The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-08-03

| y
at least, not then. Oh, May, how
shocked we were when we returned to the
landing place and found all the boats
gone!
1T was shocking of them to leave you
behind, said May, with indignation
They did not mean any harm ; it was
one of those mistakes which so often make
big picnics end badly. Papa, who was
nearly left behind himselfthrough hunting
after me, was told that | had gone off in
the first boat with the consul general and
his wife n; and so he took passage with the
stationnare, and then returned with his
ship at Therapia.
Every boat had left; there was not
even caique in sight. There was moth
ing to be done but to walk to the nearest
village, distance of two miles, and hire
one.
'On the road we met two Arnauts, as
wicked looking creatures as ever | saw !;
and Fred, not feeling sure of his way,
asked them if we were going right. 'Evet
offendi," Eyes gentlemen), said the smaller
and better looking of the two and so we
hurried on. We had not gone more than
three hundred yards when we heard some
one running after us and shouting for us
to stop. 1t was the other man, who, half
in words, half in gestures, told us that his
friend had not understood Freds ques-
ton; we were going wrong; we must re-
turn good distance and take path lead
ing to the right. Not IA shadow Of sus-
picion that we were being deceived cross
ed our minds. We thanked the man for
his civility, turned back and followed the,
path he had indicated. 1t led into a
narrow, rocky gorge, with woods on each
side, and there we came suddenly upon
four men, two Of them our old friends,
who stopped the way.
Let us pass" said Fred, in Turkish,
or I'll-"
lie had not finished the sentence before
one Of the Arnauts snatched my watch
chain. The next instant | heard dull
thud, and he fell stunned against the rocks
[ do not know what Fred whispered in my
ear, as he placed me behind him and
stood at bay, looking o, so splcndidly
handsome What followed seemed to my
dazed mind like their rush | saw Fred
put his right hand into his pocket
draw it out again, and hold it towards
them. As he did so heard a slight
click. At that sound and action our as
sailants fell back, just as the bad spirits
in Il pantomime quail before the wave of
the good fairy's wand. What do you
think that dear, clever fellow had done :?
knowing that with one to support, (for |
was foolish enough almost to faint) he
could not struggle against three, he drop
ped the lion and assumed the fox, drew
out his pipe case, snapped it to initiate
the swapping Of Il pistol, and held it at the
first Arnaut's head, saying if he advanced
one step he was a dead man. Lucki-
ly it was dark, so the stratagem succeed
ed to perfection. Fred lowered his hand
for fear the trick might be detected, and
retired in good order, half carrying me,
until we got into the open road again, L
knew what he whispered in my ear then,
and gave me heart and strength.
The Arnauts followed us little way,
and then struck into the wood and disap-
peared, ,cowed,poor wretches, by a leathern
pipc-case.
All, Katey now | see why you put it
amongst your treasures, " said May; "Dear
old smelly thing. | beg your pardon"
shecontinued, addressing the object of
her former dsdain.
You have heard only half what it
saved us from on that dreadful night" "
said Mrs Kate.
"Oh, dearie did they attack you
again ?"
No. That danger was at an end We
had another, perhaps greater, to encoun-
ter.
J Following the road which we now
: knew to be the right one, as We had been
r lured from it to be more conveniently
robbed and perhaps murdered, (for | hear
, these Arnauts are capable of killing a
man for charge of powder), we arrived
without further adventure at the village
| where moored to Il rickety platform in
front Of the usual cafe,we saw four or FIVE
caiques. We choose the best looking
and the caiquejee was in the act of cast
/ ing off the rope which held it to the pier
when man rushed out of the cafe with 9
long knife in his hand and dared him to
Q take US.
a violent alteration, which, from
the expression of their faces and the ges
lures they used, | thought would at any
moment end in murder, ensued. At last
an old Turk interposed his authority (hC
was the scheik of the place., and it wa,
explained to Fred that the man he haC
taken must not take us; he did not be
long to that landing it was his adversary,
= turn we must hire him. Fred did mo-
like his looks; he had the eyes and tn,
voice Of an opium eater; he was very
dirty, too; whereas most caiquejees arr
quite pictures of neatness and cleanliness
> in their white trousers and Broussa sill
shirts | felt horror of him from tn,
: moment l had seen the long cruel knit,
glittering in his hand but there was NJ
> appeal, no alternative. 1t was Hobson'
choice-his caique or none, and 30 w
c took it.
. at was what they called on the Bos
y phorus two-oar caique; but We shoulC
. say it was rowed by double sculls-th,
stroke pair steer, and the dirty man will
the long knife rowed stroke. And very
u well he rowed for the first ten minutes
> well that most of my nervousness.depart
5 ed, and l began to think how soon,at tn
rate we were going, should relieve poor
i dear papa's anxiety, But all of a sud
J. den our stroke stopped rowing, gesticula
o ted violently for few seconds and thel
e burying his face in his hands, burst GU
l. crying. The man in the bow rowed OF
y quietly and took no notice of his partner
y He was probably accustomed to sucl
n outbreaks. We were now in midstream
d where it ran with great violence, an,