Those Smith Boys on the Diamond; or, Nip and Tuck for VictoryGaris, Howard Roger
General
Those Smith Boys on the Diamond; or, Nip and Tuck for Victory
Garis, Howard Roger
Baseball stories
“It’s around here somewhere I think. I spotted it to-day as I was
coming from town, and that’s how I happened to think of the scheme. Ah,
here it is,” and in the semi-darkness he went over to something that
looked like half of a wagon truck. It consisted of two high wheels,
with an iron arrangement between them, a long pole or lever and several
chains.
“What’s that, for the love of tripe?” demanded Bill.
“That,” said Cap, “is a stone-carrier, a pipe-carrier, a stump-puller
and is also used in a variety of other ways to lift heavy weights
and transport them from one place to another. The technical name has
escaped me, but I think that will answer you,” and with this delivered
in his best class room style, Cap took hold of the long pole and began
moving the machine out from amid a pile of sewer and water pipes.
“Say, I believe that _will_ do the trick!” exclaimed Bill admiringly.
“Of course it will,” declared Cap. “Come on, now. We haven’t any too
much time, for the Seniors may come out of meeting any minute, and some
may take a notion to stroll around the campus, though it’s not likely.”
Behold the conspirators then, a little later, trundling the big
two-wheeled affair along the dark road. Fortunately the dirt was
thick, and the machine made no noise. Also the campus grass was long
and soft and the wheels rolled smoothly along.
A careful bit of scout-work on the part of Bill, a cautious approach
and soon the plotters were beside the meteor ready to fasten the chains
around it, lift the heavy weight by the enormous leverage of the long
handle, and wheel it to the main school steps.
Cap and Bill adjusted the chains, handling them with care, so that they
would not rattle. The links were soon fastened about the stone.
“All ready now?” asked Cap in a whisper, as he took his place at the
lever.
“Let her go,” answered Pete.
Cap and his two brothers bore down on the handle. Something began to
give. Suddenly there was a hoarsely whispered appeal.
“Oh! For cats’ sake! You’ve got my foot caught in the chains! You’re
lifting me with the rock!”
It was the unfortunate Whistle-Breeches who had been stationed near the
meteor to steady it when it was raised from its ancient bed.
“Hurry up, get loose!” commanded Cap, and he and the others raised the
pole until the chains were slackened sufficiently for Donald to get his
foot out.
“All right, go ahead!” he called.
There was a creaking of wood and metal. The big lever came slowly down.
More slowly Whistle-Breeches saw the meteor being raised. At last it
was free from the ground, and was slung, in the chains, between the two
big wheels.
“All right!” he whispered. “She’s free!”
“Come on then,” ordered Cap, and they started across the campus,
pulling after them the Senior stone, which from the time when the mind
of man ran not to the contrary, had reposed in a place of honor. Now it
was moved.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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