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Show THE SANDMAN STORIES j The Baby Who Waa a Hero Jans was a tiny lad who had been all his life In the f.r northern part of Pen-mark. Pen-mark. The rough hills, the huge rocks Jutting out into the a and the wind roaring over anrry waves were the only scenery he knew. Jans father lived In a cottage near the shore, vet the bov had one great fear ; a storm. The lightning never flaehed that he did not hide hla face in hi: grms. "Jans is a baby," the boys would shout when they saw the clouds gathering, i "Watch htm run home tf it thunders." On day a big black cloud was gathering gath-ering in the west. Out of It darted blinding flaehea of lightning and heavy peals of thunder germed to shake the very mountains. Jaiis raced home, hi face white with fear. The storm raged for an hour till the foe minx ocean s-eme' reatty to devour the land. Then it died away In a calm. "There Is a boat in trouble out beyond the bar." naid Jans' father, aa the two strollei down on the bfach after the gale had passed. "See, thev are signaling signal-ing In distress. I will go out at once. It is danverous but I cannot let a human hu-man belrig perish before my eyea.' The man stepped into the boat, but as he did so his ankle turned and his whole weight fell upon it. With a groan he slid back on the beach. "I have sprained my ankle and cannot go," m owned the man. "What can be done? That boat Is at least two miles out and it can hardly keep up much longer. "I will go myself.' said Jans, leaping Into the esset. "I can guide as well as you. " "No. no, shouted th father. "You will only perish In the attempt." But Jans was already skimming the top of the high waves. The host darted from crest to crest of the whltecapped roOr that came dahing shoreward, but the lad with a skillful hand kept It straight and rode the naves bravely l.,ike a feather he seemed to sail as If through ths air. so lightly did his little skiff skim over the water. Thg people In the sinking yacht mw him coming and raised a gl-td ehout. His father watched with pride the boy piloting the boat past the dangerous reefs. At last Jans drew the boat up near the yacht. Two small skiffs put out at once, each full of passengers. No sooner had they left the larger boat than it stood on end snd then plunged benesth the waves. Three men, two women anil a haby were soon In Jans' boat. The men took the oars which lay In the hot-I hot-I torn of the vessek but the lad still sat to ster. ' On the shore a crowd gathered- But Jans paw roth.ng save the angry waters and the Jutting granite piles. Slowly and floundering! they swung into a narrow nar-row cove, where the water was still. Then with a rush the men on the Ikeach" raced tnto the water and dragged the boat to land. -Well done. Jans. shouted the men I and hoy, as they pl.iced the ud on their) shoulder and bore him off In triumph to the village. "Well done- Nevermore will we call you a baby. You have saved the lives of aix people by ?our nerve." 8o Jains, once the "babv" of the village, vil-lage, was now its hero. The Far), one of the rescued men and owner oj the wrecked vscht. sent him off to coiles;, and In after years, when the lad had become be-come a great professor he always went in the summer ta hi aid home up ia s Denmark among the rocky shores off which be had once saved the Doblaman's party from death. Copyright, 121. by the kfrClure Newspaper News-paper tfYnd.caUe.) |