The Young Bridge-Tender | Page 4

side of the sloop.
"Now give me your hand and I will help you up."
And without waiting he caught the man by the right arm.
"Don't! don't! Take the other arm, please! That was broken less than six
weeks ago."
"Oh, then give me the left," replied Ralph; and by his aid the man was
soon aboard the sloop once more.
He was a fellow not over twenty-five years of age, and his clothing and
general appearance indicated that he was well-to-do.
"Phew! But that was a narrow escape!" he ejaculated, as he brushed the
water from his face. "I was afraid I was a goner, sure!"
"Couldn't you keep away from the stonework?" questioned Ralph,

curiously.
"No. The ropes got twisted into a knot and my right arm hurt so I could
only use my left hand. Besides, I am not much of a sailor."
"I seen you wasn't," put in Bob Sanderson, who did not hesitate at times
to speak out bluntly. "If it hadn't been for Ralph you would have been
drowned."
"I don't doubt it, for I cannot swim."
"How came you to be out in such a blow and all alone?" asked Ralph,
as he began to lower the ship's sails.
"It didn't blow so when I started from Chambersburgh, and I fancied I
could manage the Magic without half trying. But I have found out my
mistake now," and the man gave a sorry little laugh. "Are you the
bridge tender?"
"Yes, sir."
"And what is your name?"
"Ralph Nelson."
"Mine is Horace Kelsey. You are rather young for this position, are you
not?"
"It was my father's before he died. I am serving the rest of the time for
which he was appointed."
"I see. Does it pay you?"
"I earn six dollars a week at it. That's considered pretty good here in
Westville. There are many who would like to get the job."
"I came up here from New York to spend a few weeks boating and
fishing," said Horace Kelsey, during a pause, in which he dried off his
face and hands, and wrung the water from his coat. "This is my first

day out, and it has ended rather disastrously."
"I guess your sloop can easily be repaired," replied Ralph.
"I suppose it can. Is there any one here in the village who does such
work?"
"That's in my line," put in Bob Sanderson, promptly.
"Yes, Mr. Sanderson repairs boats," replied Ralph. "He will give you a
good job at a reasonable price."
"Then you can go to work at once," said Horace Kelsey, turning to the
old fisherman. "Do your best, and I will pay whatever it is worth."
"I will, sir."
"When can you have the work completed?"
"Not before to-morrow night. I'll have to paint the parts, you know."
"I am in no hurry. I wished to spend a day or two around Westville and
Eastport before going up into Big Silver Lake."
"Then I'll take the sloop around to my boat-house right now," replied
Bob Sanderson; and off he went with the craft, leaving Ralph and the
newcomer on the bridge.
CHAPTER III.
RALPH MAKES A FRIEND.
"You'll catch cold if you stand around in this wind," remarked Ralph to
Horace Kelsey, "especially as you are not used to it."
"That is true," returned the young man. "I wish I had some place where
I might dry myself."
"You can go over to our cottage, if you wish. Mother is at home, and

she will willingly let you dry yourself at the kitchen fire. I would lend
you one of my suits, but I imagine it wouldn't be large enough."
"Hardly," laughed the young man. "Do you live far from here?"
"No, sir; that is the cottage right there. See, my mother is in the garden,
looking this way."
"Thanks, I'll take up with your kind offer. I am beginning to get chilled
in spite of the sunshine."
Saying that he would be back later, Horace Kelsey left the bridge and
took the path leading to the cottage. Ralph saw him speak to his mother,
and a moment later both passed into the cottage.
It was now drawing toward noon, and the people began to cross the
bridge in both directions, on their way to dinner. Each one either paid a
cent or passed over a ticket, sixty-five of which could be had for fifty
cents. At a quarter to one the same passengers began to go back to their
work, and this was kept up for half an hour, at the end of which the
young bridge tender had collected twenty-one cents and forty-three
tickets.
Several horns now began to blow from both Big Silver and Silver
Lakes, showing that the boats wished to pass through the