The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1865-10-18


road three miles further OH Their object,
| you see. in taking this roundabout course
/ MAS TO baffie Toms spies and accomplices.
and to get securely hid about the appointed
apot long before the appointed time.
My father was little late nj the place OF
meeting; but when he arrived there he
could see no one about, except loutjsh look
ing countrymsn In u smock-frock who was
vas ewinging on u gate hard by.
Good noight, master, aaii the yokel
Good night ~ 10 you. said my father.
"Can you tell me who this yer letters for
said the yokpl, producing folded paper.
My father saw in moment thatit was his
own letter TO Bradshaw.
Where did yon get thut = he said quickly.
"Ahro replied the yokel replacing 1t in
his pocket, "that nd he tellin BE We ex-
pecting ybody p"
What's that to your" said my father.
ooh. nought," said the yokel, "only q
gentleman from London"
.Ha" said my father; "what gentle
man
| "Will a name beginning with +. suit your"
asked the yokel.
Frazer The word fell involntarily
from my father'a lips.
'Thars the name, replied the yokel,
jumping down from hs seat, and changing
his tone and manner in moment '.l'1a
Frazer, air. and youlare MIR sanLiger, "a has
been robbed III a pocket book containing
valuable papers; and We are going to catch
Tom Rocket az has got it that's our game,
sir. All right sir, and now 10 business."
"BIt where are your men - asked my
father after Frazer had explained the rea.
son for his disguise
GAN RIGHT AMIN air = 2ail tho rnnnpr
"shey will join us We have not much time
to lose. So please lead the way"
SO my father led the way. followed by
Frazer and by the time they came in sight
Of the bridge, they had been joined by four
London officers in different Iisguines and
from different directions. nne appeared az
n tramp. one as pedlar. another as gen
tleman servant leading horse, and the
fourth NJ soldier No one could have
guessed that they had ever iuet before. much
lees that they were engaged together in a
precnnceftel scheme. My tniLer gaye Fra
Ter great credit for the dexterons way in
which he had collected his forces.
The hriiSe upon which the money waa to
be placed, consisted 81 two arches across The
river, and was joined on either eide BY
long sort Of causeway. built upon piles over
meadows that In winter time We're generally
covered with water. Il 50 happened, that
the very next norningAfter the robbery hcs-
w rains set in. and soon the foods were out.
~ that there was no way Of getting ON the
bridge, except by going along the csa,seway
which extended distance Of II hundred
yards, sloping down gradually 10 the road
on either aide Of the river. This causway
was huilt 81 wood. Al some places il WAS
covered with earth and siones, but at others
ln,t ~
looking from underneath. could see what
! was passing overhead Mr. Irazag's sharp
eyes ,onk in the position al moment liz
got two hurdles out oil a field close by, ond
with some ropes that he had brought for
another purpose fastened them 10 the piles
so that they hung like shelves between the
roadway aud the food on either side Of the
bridge. and about twenty yards from it, This
was his plan two II his men. were 10 lie
hidden ON each hurdle. while he and my
father, in a boat that was concealed beneath
the main arch Of the bridge. unseen them
selves, could watch the heap Of stones where
the money was TO be placed, and the stolen
pocket book left in exchange for il. Az soon
rs Tom Rocket OF any of his friends re-
moved the bag in which the gold was packed,
Frazer was 10 whistle AMI his men were
to climb from their hiding places. and secure
whoever ii might be II he leapei over the
railing OF the csuseway. and took to the
water. there was the boat in which to follow
and capture him
Mr.. Frazer was very particular to pr actice
his allies on fpringinX quickly from their
place Of concaAlnent. and in inpresding on
them and my father the Necessity OF all act
ing together. keeping careful watch and
stIiet silence And now sir, said he 10 NY
father, u. A distant clock chimeI a quarter
to twelye, "tis time to get our places and To
bait the trap. 80 please hand me The bag that
may mark il. and some of the coins "a
to be able to identity them At trial H
had made up his mind, you see. to nail mas
ter Tom this time.
My father gave him the bag. saw him write
upon il, aud make some scratches On about
a dozen Of the guineas, and then my father
let himself down into the boat in which he
was Immediately joined by the runner
1T . oil right saii Frazer in q low tone
do YOU think he will come = whisper "a
my father.
Certain. replied Frazer. ..hut Luah We
mus, not talk ; times up.
For three mortal hours did my father cit
in that boat, and the runners lay stretched
oni upon the broad Of their hacks upon those
hurdles watching Tor Tom Rocket to come
for his money. and for three mortal hours
not . soul approached The bridge. not q
sound hut the wash Of the swollen river
was heard. BY the time that the clock
struck three. my father. who had been nod
ding for the laat twenty minutes fell fast
asleep. as he sat covered mp in his cloak. for
ii was a bitter cold night but he was speed
ily aroused By hearing Fraser cry on, that
they were aariti.
Adrift thay we're, sure enough. The rope
that held them had been chafel against the
sharp corner Of pile. Go Mr.. Fraser ex-
plained) ami away went the boat, whirling
round and round in the eddies OF the river,
ft 10 make any one giddy. So strong was
the stream that they were carrieia mile and
half down it before they could get ashore,
My father was for returning directly to the
bridge, and 80 was Fraser; bat somehow or
other they lost each other in the dark and
when my father arrived there, having run
nearly all the way, he found to his great sur
prise that the officers had left He rnshed to
that caught his eye was his pocket book--Me
money ieds gone
Lord, how he did swear.
Determining ~ have il Out with the run
ners for deserving their posts. he hurried ON
to the inn where they had met, and were to
pass the night. He knocked =, the door
No answer. He knocked again louder. No
answer. He was not in the very best of
tempers as you may guess So he gave the
door big kick. In it dew: and sight
me, his eye that fairly took away his breath.
Tied into i've chairs hand and foot, tlussed