Árdís - 01.01.1963, Side 35

Ársrit Bandalags lúterskra kvenna
33
rope was taut. Then with hunched shoulders, head pushed for-
ward, toes digging into the ground he plodded forward like a
horse with a heavy load. The muscles of his calves and thighs
strained. Step by slow step he trudged on.
“He’s coming up!” Jim shouted.
Frank heard Roy scream. It might be from fright or it might
be from pain. Frank tried not to listen, he couldn’t stop now. The
rope cut into the back of his neck. His back and shoulders ached.
Once he thought he couldn’t move another step, but he did take
another and another.
“He’s almost to the top!” Garry shouted.
“Just a few more steps,” Frank told himself.
When he felt the rope slacken he turned in time to see the
twins pull their brother to safety. He had done it. He had hauled
Roy up from the cave-in.
THE HAMILTONS were back in the cottage when the boys
arrived. While Mrs. Hamilton painted Roy’s scratches with mer-
curochrome, and bandaged two of Frank’s fingers, the twins told
about their adventures. Frank answered the parent’s questions.
“You sure use your head,” Mr. Hamilton told Frank. “That
cave-in must have been formed by washouts during spring thaws
or down-pour of rain rushing down the hill. There must be an outlet
for the water into the swamp. It’s dangerous to both man and
beast. An open pit would be better. Tomorrow we’ll go there
with axe and saw and hack away the loose stuff.”
He turned to his wife cooking supper on the wood stove.
“I’ll take pictures, and write up about the boy’s experience. It’s
not a world shattering scoop, but it shows a smart kid in action.
Will have human interest.”
Franlc felt glad he had lived up to Mrs. Hamilton’s trust in him.
Suddenly Roy said. “You never got us any bows and arrows,
Frank. You promised. You did. You did.”
“Tomorrow I’ll get them,” Frank promised once more.
What a day this had been. The good smell of frying steak
filled the kitchen. Frank hadn’t felt hungry until now. Now he
felt starved as he sat down to the late supper.