Bancroft School - Blue Moon Yearbook (Worcester, MA)

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THE BLUE MOON 79 see the clouds of heavy, black smoke covering the whole horizon in front of us. When we reached the house which the firemen had used as a base, I could see the flames jumping up from the barn and from the forest, which I knew had very thick, dry underbrush. The fires had started in two different places and were now running at right angles to each other. Three of us boys, Jack, Bob, and I, were assigned to work at trying to keep them from joining. We found this job to be futile, and then went about putting out small blazes. Meanwhile the firemen had set another fire at an angle opposite the natural one, to buck it. We were shoveling dirt on brush fires when Jack exclaimed, Golly! The square that the fire has formed is closing in on us fast! Sure enough, we were boxed in, with no outlet. The fire increased its roar as if it were a giant happy at the thought of eating three boys, and the Hames seemed to leap much higher. Look out, Bob! I exclaimed. That tree behind you is going to fall. But it was too late: the tree came down with a tremendous crash and hit him on the head. After clearing the tree away, we found that Bob was uncon- scious. 'iWe've got to get him out of here, said Jack, or we'll all be burned to death. There was but one hope, and that was that the firemen would dis- cover us, Just then came a shout: I'll go get the firemen! 'iThat sounded like Dick, said I. Will he get them here in time? asked Jack. The fire had closed in on us so that only a little strip of ground was left open, and that piece seemed to be covered with underbrush on purpose to feed the fire. John suddenly said, i'We can throw the underbrush out through the flames. UNO, that would take too long, said I, choking. Someone hollered, Jump into the net! We are over by the big pine tree. Through the drifts in the smoke and flame we saw the firemen holding a net. I yelled, We can't: Bob is unconscious. Throw him through. O. K.! We picked Bob up with what seemed our last bit of strength and heaved him into the net. Then we tied handkerchiefs around our faces and jumped through. We were both dazed a little when we landed, but we forgot our own feel- ings in concern for Bob. The Iiremen were already trying to revive him. When he opened his eyes, he asked, What happened? One of the firemen, swabbing his head with cold water, answered, It was a narrow escape, sonny, but you are all right now. IRVING CHASE, CLASS 1

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78 THE BLUE MOON STEWART: I'll bet he tries to get an extra fare out of me. What about Bob Messier? CHARON: The poor fellow is bound to eternal sleeplessness. He was always tired when he was on earth. STEWART: Alden Roys should be here. . CHARON: Indeed he is! You should hear him broadcast! He has founded a television radio station called H. D. S. Henshaw Dewey is great as a crooner. On the side he teaches Pluto's tormenters how to make ugly faces to scare poor souls. Ruth Windle used to work for the studio, but she vamped Pluto and he married her. June Spencer is quite an actress--over the radio. She plays old maids' parts. STEWART: I presume Betty Boyden is here? CHARON: She is,-and a very helpful person, too. She knits bandages for those whom the tormenters treat too roughly. Priscilla Martin is in the same department. She is the beauty specialist for the animal kingdom. Doro- thy Dean teaches dancing to the evil spirits. STEWART: Then there was Junior Sherer- CHARON: You will find him fishing in a well-stocked pool a short distance down the stream. STEWART: He must like that. He used to be quite a fisherman on earth. CI-IARON: Yes, but he used gang-hooks. Now he fishes with a hauser and a live-pound hook. STEWART: There were two more-Merle Higgins and Sally Coe. CHARON: Oh! They were too good for this place. Pluto sent them to Olympus. They are cup-bearers for the goddesses. Shall we be going? STEWART: All right. CAs they enter the boat, a huge wave rushes upon them and throws them back onto the shore.j STEWART: I don't think I care to trust myself on that river. I have found out all I want to know. I'll be going back to earth. QStarts away.j CHARON: Oh! They were too good for this place. Pluto sent them to be afraid of. That was only Henry Pinney going in for a swim. BoYs OF CLASS VIII THE FOREST FIRE I WAS sitting in school gazing out of the window and wishing I could be outside playing ball, when suddenly the door slammed open and in walked the principal. There is a forest fire in Bournedalef' said he, and I wonder how many boys will volunteer to help fight it? There are not enough firemen to stop the blaze. The whole room was immediately in a turmoil, with every boy clamoring to be taken. I cannot let you all go, he said, but I will let those who have a high average in their studies go. I happened to be one of the lucky ones, and as we went out the front door of the school, I could

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80 THE BLUE MOON A NARROW ESCAPE CNE fine day at camp, the executives planned to have a horse show. The first and second prizes had been awarded, and I determined to win the third. The event was the three-gaited one, and there were seven competitors. When my turn was called, I entered the ring on a lanky, chestnut-brown mare. The judge told me to walk and then to trot. After I had done this, he ordered me to canter. I was half way around the track when the saddle suddenly loosened and then slipped under the horse. I tried desperately to keep my balance, but the slipping saddle made the horse go faster. The jarring loosened my hold, and I suddenly found myself in the air over the horse's head. As I landed, I doubled up to escape the flying hoofs. The mare veered as much as she could in an attempt to miss me, but I felt a sharp stab in my side which drove most of the wind out of me. Her hind hoof had grazed my ribs. I limped off the field with my hand on the cut, which pained every step I took. The horse trotted along beside me as if sorry for what she had done. I gave her a piece of sugar that I had in my pocket, and patted her. At the infirmary, I found that the blow had merely scraped the skin on my left side. The doctor treated me quickly, and the pain was soon gone. What worried me most was that I had lost the chance for the prize. I That night at supper, I was surprised to find that I had won third prize in spite of the mishap. THoMAs STINSON, Class VIII A BABYLON LEGEND ONCE, long, long ago, in the city of Babylon, lived a kindly man by the name of Banna Cmeaning goodness to allj. Also in those ancient days lived a man covered with hair from head to foot, who was believed to be a sort of devil. Now it happened that one cold, bitter night he stopped at the house of Banna for warmth and shelter from the blinding snow. He had heard rumors of Banna's goodness, and had determined to see for himself how good-natured he really was. After he had warmed himself with a cup of hot tea, and had decided that he had better spend the night under Banna,s roof, he said that he would re- tire, for he wanted to be off bright and early the following morning. Upon reaching the room he was to use, he clapped his hand three times, then sat down and waited patiently. A few minutes later the roof opened and there appeared a man of enormous size, also covered with hair, who said with an evil smile, as he stepped into the room, What sort of mischief art thou up to now? Whereupon his younger brother answered, Carry all the snow thou canst into Banna's room, and don't stop until every inch of his bed, bureau, and closet is filled. We shall see whether he is as good-natured as he is made