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in iron, with his sinewy form braced, his thin
lips compressed, and his eyes flashing as none
had ever seen them before. *
‘Wait!’ was at length his warning. ‘Come
her* by me, and wait and watch.’
Both the trapper and Cnrtiss did as be de
sired, and after a few moments of silence they
saw the objeet of their search creeping cau
tiously along the dangerous path that wound
like a serpent up the mountain, and upon her
back, with its little arms twined around her
neck, was the child. , ,
‘Now may the Lord forgive me, whispered
the trapper, as he slowly raised his rifle and
aimed with great care. ‘May the Lord forgive
me ef I kill both on ’em; but—
‘Is my brother a fool ?' asked the Indian, with
far more temper than he usually displayed. ‘He
would be certain to kill the little one. but his
bullets would fall upon the other as harmless as
summer rain upon the oak.’
•Wal, I believe yer right, Buffaler. There
would be greater danger shooting ther child,
that arer fact; and he reluctantly lowered his
weapon.
•Can we not go up by different routes and
surround her?’ asked the poor,distracted father.
The Indian shook his head Badly, but offered
no resistance to the plan which they soon found
impossible to carry out, for there was but one
path to be discovered. Still, they thought it
might be possible to crawl softly along, and
either surprise the mysterious woman, or drive
her into some corner, from whence she could
not escape. This appeared to be the only
chance; and availing themselves of everything
that would screen their movements, they crept
onward and upward, silent as death.
But it was only rarely now that they could
obtain an uninterrupted view. Their progress
was, of course, very slow; and when, after a
long time,—an age, it seemed to their anxious
hearts—they once more caught a glimpse of the
weird woman, they saw that she was sitting
amid the gnarled branches of a tree, rocking,
and apparently singing to the child she now
held to her breast.
And that sight was as if a great weight had
been lifted from their hearts. The darling lit
tle one was as yet safe. But how long would it
remain so ? If the trapper and Buffalo Hoof
were correct, she was only playing with it as a
eat would with a mouse before its destruction—
charming it as a serpent would a bird.
‘By heaven! lean endure the suspense no
longer!' groaned the parent. * It is horrible-
horrible! Let us rush forward.’
But still the Indian counselled moderation
and craft. By patience and watching, he
thought they would find an opportunity when
the strange nurse was away, to steal the child
ji.nd make good their escape, and so they toiled
ilowly and cautiously onward.
• I should judge from the lay of the land,
whispered the trapper, ‘that she warer sittin’ on
er broad rock.’
• My brother is right, replied the Indian.
• Then, if we kin git on er level with it, thar
may be a chance for us.
And by dint of at least two hours of extreme
exertion «bev did accomplish it—did reach the
very base of the rock; and by raising themselves
up with their hands they could distinctly see
the faces of both woman and child. The latter
had but little interest for them—they had seen
it a thousand times before, but the former riv
eted their attention.
It was that of a young female m the very
prime of girlhood, and wondrously beautiful,
despite the dark olive of the skin. There was
anything rather than a savage expression about
the small mobile mouth, or wildness in the in
tensely black eyes. If a witch, she had adopted
or been gifted with a face that would have
shine.
' I never saw so beautiful a face in all my born
days!’ was the honest expression of the trapper.
• But I’ve often heard it said that the devil kin
look jest as he’s a mind ter. I wish the thing
would turn eround so as that we could see
whether it has claws fer hands in reality. It’s
got er hide like er gray mounting wolf, anyhow,
and —’
Incautiously bearing his entire weight npon a
stone that hung upon the brink above him, it
became loose, fell, and he was hurled back
wards, and would have been dashed to pieces
had not a tree intervened between him and the
steep precipice. As it was, he could not repress
an exclamation of terror; and when his compan
ions looked from him to the rock again, they
saw that it was unoccupied, though they could
hear wild, ringing laughter floating on the air
above them; and springing npon the table-rock,
they examined it long|and carefully.
But there was little to satisfy their curiosity.
There were evidences of various kinds—fuel
and the embers of a fire —the relics of baskets and
rude cups—a broken bow and arrow—a tattered
moccasin and pieces of skin to show that it was
a favorite resort; but that was all; and they eag
erly sought and followed the trial that led still
higher.
