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190 “ Welcome, Papa!” QhREE little forms, in the twilight gray, Q J Scanning the shadows across the way: Six little eyes, four black and two blue, Brim full of lore and happiness too, f Watching for ’pa. May, with her placid and thoughtful brow; Gentle face beaming with smiles just now ; Willie, the rogue, so loving and gay, Stealing sly kisses from sister May, Watching for ’pa. Nelly, with ringlets of sunny hue, Cosily nestled between the two, Pressing her cheek to the window-pane, Wishing the absent one home again, Watching for ’pa. Oh, how they gaze at the passers-by ! “He’s coming at last 1” they gaily cry : “ Look again, my pets 1” exclaims mamma; And Nelly adds, “ There’s the twilight star Watching for ’pa.” Soon joyous shouts from the window-scat And eager patter of childish feet, Gay musical chimes ring through the hall, A manly voice responds to the call, “ Welcome, Papa.” 4~»* Written for Burke’s Weekly, JACK DOBELL; Or, A Boy’s Adventures in Texas. A STORY FOR BOYS. CHAPTER XVII. COMFORTABLE QUARTERS AGAIN —A WELL FURNISHED HOUSE AND A GOOD LIBRARY —MAKING THE MOST OF A RAINY DAY — NO ROAD THROUGH THE CANE-BRAKE — “ HOME AGAIN ” —NEARLY CAPTURED BY MEXICANS —FLACCO CHOKED INTO GOOD BEHAVIOR —CAMPING OUT AGAIN —RE TURN TO OLD QUARTERS eROM the place where “Flacco” came up with me, I traveled on five or six miles further, where I came to a trail leading from the open prairie to rn brake. Along this trail traces of wagon wheels 4? were distinctly visible. I follow ed it for some distance, and at length came to where it entered the brake. Af ter crossing a strip of the brake about two hundred yards in width, and a lagoon near the centre of it, spanned by a bridge of rough logs, I came to a small prairie, perhaps half a mile in length and a quar ter in width. At the lower end of this prairie I ob served a house, to which the trail I was pursuing evidently led. When I had ap proached to within three or four hundred yards of it, I halted for a few moments to reconnoiter the premises. I heard the crowing of chicken cocks, and also the squeaking of pigs, but as I saw no smoke issuing from the chimnies, or any other signs indicating that the building was occupied, I at length ventured up. There j were great numbers of pigs, ducks and ’ BURKE’S WEEKLY. chickens in the yard, but no dogs came out to welcome Flacco and myself. The house was a comfortable log build ing containing four rooms, with a wide passage between them, and a broad piazza in front, and was sheltered by some mag nificent live oak and pecan trees. Every thing in the house remained just as it was when abandoned by its inhabitants, from which I inferred that it had never been visited by the Mexicans. Indeed, so se cluded was the situation, and so complete ly hidden from view by the strip of cane upon the bayou I have before mentioned, that no one passing along the main pra irie outside would ever have suspected that a settlement was so near by. The rooms were furnished in a style seldom seen in the country at that time, which, together with the number of out-houses, negro quarters, etc., convinced me that it had been the residence of some wealthy planter. Among other things not often seen in Texas at that early day, I noticed quite a large library in one of the rooms, and I resolved before leaving, that I would appropriate one or two of the most port able books it contained for my amuse ment on the road. In the adjacent out buildings I found a large store of corn, a quantity of bacon, a sack or two of coffee, and several barrels of sugar, etc. By the time I had made a complete ex amination of the premises, it had clouded up and commenced raining, and as there was every indication of continued bad weather, I thought it would be advisable to wait at least until it cleared up before I took the road again, particularly as I had got into such comfortable quarters. Like Robinson Crusoe upon his island, I was the “ monarch of all I surveyed,” and taking advantage of my accidental privi leges, I proceeded to make myself at home without the least ceremony. I lolled upon the sofas, I read the books in the library, killed, cooked and ate a fat chicken for my dinner, and at night, after supping luxuriously upon boiled eggs and ajar ot preserved peaches, I turned into a handsome double bed, between clean white sheets, and with Flacco to keep watch by the door, I slept like a prince until the sun was high in the heavens. For my breakfast I had fried chicken, hot coffee, and “ash-cake,” to which I did ample justice, and filling my haver sack with a fresh supply of provisions, I took the road again, with Flacco trotting at my heels. Little did I think at the time that nine days would elapse before I should bid a final adieu to these com fortable quarters ; yet such was the fact. All that day I searched in vain for some road or path leading across the in terminable cane-brake that barred niy progress. Occasionally I found a cattle or deer trail running into it, but they either gave out entirely after penetrating it a short distance, or else they split up into half a dozen blind paths, that did not seem to lead anywhere, or in any par ticular direction. Wearied and disheart ened by my failure, I returned just before sunset to my “ domains,” feasted again upon fried chicken, eggs and preserves and again took possession of my double bedstead for the night. The next day the same programme was gone through with, and the next, and the next, with the same results, until I almost began to despair of ever finding a wav through this apparently endless wilder ness of briars, brush and cane. However, it was some consolation to me to know that after the fatigues and disappoint ments of the day, I had such good quar ters to fall back on at night. Neverthe less, I was extremely anxious to get on, and one morning I started out with the determination that I would follow up the cane-brake until night overtook me, pro vided I did not meet with some road cross ing it before that time. I went on, examining carefully every nook and indentation without success, until I had traveled, I suppose, ten or twelve miles. I then struck out into the prairie, and ere long came to a well-beat en road running parallel with the cane brake. This I followed, and ivas travel ing leisurely along it, when I heard the clattering of horses hoofs, and turning to look, I saw a party of Mexican lancers coming up rapidly behind me, and not more than three or four hundred yards distant. There was not a tree or shrub to screen me nearer than the main body of the timber fully three-quarters ot a mile off to the left, and I knew it would be useless to attempt to make my retreat in that direction. For a moment, I gave myself up for lost, but fortunately there was a rank growth of grass upon one side of the road, and as there was no time foi consideration, I seized Flacco by the col lar, and dragging him fifteen or tweni) places from the road, I forced him dosn in the grass and laid myself across him, graspfing him tightly around the neck to prevent him from growling or barking at the Mexicans when they came up. ki a few moments they came oppiosite to the pdace where we were lying in the gia and halted. Through the interstices oi the grass I could see them plainly could also hear them talking, but not v> ]t 1 sufficient distinctness to understands li | was said. Flacco, too, was perfectly as al of their proximity to us, for he g‘ n 0 ‘