequently
had many arms or branches, the boats might, in the dark, miss the junks
altogether.
Orders were issued that four boats should be ready for starting at
daybreak the next morning. The _Perseus_ anchored off the mouth of the
creek; and two boats were ordered to row backwards and forwards off its
mouth all night to ensure that the enemy did not slip out in the
darkness.
Jack Fothergill, the senior midshipman, was commanding the gig, and two
of the other midshipmen were going in the pinnace and launch, commanded
respectively by the first lieutenant and the master. The three other
midshipmen of the _Perseus_ were loud in their lamentations that they
were not to share in the fun.
"You can't all go, you know," Fothergill said, "and it's no use making a
noise about it; the captain has been very good to let three of us go."
"It's all very well for you, Jack," Percy Adcock, the youngest of the
lads, replied, "because you are one of those chosen; and it is not so
hard for Simmons and Linthorpe, because they went the other day in the
boat that chased those junks under shelter of the guns of their battery.
But I haven't had a chance for ever so long."
"What fun was there in chasing the junks?" Simmons said. "We never got
near the Chinese till they were close to their battery. Then just as
the first shot came singing from their guns, and we thought that we were
going to have some excitement, the first lieutenant sung out 'Easy all,'
and there was nothing for it but to turn round and to row for the ship.
"And a nice hot row it was--two hours and a half in a broiling sun. Of
course I am not blaming Oliphant, for the captain's orders were strict
that we were not to try to cut the junks out if they got under the guns
of any of their batteries. Still it was horribly annoying, and I do
think the captain might have remembered what bad luck we had last time,
and given us a chance to-morrow."
"It is clear we could not all go," Fothergill said, "and naturally
enough the captain chose the three seniors. Besides, if you did have
bad luck last time, you had your chance, and I don't suppose we shall
have anything more exciting now. These fellows always set fire to their
junks and row for the shore directly they see us, after firing a shot or
two wildly in our direction."
"Well, Jack, if you don't expect any fun," Simmons replied, "perhaps you
wouldn't mind telling the first lieutenant you do not care to go, and
that I am very anxious to take your place. Perhaps he will be good
enough to allow me to relieve you."
"A likely thing that!" Fothergill laughed. "No, Tom, I am sorry you are
not going, but you must make the best of it till another chance comes."
"Don't you think, Jack," Percy Adcock said to his senior in a coaxing
tone later on, "you could manage to smuggle me into the boat with you?"
"Not I, Percy. Suppose you got hurt, what would the captain say then?
And firing as wildly as the Chinese do, a shot is just as likely to hit
your little carcass as to lodge in one of the sailors. No, you must
just make the best of it, Percy, and I promise you that next time there
is a boat expedition, if you are not put in, I will say a good word to
the first lieutenant for you."
"That promise is better than nothing," the boy said; "but I would a deal
rather go this time and take my chance next."
"But you see you can't, Percy, and there's no use talking any more about
it. I really do not expect there will be any fighting. Two junks would
hardly make any opposition to the boats of the ship, and I expect we
shall be back by nine o'clock with the news that they were well on fire
before we came up."