Yet lor hours they toiled—toiled as only strong
men could have done, without gaining another
glimpse of the startled woman, and the trapper
cursed in his inmost heart the accident that had
betrayed their presence. Still, there was some
thing widely fascinating injthe chase, and though
the watering sun warned them that evening was
drawing nigh, no one thought of turning back.
They were determined to follow the trail to the
end, lead where it might.
‘There is but one peak above us,’ said the In
dian, as he paused for a moment to rest and wipe
the large beads of perspiration from his swarthy
forehead. -When we reach that we shall know
all, or—’
‘Nothin’!’ answered the trapper. ‘But as I
live, I hear some one singing. Hark!’
•It is the tongue of the Dacotahs,’ replied Buf
falo-Hoof, after some moments given to listen
ing.
‘She is singing as the squaw sings to the little
pappoose when she hangs its cradle npon the
branches of the trees, and leaves it to be rocked
by the wind.’
•Then it ar er devil, in reality.'
'It is one of the many forms of the evil spirit,’
was the answer, and again he led the way as
silently as before.
Another period of toil, and they reached the
bald summit—a flat rook, or rather a series of
rocks, large enough to have held the most exten
sive building ever erected by the hands of man,
but destitute of herbage save a few sickly lichens,
and some stunted moss. Bat on the very verge
of this—and overlooking a descent of thousands
of feet—for the face of the mountain at that point
was perpendicular—sat the wild woman, tossing
up the child as calmly as its own mother would
have done when seated by the hearthstone of
home.
•My God!’ BaidCnrtiss, as his eye drank in
the terrible danger of his darling.
And well might he call apon Him, whose bow
of promise was bent in the heavens above him,
for aid. Well might he pray for help to that
high source from which help alone could come.
A single false movement of the arm — a single
qniver of the muscle—a single movement ofthe
eye—and down, down headlong the child would
be hurled, to be dashed into a thousand atoms,
an unrecognizable mass, npon the ragged rooks
below. Horrible indeed ! and the limbs of the
father trembled under him like aspen leaves'
•very drop of blood left his face and curdled
around his heart—his pulse forgot to beat, and
* breath to ebb and flow. Could a oorpsehave
been placed there, it would not have looked
more ghastly.
But the little child clapped its tiny hands,
and its laugh came to their ears—a laugh sweet
as a silver bell at any other time — harsh and
unnatural now.
Wildly its little clustering carls, too, were
tossed about—they conld see the red upper lip
and cheek, and the merry sparkle in its eyes.
It was a rare enjoyment for her—she knew noth
ing of the danger -but torture the most intense
to the lookers-on—torture in which all of a life
time was condensed into a single instant.
Even the hardy trapper and stoieal red man
thrilled as they had never done before. Within
a score of rifle-lengths, and yet impotent to save,
they stood almost breathless. A single sound
might be the knell of the dread doom they fear
ed. If disturbed, would she not either let the
child fall by accident, or dash it down in re
venge ?
And thus they stood—how long they conld
never tell, for life at such a time is not to be
measured by the movement of the hands npon
the dial—stood until the woman, apparently
tired of play, sat the ohild down beside her.
Then the Indian, as the most subtle and noise
less of all, undertook to creep forward and res
cue her, the trapper, in the meantime, keeping
her abductor covered with his rifle. Half way
of the distance was passed without discovery,
and the whole might have been so, had it not
been for the child herself. Turning her head,
she saw the creeping red man—knew him, call
ed him by name. It was the death knell of all
hope!
Quick as lightning she was clasped in the
arms of the skin-dressed woman, who, starting
up, ran lightly along the dizzy brink tor a little
distance, and then disappeared over its fearful
brow. In an instant the Indian had reached
the spot, and was looking down into the gulf
below. He fancied that he could seethe waving
of garments—fancied he could hear shrieks of
fear, commingled with groans; bnt it was not all
fancy. Of the reality he conld know nothing
until he again reached the bottom. But of one
thing he was certain—one sound not to be mis
taken. It was the wild, terrible exclamation
that rung from the father’s lips as he fell insen
sible:
• O God ! My child —my child!’
