Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1865-10-19

q
was to battle Toms spies and accomplices,
and to get securely hid about the appointed
spot long before the appointed time
Nv father was a little late at the place Of
meeting; but when he arrived there he
could see no one about, except a loutish look
ing countryman in smock- frock who was
was swinging on gate hard by.
4 ''Good noight, master, said the yokel.
"Good night 10 to you, said my father
.Can you tell me who this yer letters for
.aid the yokel, producing folded paper
NV father saw in a moment thatit was his
own letter TO Bradshaw.
..Where did you get tibet q he said quickly.
"Ah ?" replied the yokel replacing it in
+ his pocket, 'ithat I'D be tellin. Be ye ex-
pecfing anybody
Whats that 10 your said my father
sob, nought,' said the yokel, "only
gentleman from London"
..Han' said my father; s'what gentle
man.
s.will name beginning with F suit your
/ asked the yokel.
Frazer" The word fell involutarily
from my fathers lips.
"That's the name" replied the yokel,
! jumping down from his seat, and changing
! his tone and manner in moment. ''Im
Frazer, sir, and youIare Mr.. Sandiger, as has
i been robbed of a pocket book containing
valuable papers; and we are going to catch
! Tom Rocket as has got it--thats our game,
sir All right sir, and now 10 business.
"Bat where are your men - asked my
father, after Frazer had explained the rea-
son for his disguise
ssAll right again sir, said the runner,
sthey viii join us. We have not much time
to lose SO please lead the way"
Sonny father lei the way, followed by
Frazer; and by the Zine they came in sight
of the bridge, they had been joined by four
London officers in different DISCUSSES and
from different directions. One appeared as
a tramp, one as pedlar, another az a gen
tleman's servant leading horse, and the
fourth as a soldier. No one conld have
guessed that they had ever met before, much
less that they were engaged together Iii
preconcerted scheme. My father gave Fra
ger great credit for the dexterOns way IN
which he hao collected his forces.
The brid5e upon which the money was to
be placed. consisted of two arches across the
river, and was joined on either side BY a
long sort Of causewaY, built upon piles over
meadows that in winter time were generally
covered with water II so happened, that
) y
w rains set in, and soon the floods were out,
so that there was no way of getting on the
bridge except by going along the callseway
which extended distance of hundred
yards, sloping down gradually to the road
on either side Of the river. This causway
was built of wood AT some places it was
covered with earth and ston es, but at others
it was worn out and bare, so that a person
looking from underneath, could see what
was passing overhead Mr.. Frazer $ sharp
eyes took in the position at a moment. He
cot two hurdles out Of field close by, and
with some ropes that he had brought for
another purpose, fastened them 10 the piles
80 that they hung like shelves between the
roadway and the food, on either side of the
bridge. and about twenty yards from it. This
was his plan Two Of his men, were to lie
hidd en- on each hurdle, while he and my
father, in boat that was concealed beneath
the main arch of the bridge, unseen them
selves, could watc i the heap of stones where
the money was to be placed, and the stolen
pocket book left in exchange for it. AS soon
as Tom Rocket or any Of his friends re
moved the bag in which the gold was packed,
Frazer was to whistle, and his were
to climb from their hiding places, and secure
whoever il might be If he leaped over the
railing of the oauseway, and took to the
water, there was the boat in which to follow
and capture him.
Mr.. Frazer was very particular to practice
his allies on springing quickly from their
place of concealment, and in impressing ON
them and my father the necessity of all act
ing together, keeping careful watch and
strict silence ''And now sir, said he to my
father, as o distant clock chimed q quarter
to twelve, ''tis time to get our places and to
bait the trap, so please hand me the bag that
may mark it, and some Of the coins SO as
to be able to identify them at trial, He
had made up his mind, you see, TO nail mas
ter Tom this time.
My father gave him the bag, saw him write
upon it, and make some scratches on about
a dozen of the guineas, and then my father
let himself down into the boat III which he
was Immediately Joined by the runner.
''Its all right, said Frazer in low tone.
''Do you think he will come ," whispered
my father.
Certain, replied Fraser, shut hush we
must not talk times up,
For three mortal hours did my father sit
in that boat, and the runners lay stretched
out upon the broad OF their backs upon those
/ hurdles Watching for Tom Rocket to come
for his money, and Tor three mortal hours
not soul approached the bridge, not a
sound but 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 last twenty minutes fell fast
asleep, as he sat covered up in his cloak, for
it was bitter cold night but he was speed
lily aroused by hearing Fraser cry out that
they were adrift.
Adrift they W ere, sure enough The rope
that held them had been chafed against the
sharp corner Of q pile, $50 Mr.. Fraser ex-
plained) and away went the boat, whirling
round and round in the eddies Of the river,
fit TO make any one giddy. SO strong was
the stream that they were carried mile and
a half down it before they could get ashore
Ny father was for returning directly to the
bridge, and so was Fraser; but 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 rushed to
the heap Of stones, and there the first thing
that caught his eye was his pocket book-tte
money acas gone
Lord, how he did swear.
Determining to have j. cut with the run
ners for deserving their posts he hurried on
to the inn where they had met, and were 10
pass the night He knocked ct tie 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 flew; and a sight
met his eye that fairly took away his breath
Tied into five chairs hand and foot, trussed
up like 80 many Christmas turkeys, with five
gags in their five mouths and their eyes