When Axel looked into the cistern a scheme of rescue immediately formulated itself in his mind. He got down on his knees and told the terrified Mrs. Dyer and some neighbors to take a good hold on his ankles. The peddler was busy holding "Billy's" head above the water with his mop.
Then Axel let himself head foremost down into the cistern. His legs were just long enough to reach. With outstretched arms he was able to get "Billy" by the scruff of the neck. Having got a good grip, he ordered "Hoist away." Mrs. Dyer and the neighbors hoisted, and in a moment "Billy," scared and much bedraggled, was safe in his mother's arms. The fire department arrived about this time.
"O, look at the pretty firemen," exclaimed Mary, and turned her entranced gaze away from the cistern to the new object of interest.
The capture of an unusually large turtle, in and of
itself, has little news value, but out of the incident
a New York Sun reporter by simple literary devices
worked up a feature story that holds the reader's interest
and makes an entertaining little "yarn."
They that go down to Gravesend
Bay in fishing craft were talking
about It all day yesterday in the back
room of Hogan's place. Here, where
swings the lantern that once lighted
emperors of China on their way to
bed and to the rope of which there
hangs a wondrous tale, and where the
pistol that shot O'Donovan Rossa lies
in its evil rust, the fishermen gathered
and roared in each others' ears
about It. Between whiles they all
went up to Lew Morris's barn and
gazed at It. It was the biggest that
any of them had ever seen. Also It