Without giving him a thought, the trapper
rushed forward to the side of the Indian, and
lying down so as to bring his face npon a level
with the rock, he looked over, and at the same
time began qnestioning.
‘Whar did she go ter, Bnflaler Huff?’ he
asked.
‘ Down !’ and the Indian pointed tc the dim
regions below.
4 What, jumped down ?’
‘Unless she vanished into the air, or had
wings to soar away like a bird.’
‘ And yer saw nothin’ when yer fust looked
over?’
‘ Nothing but shadowy objects such as I see
now.’
‘ Wal, they look as much like the birds as any
thing; but no one kin tell from this ar distance.
But did you hear nothin’?’
‘ No more than I hear now. May the good
Manitou take the spirit of the little papoose into
his keeping, and may it dwell forever among
the bright flowers of the happy hunting-grounds.
‘ Amen !’ replied the trapper, reverently; ‘but
I am determined ter take er good look when I
git ter ther bottom ergin.’
‘The catcher of beaver may find the child of
the pale-face, but he will find no trace of the
wolt-woman.'
‘ No, I s’pose she has got er new body by this
time, and is racin’ and rendin’ through the
woods. But come, Buff tier, we must go and
takekeerof the suBjjg^ Such' a"ihl'ck
much more quickly than those of sterner mould
and it was a long time before they conld revive
Curtiss sufficiently to be able to attempt the de
scent Even then they were obliged to assist
him—at times almost carry him—and their pro
gress was almost as slow as the ascent had been.
But the river reached, they crossed without dif
ficulty, and soon were by the side of those who
were anxiously waiting their return.
‘ Have you found my child ? Ob, tell me, have
you found her?’ was the first question of the
mother.
‘No,’ answered the trapper; ‘yer see, ther
trail that leads up ther mountains is mighty dif
ficult to travel, and the night came on before
we’d looked as much as we wanted ter;’ and
then he instantly turned the subject, and con
tinued, while the poor husband and father look
ed the thanks he had no voice to speak. ‘ How’s
ther sick man er gittin’ along, Mrs. Curtiss ?’
‘ Very well indeed. An Indian woman brought
some game here, and I was able to make him
some broth that he appeared to relish, and which
strengthened him considerably.’
‘An Ingun woman?’
‘ Yes, a young squaw, and a remarkably hand
some one, too, though she was dressed some
what strangely.’
‘Dressed how?’
‘ Entirely in skins. I wish you had been here,
Buffalo-Hoof. Perhaps you might have been
able to talk to her. I could not understand a
word she said.’
‘Did yer see her hands?’
‘I did not notice them. In fact, the sleeves of
her singular garments were so long as to cover
them. ’
‘I thought so,’ whispered the trapper aside to
the Indian, and then continued, aloud, ‘ How
long ergo was she here ?’
‘Oh, along time ago—shortly after snndown.’
‘ And brought some game, yer say ?’
‘Certainly. Here is ^omeof it still,’ and she
pointed to where a couple of hares were lying.
‘I don’t hardly believe that she kin have be
witched these ar things. Anyhow, I’ll run the
risk, ’ thought the superstitious trapper, as he
picked them up and began to examine them
closely, to discover the marks of teeth and claws.
‘Ihey haint thar,’ he continued, disappointed,
‘and they’re just as nice rabbits as I ever saw
trapped; and trapped they war, or rather snared,
for here is the marks of the strings. ’
‘ But you have not told me anything about
my lost child.’
‘ Wait er minit Did the sick man see the
squaw, as you call her?’
* No, he was asleep. But my child — my
ohild!’
‘I told yer we didn’t find nothin’ of her,’ and
he turned away, grumbling about being angry.
He could not answer—the Indian had not the
heart to do so; how, then, could it be expected
of the father ? Far better, perchance, that the
mother should forever remain in uncertainty as
to the fate of her darling, than to learn that
which wonld hereafter make life a horror.
(TO BB CONTINUED.)
(From the “Boys and Girts" of the Booth.)
THE WANDERING BOYS;
The Adventures of Bold Ben
and Timid Tom.
Note.—This installment of the “Wandering
Boys’’ is so exceedingly interesting and complete
within itself, that we give it to our Sunny South
readers this week.
