The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1859-11-19

for bic disguise,
al right again, ,ir,' said lhe runner, lhey
siIl join Vs. We have not much time 10 lose
80 please 10 lead the way
DO nay father led lho way followed by Fra
Ger and By the Time that they came in sghl
Of The bridge they had been joined by four
London officers, in different dsguscs, aud
from different directions, one appeared ~
tramp, one as pedlar, another % q gentle
mans servant leading horse, and the fourth
% soldier, No one could have guessed
that they had met before, much lees that they
we're engaged together IN preeoucrued
sthsme, Ny father gave Fraser great rrcd-
it Tor the deTlerous way in which be- bad cul-
leclod hIs forces,
The bridge upon which lhe money was to
be- placed consisted of two archcs across the
river, aud Was Joined on either eide by O long
sort otfauseway built upon piles over mead
oWs that Ia the winter time we're genemll,
covered With water Il 90 happened, that
The tefy uvIt morning after the robbery hca.
W rain set in, and soon the floods werc out
90 that there was no way Of getting on the
bridge but by going along the eau.cvoy,
which extended distance of o huudnd
yards slop.ng down gradually to the road Jon
each aide of the river. Th.,, oamevay wa,
built of wood, AZ some places the t.mbcrs
we're covered with earth and stoucs, but at
others the roadway had worn out and they
we're bare, 40 that any one looking up from
underneath, could see who was passing over.
head, Mr., fn1er's sharp eye took Ia the
position 10 moment. lie got two hurdles
out Of field close by, and with some ropr,
that be had brought for another purpose. fas,
tened them 10 the piles, 90 tha, they hung
Ike shelves between the roadway and the
food, one on saoh side Of the bridge. and
about twenty yards from Il, This was his
plan two Of his men were 10 lie hidden on
each hurdle, whilst be and my father, In
boat that was concealed beneath the main
arch Of the bridge, unseen themselves, could
watch the heap Of stones where the money
WAS TO be placed. aud the stolen pockcrbooA
len in exchange for 10. A. soon as Tom, or
any Of his friends, removed the bug ia " hich
the gold was packed Fraser was TO whistle,
and hi, men we're to .Gimb from their hiding
places, and secure whoever II might be-. II
hc leaPcd over the railing Of the eauseway,
and took 20 the water there was the boat in
which 10 follow him.
Mr.. Fraser was very particular to practice
hi. alice ia sprngi"g quickly from their
place Of conecllmcnt and imprcssiug upon
them and my father the. necessity Of all act
Ing together, keeping careful watch and strict
silence. And now, sir, he said TO my father
asa distant clock chimed quarter to twelve,
Il, is time to get our places and to bait the
trap, 80 please to hand me the bag that
may mark il, and some Of the coins, 90 as TO
be able TO identify TIM trial lie had made
up his mind you see, to nail master Tom this
time.
My father gave him the bag saw him write
upon 1t, and make some scratches on about
dozen Of the. guineas, and then my father lc.
himself down into the boat, in which he was
joined 10y the runner
rs all right said Fraser in q low tone
do you think he will come " whispered
my father.
Certain, replied Fraser, but, hush we
must not talk, sir, times up -
For three moral hours did my father sit
in that boat, and the runners lay stretched
out on the broad Of their backs upon those
hurdles watching for Tom Rocket to come
for his money and for three mortal hour,
not soui appJUartud tho bridge, not sound +
but the wash Of the swollen river was heard. .
by the time that the clock struck three, my
father, who had been nodding for the last
lwerty minutes, fell fast asleep, as he sat COW
cred up in his cloak, for il was a bitter cold
nights but was very speedily aroused by
hearing Fraser cry out that they were adrift.
Adrifl they were, sure enough. The rope
hat held them had been chafed against the
sharp corner ofa pile $50 Mr.. Fraser explain
ad) till it broke, and away went the boat,
vhirling round and round in the eddies Of
he river, fit to make any. one giddy 50
strong was the stream, that they were carried
, mile and "a half down il, before they could
get ashore. My father was fof,returning di-
.eetly to the bridge, and so was Frascri but
somehow or other, they lost each other in the
lark and when my father arrived there,
,nving run nearly all the way, he found, to
lis great surprise, that the officers had left
lie rushed to the heap of stones and there
he first thing that caught his eye was his
,ooket-book-the money tcdS gone!
Lord, how lac did swear
Determining to have it out with the run
ers for deserting their posts he hurried on
o the inn where they had mtt, and were 10 Z
Ass the night. He knoekef at the door,
10 answer. lie knocked agSn, louder. No Z
nswer. lie was not in the ysry best Of hu-
lors, you may guess so he gave the door
big kick IN it few and a sight met his
lew that iaiHy took away his breath. Tied {