John Burney was clearing away the wreck of a coal-barge that had drifted
under the lower edge of the wharfboat. The water had fallen, leaving
part of the barge on shore. Burney had used every known method in trying
to remove the wreckage. Old Pence Oiler came by and walked up to the
heavy mass of timbers and called to Burney, "John, she's too wet to
burn, and there ain't but one way to git her off, an' that's to lay a
stick of dynamite under the front end, give her a slow fuse and blow her
out."
Burney called to Shawn, who was on the bank, and asked him to go down to
Bennett's mill and get a stick of dynamite, and Shawn, desirous of
seeing the blast, hastened on the errand.
"Be careful how you handle that goods," said Bennett, "I knowed a
feller once who left some of it layin' around, and a hog et it, and the
man kicked the hog and lost a leg!"
Shawn helped Burney to place the stick, unmindful of one of Coaly's
never-failing traits. Shawn had taught him, as a young dog, to carry
things from the boat in his mouth, and faithful Coaly could be sent back
for his glove or any small article left behind. The little dog stood
watching Shawn and Burney as they placed the stick and touched the fire
to the fuse.
"Run, Shawn!" yelled Burney.
Old man Oiler backed his boat out into the stream, and Shawn and Burney
ran up the shore.
Horror of horrors! When Burney turned to look back toward the wreckage,
he saw Coaly coming after them with the dynamite stick in his mouth, the
fire slowly creeping up the fuse.
"Go back, Coaly! Go back!" yelled Burney. He threw a boulder at the
little dog, but he came on. Burney ran for the willows under the bank
as Coaly quickened his pace. Shawn had taken refuge in an old saw-mill
and peered out, wringing his hands in an agony of suspense. Burney was
breaking down the dry willows and yelling, "Go back, Coaly!"
Suddenly, there was a loud report that shook the earth. The ground was
torn up and bark and driftwood were scattered everywhere. Shawn and
Burney ran up, but there were no signs of Coaly, not even a trace of
bone, hide nor hair. Coaly had returned to the original atoms of
atmosphere and nothingness.
Shawn sat upon a log and wept. Pence Oiler came up, cut a piece of
tobacco from his plug and said, "There's nothin' to bury--not even a
tooth."