CHAPTER IV.
JOHN TBUSTY RECOGN1ZBS THE HUBDEBEBS OF HIS
MASTER AND MISTBESS.
Ralph Murdoch and his wife had barely recov
ered from the shock caused by the sight of Ben,
when the party we left on the road at the end of
the last chapter, entered the gates of the magis
trate’s dwelling.
The guilty pair were standing moodily at the
window as the cortege approached.
The first objects on which their eyes rested
were Ben and Tom in the custody of the consta
bles. As though spellbound they continued to
gaze. Conscience thundered in their ears terri
ble accusations.
It seemed as though, after fourteen years, their
deed of blood had risen from the grave to con
front them. „ w
But they were n<?-“ u f%ig in crime, and reason
came to their assisWme/
‘ Why should we fear those boys,’ murmured
Ralph, in a low tone, * even though they should
be the children we thought dead? It is impos
sible they could recognize us.’
‘ But,’ suggested Rosanna, ‘ the children conld
not have saved themselves. If they live, it is
probable their preserver lives too. It is he whom
we have cause to dread.’
‘ I cannot bring myself to believe that they
can be the children of Richard Carston. And
yet the likeness is most extraordinary. At all
events, since they are here, we shall be able to
learn the truth without risk of discovery.’
At this juncture they were summoned to
lunch.
They found Mr. Grindell Bnmpus in a great
state of indignation, eating and drinking as fast
as possible.
‘It’sall I shall get tiN dinner,’ he said, apolo
getically, ‘ and I have a case to try that will re
quire all my physical energies. ’
The magistrate thrust Ike leg of a chicken into
his mouth with one hand, and ponred out a
glass of port wine with the other.
‘ Is it a case of robbery ?’ asked Mr. Murdoch,
* No,” replied the host, with his mouth full.
‘It is one of the most aggravated and brutal
cases of assault I ever encountered. You must
hear the case. But sit down and have some
lnnch first’ .
Neither Ralph nor his wife felt disposed to
eat, but in order to avoid remark they ate a few
mouthfuls and drank several glasses of wir e, in
order to brace their nerves.
‘ You are both interested in this case, ’ con
tinued Mr. Bumpus, puffing and blowing with
the exertions he was making over his meal,
‘since your nephew is one of the plaintiffs.’
‘ My nephew!' exclaimed Mr. Murdoch.
‘Yes, indeed !’ returned Mr. Bumpns, ‘and my
son 6us is the other. The ruffians have mal
treated them both shamefully,’ the magistrate
went on; ‘but my unfortunate boy is in a fear
ful state. In fact, painful as the idea is to a
parent and a—a—magistrate, I’m terribly afraid
it will terminate fatally. A man requires sup
port, Mr. Murdoch, when he is about to try a
couple of murderers!'
‘Yes!’ they murmured, somewhat startled by
»*- - niAoriatrate's last words:
At this moment ‘jP*ioor opened, and Blinker
appeared. 1
‘Ev’rything’s ready, yer worship,, said the
functionary, applying his forefinger to his fore
head respectfully.
The magistrate growled like a hungry dog
over his bone, and then inquired, sharply :
‘Is Foozle here?’
Mr. Foozle is ’ere, sir,’ returned Blinker.
‘And has my injured son been brought
home?’ '
As to what men are considered most marri
ageable by the feminine sex, Jenny Jane says:
“A poet, if he is presentable, stands perhaps
firsi. on the list, women patting a much higher
pecuniary estimate on poets than editors are
apt to on their productions. Editors are also in
demand, and literary men of any stripe fetch a
pretty good price, some women having a sort of
reverence, mixed with their curiosity, eon-
oerning the fourth estate.
When the Senate passed the silver bill, the
noses of some of those Eastern fellows went up
as if they smelt ninety-two scents.
A young woman who has been arrested at
“"“V 110 ’ Pennsylvania, for bigamy, declared
tbat.she married her first husband “only in fan.’
‘ Master Bnmpus 'as been brought ’ome, sir,
and your good lady hev been a washing of him, ’
the constable replied.
‘\ery well, say I’m coming,’ exclaimed Mr.
Bnmpus, as he rose hastily.
