Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1866-03-14


SAID Tom mounting his horse
"Confound your impudence," howled
my father
Good night said Tom, with n wave Of
his hand. and turning sharp round, he
jumped his horse over the fence and vas
out of sight in a moment
! 1t was not quite fair of nv father. |
must own (Mr Josh continued after a
pause), but he determined to set = trap
for Tom Rocket. haited with the FIVE hun
dr"d gnineaS, at the bridge. He posted
+ up to Londcn. saw Bradshaw. famous
Bow Street runner, and arranged that he
and his men should come down, an, help
+ to catch Tom; bur, lust al the last moment
! Bradshaw was detained upon some i'm
/ portnnr government trial, and so another
runner, Fraser, a no less celebrated officer,
| took his place
/ 1t WAS settled that the runners should
come hv different roads and all meet ut q
way side inn ahnut FIVE miles from the
bride ut eight o'clock p NJ. on the day
my fathers pocket-h hook was to he return
ed. An hour afterwards they were TO Join
him on the road three miles further on.
+ Their object you see in akin. this round
about course, was to affie Toms spies and
Z
the appointed spot long before the ap-
pointed time
My father was little late at the place
of meeting; but when he arrived there he
could see no one about, except n loutish-
looking c"nntrvman in smoc k-frock, who
was swinging on n gate hard hy
"tiood n0IGht, master, said the vokel.
Good night to you" replied nv father
Can you tel me who this letters fIr,"
said the vokel, producing folded paper
My father saw in a moment that it was
his own letter to Bradshaw
Where did you get that p he said
quickly.
AIR replied the yokcl. replacing it in
his pocket, "tt at ud he telhngs. Be yer
expecting anyhody?'
What's that to you p said my father.
"Oh, nauGht," said the yokel, only a
gentleman from London"
"Ha" cried my father, what gentle
man.
"Will n name beginning with r suit
you ? asked the yokel
''Fraser2' The word fell Involuntary
from my fathers lips
That's the name" replied the yokel
jumping down from his seat. aud chang
ing his name and manner in moment
Il m Fraser, sir, and you re Mr. Sandiger
IA has been robbed of pocket-book, con.
tanning valuable papers; and we are go
ing to catch Tom Rocket as has got it
that's our game sir All right sir and
now to 1,usiness"
'But where are your men? my father
asked. when Fraser had explained tho
reason for his disguise
''Ali right again, sir said the runner,
they will join US We have not much
time to lose, so please to lead the way"
so my father led the wav, followed by
trr~cr, and hv the time thnt they cnme in
sight of the bridge thew had been joined
Ivy fonr London officers il different dis
@nises, and from different directions.-
One appeared as n tramp, one as a pedlar,
another as a gentleman's servant, leading
a horse and the fourth n soldier. No
one could have guess that they met be
fore. much Joss thpt they were engaged
together in preconcertcd scheme. NV
father gave Fraser great credi. or the
dextrous way in which he had collected
his forces
The bridge up0n which the money was
to he placed consisted Of two arches acros.
the river, and was Joined on either side
hr a long sort Of causeway, huilt NlpOn
piles over meadows that in the winter
time were generally covered with wat.r
It so happened that the crv next iaorn-
ng after the robbery heavy rain set in and
soon the floods were out, so that there was
no wav Of getting on the bridge bat hv
! going along the cansewav, which extended
a distance Of hundred wards. .loping
down gradually tn the road, on each side
I Of the river This causewnv was huilt nf
swoad At some places the timhcrs were
/ covered with earth and stones, but Mt
/ others the roadway had WORT ont and they
were bare. 80 that any one looking up from
/ underneath, could see who was pass
! inr overhead Mr. Frasers sharp eve
/ took in the position in a moment He got
Z two hurdles out Of field close bv and
/ with some rope, that he had brought for
another purpose, fastened them to the
+ lies so that they hung like shelves be-
tween the roadway ard the food. one at
/ each side Of the bridge, and about twenty
/ wards from it, This was his plan: two OF
/ his men were 10 lie hidden on each hurdle
whilst he and nv father, in boat thar
. was concealed beneath the main arch Of
the bridge unseen themselves could watch
the heap of stones where the money was
20 be placed and the stolen pocket-hook
left in exchange for it. As soon "a Tom
Rocket or any Of his friends removed the
ba. in which the gold was packed. Fraser
was to whistle. and his men were to chroh
from their hiding places AMI Sc ,ure who
ever it might be. If he leaped over the
raiin. of the causeway. and took to the
water there was the boat in which TO fol-
+ low and capture him
Mr.. Fraser was very particular in prac-
tisin. his allies in sprin-inr quickly from
their place of concealmcnt, and of impress
ing upon them and nv father the neces--
ity Of all acting together, keeping careful
watch, and strict silence And now,
sir, he said to nv father; as distant
clock chimed quarter to twelve, 1t 5
time 10 get to our places and bait the trap
so please 70 hand me the bag that ] NAV
mark il, and some OF the coins. a to hs
able TO identify them Mt the trial he
bad made up his mind, you see, TO mai
Master Tom this time
NV father gave him the bag, saw hin
: write upon it, and make some scratches
on about a dozen Of the Guineas. and ther
my father let himself down into the boat
in which he was Immediately Joined b,
the runner.
It's all right" said Fraser, in low
tone
; Do you think he will come ? whi.
pered my father.
? Cert1in,' replied Fraser, " but hush
We must not talk, sir. times up
For three mortal hours did nv fathe
sit in that boat, and the runners Ia
sretched OF. on the broad oe their back