Polytechnic High School - Caerulea Yearbook (Long Beach, CA)

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WellI I suppose I'll have to, said Jimmy. but I don't think Jack is mean: he just wants to play with the cult. Playf said Lem contemptuously. It may be play for him but I tell you l won't have him chasing the cult any more. Here, Jack, called Jimmy as he reached for a rope preparatory to tying the dog. Jack advanced cautiously but Jimmy was interrupted by his mother who appeared at the door saying. Come right in to dinner. boys, for your father is in a hurry to get out to work again as soon as possible. Be sure to tie that pup after dinner. warned Lem as he entered the house. While eating dinner. Mr. Johnson and Lem discussed the work to be done that afternoon. I want you to attend to the irrigation of that ten acres. over on the east side, by yourself. Mr. Johnson said to Lem, Jose has asked for the afternoon off to attend his uncle: funeral. This is the eleventh uncle that has died in the last six months. but a person has to humor him a little. so l told him he could go. And he continued. Watch the ditch carefully, especially where it runs alongside of Smith's wheatfleld, for he wants to cut the wheat tomorrow and he would be terribly put out if the ditch should break and Hood it.H All right, I'll be careful. answered Lem as he started for the held with a shovel over his shoulder. The Johnsons owned a sixty acre ranch in Arizona under a big irrigation project. lrrigation ditches ran from a large ditch to their ranch and these. in turn. branched into smaller ones from which the land was flooded. Mr. johnson and Lem. with the help of Jose. 3. Mexican. did all the work on the ranch but, as Mr. Johnson had stated. Jose had gone for the afternoon, ostensibly to mourn his deceased uncle but, in reality. to visit a pretty little senotita that he knew. lt wan a line day and Lem was in high spirit: as he went about his work. The incident that had excitEd his wrath. an hour previous, had entirely left his mind. Suddenly. how- ever, his memory was refreshed by a yip. yip. and, looking back, he saw jack chasing a jack rabbit madly across the field. Presumably he had not noticed Lem and was enjoying his freedom to the fullest extent. Jumping catel grumbled Lem. Jimmy and that clog do try my patience. After this I'll not depend on Jimmy but see to it myself that that dog doesn't chase all over the ranch. I'll leave him alone now. though, for if I drive him to the house. very likely he'll chase the colt all afternoon. He soon reached the field and was so busy that he did not notice a brown creature. nothing more or less than Jack, sneak Twenterlu'm- Cberulee. 1916

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AC K By Frank Will Hi there. get out. you dirty little curl I'll teach you to bother my colt. The speaker was Lem johnson. and he was venting his wrath on Jack, his little brother's dog that. at the time, was chasing Lem's colt about the corral. Lem could not tolerate such a thing. for the colt was his dearest possession given him, on his last birthday, by his father. He spent a great deal of time in training it and the sight of its frantic attempts to esd cape the dog made him furious. As he spoke, he made a dive for the dog with a pitchfork which he held in his hand. The offending canine. having evis dentiy anticipated some such demonstration, had been wariiy edging away and, as the young man lunged at him, dodged and scented for his refuge in times of danger. a hole under the barn Ccnfound that iittie rascal. muttered Lem to himself. as he started for the house. I'll have to put a stop to that business of his running the. colt. As he neared the house. his brother approached, whistl- ing cheerily. Jack emerged from his retreat when he saw his master but kept a reapectful distance from the person who had so rudely driven him from his fun with the colt. Say, Jimmy ' said Lem accosting his brother. you II have to tie that dog up or I 11 see to it that he doesn' t disturb things here any more. You know what that means. 'rw-vnly-Twu

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up and lie down behind a clump of weeds a short distance from him. After several hours of hard work Lem had the field en- tirely Hooded and. going to the main ditch. he turned off as much water as he estimated he had been using so that, when he stopped his own supply. his father. who was irrigating farther down the ditch. would not get too much water. Then. ' with everything Fixed satisfactorily, he started for the house. Tilllllhllll $le The ditch was too wicle for him to step across so he took a - - running iump, hut scarcely hacl he touched ground on the other side when the ditch bank gave way. There was a sharp. stabbing pain in his leg and a splash of water in his face. For a moment Lem was uncertain what had happened; then, as his brain cleared, he realized that the banlt had been honeycomb- ed by gophers and had, therefore, broken under his weight, his leg being held fast while his body was thrown back with his head in the water. With difficulty, Lem kept his head out of the water and made an effort to draw his leg from the hole, but was arrested by a pain which made him faint, and he barely saved himself from falling back into the water. This is a pretty Ex, he thought. UHow in the world am I going to get out of here! Just then his eye tell on the shovel which had been Hung from his hands when he fell. By persistent eEort he managed to secure it and. planting it as Firmly as he could in the ground. attempted to draw himSEIf up by it. Again and again he struggled. but, in the end. was forced to give up, and sank back exhausted. Its no use. he panted, I can't do it. and l A terrible thought entered his mind. lf he should become un- conscious he would certainly be drowned. ln desperation he made another attempt to extricate himself, but without avail. Then all was silent save the swish of the water and the twitter of a bird. Lem was thinking with the intensity of a general on the eve of a great battle. He knew that, if he could do anything at all to help himself. it must he done quiekly. for his strength was going fast and he could not hold himself taut oi the water much longer. In his stress of mind. familiar ob- jects took on a new significance. A headegate several feet to his right, seemed, all at once. to offer a possible means of Tea lief. This served. when raiseclt to admit water to a ditch which led to another part of the ranch than that where his father was at work. Ohe he thought. if I can only raise that head-gate anal let the water into the other ditch, father will notice the drop and come to see about it. TquIIy-Fuur