‘Now, my friends,’ said Mr. Bumpns, ‘if you
are ready, come with me. All friendly, social
and even paternal feelings for the present must
be set aside, and giv^ place to the Brutus-like
stoicism of the magistrate.’
Having delivered this with an oratorical flour
ish and a wave of the hand, Mr. Grindell Bum-
pus led the way to the justice-room, followed by
his visitors.
On entering he’found Mr. Foozle, the clerk,
seated at the table, surrounded by a pile of
books, and the two constables standing bolt up
right, apparently guarding a small door at one
end of the room. The magistrate seated himself
with impressive dignity, and Mr. and Mrs. Mur
doch withdrew to a xecess where there was a
window, and shrouded themselves behind the
curtains.
For a brief space there was a profound silence.
Then the magisterial voice exclaimed, in sonor
ous tones:
• Let the plaintiffs enter !'
Blinker, whose duties seemed to be numerous,
left the door he was guarding, and, approaching
another of larger dimensions, opened it and
held up his finger officially to some one without.
Almost simultaneosly, doleful wailing sounds
became audible, shuffling of feet was heard, and
there entered in procession Master Philip Rank-
ley, looking very unlike himself, Mrs. Bnmpus,
and two domestics, carrying the lat but suffering
heir of the Bumpuses in an arm-chair.
The party having arranged themselves, the
magisterial papa, having put on his spectacles,
looked toward his owi flesh and blood, and, not
being able to see anyt ring of his features from
the patches of brown Gaper, steeped in vinegar,
with which they were covered, turned his eyes
npon the other plaintiff.
But paternal anxiety conld not even then be
entirely controlled, and Mr. Bnmpns, looking
across at his better half, said, in a tone of awful
significance;
‘ Is it life or death, Cordelia ?’
‘I don’t know, I’m sure, Grindell,’ returned
the matron, with a sob; ‘life, I hope, but—’
‘It’s a cooker forme, I know,’groaned the
wounded hero. *Oh! oh, my boil!’
These words recalled the magistrate to him
self.
In an instant he was marble, and evinced his
adamantine conditioa by ejaculating, ‘ Order!’
‘ Order!’ echoed Blinks.
‘ Bring in the defendants,’ exclaimed Mr.
Bumpus.
In an instant the small door was opened, and
Ben and Tom were harried very anoeremonioas-
ly into his presenoe.
The magistrate looked sternly through his
spectacles at the lads.
Ben returned the gaze calmly.
Tom was less self-possessed, and looked pale
and nervous, and had two bright pink spots on
bis cheeks from excitement
‘ Now,' exolaimed the magistrate,’ let me hear
this case. And, first ate there any witnesses !’
Blinker, just for form’s sake, ran his eye round
the walls and looked up at the oeiling, end,
seeing nothing of the kind there, replied:
‘None, yer worship.’
Bess and Rose Glanville had followed, bat had
been roughly scowled from the gate by the con
stables. ‘.
Ben was aware of this, and sa.u:
‘ If yon please, your worship, there are two—’
'Silence, sir!’ snapped Mr. Bumpus, very
fiercely.
• Two voung girts, who can prove—
‘ Silence, I say!' roared the magistrate.
In the midst of these ejaculations, the large
door opened, and Gipsy Bess and Rose, who had
been admitted by a good-natured cook, glided
in so softly that no one perceived them.
‘If,’ continued Mr. Bumpns, ‘these young
girls von speak of witnessed this assult, why
are they not here!’
• We are here,’ said Bess, quietly, as she ad
vanced with her companion. *
The magistrate glared at the new arrivals, and
then at the constables, who were utterly con
founded at the audacity of the young witnesses
who dared to come forward after bieng express
ly told by them to go about their- business.
‘Eh! why! what the—’ Mr. Bumpns palled
himself up short and instead of finishing what
he was going to say, inquired gruffly. * And so
you were present at this dreadful affair, eh —eh?’
‘Yes, sir,’ returned the girls.
‘Umph !’ grunted the magistrate; then turn
ing to Philip Rankley, he said.
‘Now, sir, let me hear your statement.'
