The "B. O. W. C.": A Book For Boys: Illustrated — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
The "B. O. W. C.": A Book For Boys: Illustrated
John Stuart Mill · en
By the red shirts which all wore, he knew that the one in danger must be
one of those five that had dressed themselves in this way. But which of
them it was, he could not tell.
His shriek roused others. Mr. Long came hurrying there, and the other
boys, all looking up with eyes of horror and ashen lips. The moments of
that suspense were agony.
There was nothing that they could do. Mr. Long alone tried to do
something. Starting off at full speed, he ran on, trying to find a
place to scale the cliff. Gradually a few others followed. But the rest
thought it was of no use, and awaited the end in voiceless horror.
Meanwhile Bruce Rawdon had clung to the root, shrieking for help, and
trying to find some resting-place for his feet. In vain he tried. The
precipice retreated inward, and the shelf that had fallen left a deeper
hollow behind. Almost senseless with the horror of his situation, he was
conscious of nothing but the fact that friends were near; and for these
he shouted, clinging desperately to the root of the tree. Another boy
might have fallen; but Bruce’s muscles had been toughened by all kinds
of manly exercise, and he had in him the germ and the promise of mighty
strength and stature.
The shriek that roused Arthur and Bart was followed by others, which led
them speedily to the place.
With a groan Arthur flung himself down, and grasped his brother by the
wrist. Bart took a swift glance around.. A small tree was growing near
the edge. Twining his sinewy legs around this, he bent his body over the
precipice, and caught Bruce by the waistband. Then, clutching the tree
with his legs, he made a mighty effort to raise Bruce. The latter, in
the mean while, had seized Arthur, who was also trying to raise him.
But Arthur had not a fair chance to exert his full strength, and so they
prevailed but little against the dead weight which they were trying to
lift.
“Arthur!” cried Bart.
“Well.”
“Can you catch hold of this tree where my legs are? Hold it with one
hand, and then you can pull better with your other. Can you do it?”
“Yes. I’ve got hold.”
“Now then.”
With a tremendous effort, both boys pulled together. The slender tree
bent beneath their efforts. But the weight was raised! Yes! O, thank
God! higher--higher! There was Bruce’s head at the edge, and now his
shoulders. And now he himself, by a last; despairing, convulsive
effort, had flung himself forward, and was on the rock. They dragged him
forward. He was saved.
Arthur burst into tears, and held Bruce in his arms. Bart rushed off
for water. Returning in a few minutes with his leathern cup,--which he
always carried,--full of cold water, he gave it to Bruce. The fainting
boy drank it, and then drew a long breath.
“God bless you, boys!” he said at last, wringing the hand of each. He
would have said more, but he could not.