That fast young gentleman, whose lips were
so swollen that he could hardly speak, com
menced his deposition in a tone remarkly sug
gestive of a mouth full of plums:
‘I was riding quietly along the road, when I
met that young lady,' he said, pointing to Rose
as he spoke.
‘Well, yon mother. What then?’ demanded
Mr. Bumpns.
‘I a—spoke to her—a—civilly,’ continued
Master Rankley, with some little hesitation.
‘ But he didn’t speak to me civilly,’ interposed
Rose, ‘he behaved very rudely, indeed, and
wanted to kiss me.’
The young girl’s face blushed crimson as she
uttered the words, to whieh Master Rankley in
stantly gave the lie.
‘It's nothing of the sort,’ he said; ‘how could
I have kissed her when I was on my pony? Gas
there knows it isn't true.’
• No, no, it s all false !’ moaned Augustus.
‘It's quite true,’ now joined in Bess, ‘for you
got off your pony and held Miss Glanville’s
hands, and so did Master Bumpus. He held
her too.’
*Oh! oh ! oh I’cried Master Bumpus, in a tone
of virtuous horror. ‘I'm sure I didn't. I never
thought of such a thing.’
‘But 1 saw you myself,’ persisted Bess, boldly,
‘I saw both of you. It was that made me come
to her help. You were both holding her when
I pulled you away.’
Rose strengthened the evidence by saying :
‘Here are the marks of Master Rankley's fiD- ; morrow.’
gers on my wrists still. ’ ) *1 say no! cried the magistrate, fiercely; ‘the
As the young girl spoke she advanced and i law must not be outraged with impunity, there-
held oat her arm to the magistrate, who peered | fore say no more. Come, Cornelia, come,
down upon it through his specs like some an- j Mr. Murdoch, dinner is waiting.’
' i As Mr. Bumpus spoke, he dashed aside the
curtain that shrouded his visitors.
Old John Trusty, at the sound of one of the
names he heard, stood suddenly transfixed as
though he had been stricken with paralysis.
With haggard, trembling eyes, he glanced
round until his gaze rested upon Ralph Mur
doch and his wife.
Then a fearful change came over him.
His eyes glared wildly, and he gasped for
breath.
Then from his quivering lips burst forth an
agonized cry of terror.
‘There ! there ! he shrieked, ‘I see ’em ! don't
let 'em come near me! I’m an old man, an'
feeble, but I'll die for my dear master's children,
for all that! They shan’t ’art ’em ! I saved ’em
c~~~ "-'’T'D gave ’em still! Ben, Tom, keep
away ! Keep away, my dear boys : l*o ’ go!
anywheers, but don’t come ’ere!’
And as the old man finished his wild ravings,
he sunk down npon the floor, foaming at the
mouth.
Every one present, but two, thought John
Trusty was insane.
No one was told of what he was speaking, or
to whom he allnded.
The magistrate gave hasty directions that the
imbecile old nuisance should be sent home, and
proceeded at once to the dining room.
Ralph Murdoch and his wife paused a
moment, and looked at the unconscious sufferer.
‘Poor old fellow !’ murmured the former; then
adding in a low tone to himself, he must he looked
after.’' he followed his friends.
* I must come in, I tell 'ee. My name be Trusty
John Trusty, an' I be sure his wosbup will listen
to me.'
These words were distinctly beard by Mr.
Bumpus, and by two otner persons in the room.
The former lookeff flashed and indigna nt,
the latter pale and apprehensive.
Before any steps conld be taken to stop the
intruder, John tottered in as hastily as he
e mid.
Yery much changed indeed from the John
Trusty of fourteen years before.
Then he was a strong, hearty man.
Now he was a gray-haired, decrepit creature,
with trembling limbs, and thin, nervous voice.
John had never been himself since the night
of the conflagration.
But still, changed as he was, Ralph and Ro
sanna Murdooh recognized him, and trembled
inwardly with a great fear as they did so.
‘ Your wursbip! your warship!’ were his first
exclamations as he staggered forwa. d.
* W-w-w-what is the meaning of this irregular
ity ?’ gasped Mr. Grindell Bumpns.
‘ I want my boys, my dear boys!’ cried old
John, piteously. ‘I 'eered as they’d been
brought afore yer warship, an’ I come t’ speak
a word for ’em. They be good boys, your wor
ship!’
‘ Can’t attend to von now. The business of
the court is over for to-day. ’
* But wheer be the boys?' asked the old man,
looking around anxiously.
‘They’ve committed a breach of the peace,
and being amenable to the law, they will be
locked up till to-morrow,’ explained Mr. Bum-
pus, very grandly.
‘No, no! Not locked np! Don’t say that!’
wailed John, clasping his hands, entreatingly;
‘two of the best boys in the ’ole world.’
‘But I do say it!' returned the magistrate,
sternly. ‘Who are you that dares dispute my
decision ?’
‘I be John Trnsty,’ exclaimed the old man,
‘and—’
•Very well, then, Mr. Trnsty, interrupted the
potentate, ‘you should have brought up your
sons in—’
‘They bean’t my sons !’ cried John, excitedly;
‘they be no poor man’s offspring. They be
young gentlemen as I brought up from infancy,
and taught ’em to behave as sich, and they’ve no
right to be locked up. What ha’ they done to
desarve it ?’
'You’ll know that to-morrow !' exclaimed Mr.
Bumpus, who then shouted:
‘Blinker! Corks!'
But the constables were on the road to the
cage with their prisoners, and did not hear him.
Old John continued, pleadingly :
‘Don’t lock the poor boys np, sir, don’t! It’ll
break their sperrits, it will. Let ’em go home
with me. and I promise I’ll bring ’em here to-
cient owl.
The evidence seemed decidedly against the
plaintiff, and Mr. Bampns was beginning to
feel bothered and irritable.
‘It seems to me,’ he said, in a growling tone,
‘that we’re going away from the point altogether.
Foozle !’ he shouted, banging his hand violent
ly on the table.
•Your worship!’ ejaculated Foozle, who was
in his first doze, and who awoke with a start.
‘I say we’re going away from the point !*
‘Yes, certainly your worship !' murmured the
clerk, with a very indefinite idea of what he
was talking about—‘miles away.’
‘No, your worship,’ said Ben, respectfully and
correctively, ‘we’re just coming to it.’
‘Hold your tongue,'snarled Mr. Bumpus.
speaking to Miss' t-rlanvThe,''Ynar’gi^s/
sprang npon me, and fastened her nails in—in
my jacket.’
‘ I didn t touch you until you made her scream
by pinching her wrists, like a coward,’ exclaim
ed Bess, boldly, ‘and then you threw vour arms
around me. It was just at that time Master Ben
came up.'
‘Yes, I did, corroborated Ben, in the most an
imated manner possible. ‘It’s quite true, your
worship. When I got to the spot Master Rank-
ley was holding Bess, and your son was strug
gling with Miss Glanville. So I knocked one
into the ditch, and dropped the other in after on
the top of his companion.’
The face of the magistrate grew crimson, and
every pimple on his nose purple at the audacious
confession.
‘Well, of all the brutal assaults I ever heard
of!' gasped Mr. Bumpns at length, ‘this is a—a
the—a—most brntal. ’
Suddenly an idea struck him.
‘Was there water in the ditch?' he enquired
hastily.
‘ Yes, it was half full!’ cried the plaintiffs, in
one voice.
Of course!’ triumphantly exclaimed Mr.
Bumpus, who felt he had got hold of a strong
fact in his favor; ‘a clear case of malicious at
tempt to—to inflict serious bodily injury.’
Augustus at this juncture seemed to revive
slighly.
‘It was that light-haired ruffian,’ he wailed
plaintively, pointing to Tom, ‘that pulled me
off my pony and knocked my two front teeth
down my throat. See here, pa!’
As he spoke he extended his month from ear
to ear, and displayed the cavity where his teeth
had been.
The indignant magistrate shuddered at the
vacancies and then scowled at the light-haired
ruffian fiercely, until poor Tom felt inclined to
sink into his shoes.
‘You’re a pair of juvenile brutes!’ he exclaim
ed, at length.
‘ I'm sure they’re not,’ said Bess and Rose, to
gether, warmly; ‘they saved ns from brutes.’
* Hol d y°ur tongue, you girls!’ shouted Mr.
Bumpus, violently, ‘and don't attempt to speak
here, unless you’re spoken to. ’
‘ Order!’ cried Blinker and Corks.
The magistrate then settled himself in his
chair, looked amazingly wise, scratched his ear,
and went on profoundly:
‘ Having listened to this atrooious case with
the deepest attention, I—a—can only arrive at
one conclusion—ahem!
‘ I find that the penalty for such willful out
rage is—a am’—Foozle! what is the penalty ?’
‘Decidedly, yonr worship,’ returned Foo
zle.
Both magistrate and clerk were evidently in a
fog, but just at that momenta sober-minded
looking individual entered, and whispered
something in Mr. Bumpos’s ear that seemed to
have some allusion to dinner.
‘Very good, Jobson,’ said the magistrate, in a
tone of relief. Then turning to the plaintiffs,
he added, with impresive solemnity:
• ‘ ? r i 8 ' ollflr8 *1 the bar, you have already occu
pied the attention of the ooort beyond the usual
limits. Therefore I shall reserve—a—termina
tion of yonr case for a second hearing, and in the
meantime you will be locked up.’
Ben and Tom looked greatly soared at this un
expected sentence.
‘ yonr worship, we didn’t give the first
offence, or strike the first blow,' pleaded the
former, his &oe flashing indignantly.
‘You will be locked nptillto-morrow,’repeat
ed the magistrate, doggedly. ‘Blinker remove
the prisoners:’
There being no farther appeal, the boys were
named oat of the room through the samall door
by the oonstablea.
Just then a alight tamnlt was heard without
end the voiee of an old man wae heard:
CHAPTER V.
IN THE CAGE.
Ben and Tom were ignominiously and unjust
ly hurried off to their lock-up, there to be con
fined nntii the following morning.
The building where they were confined was
about three quarters of a mile from the big
house, where the magistrate lived, and stood on
the outskirts of the town.
It was rather a solitary spot, where prisoners
had plenty of opportunity for contemplation
and reflection.
At first the boys conld scarcely realize their
position, the novelty of which caused it to look
like a romantic adventure rather than any
tliag more serious. *
However, as the excitement of their recent
affray cooled down, so in proportion did the ro
mance fade away, and their situation began to
assume a disagreeable aspect
Nor was the place in which they were confin
ed calculated to cheer their spirits.
It was a brick building, plastered on the in
side, and the walls were rendered unpleasantly
suggestive by the numerous names that had
been rudely scratched upon its„surface by pre
vious tenants.
The floor was of stone, and the light was ad
mitted by a single window guarded by iron bars.
The afternoon sun had passed away from the
cage, which now stood in the shade, and there
was a silence and coolness about everything,
that was depressing and chilling.
For some time, our heroes sat still on the nar
row wooden bench that partly surrounded the
interior, with their backs against the wall, oc
cupied with their own thonghts.
At length Tom spoke.
‘ Do you think we shall be hung, Benny ?’ he
asked, innocently.
‘ Hung !' echoed Ben; ‘ what for ?’
, ‘ the Y do han 8 people for murder, don’t
they? inquired Tom.
'Yes; but we haven't murdered anybody, have
we ? said Ben, in a tone of inquiry.
‘Well, no; at least we didn’t mean it to be
murder, Tom replied. ‘ But we’ve given those
young gentlemen a regular licking, and if they
were to die, it would be looked upon as the
same thing, wouldn’t it ?'
‘ Oh, they wont die 1’ exclaimed Ben, with a
little contempt in his tone; ‘why should they?’
'I don’t know,’ answered Tom, seriouBly-
‘ only pe jple do die after fighting sometimes.’
Not that I think Master Rankley will, though
both his eyes are puffed up, and his nose and
lips swelled so. Bnt I don’t know what to think
about Master Bumpus. I knocked out two of
*® th \.“V* h « .“id he’d swallowed
them, and fhe did, they might stick in his in
dear V*** mortif y perhaps, and—oh,
At this terrible prospect, poor Tom turned
quite pale and shuddered vehemently, wholly
unable to finish the sentence. *
.* were both to die,” interposed Ben, • it
would almost serve them right Not that I wish
them any harm. Bat they’re only a couple of;
(Continued on 5th page.) ** ^