The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-09-18
HiSreilanp.
HOW THE BOYS Asst oNISHED THE
RIVERMOUTHIAN 4, az :

of how the hero and his oo-conspiratcrs astunish-
4 ed the Intermediates. A number OF old can.
.lon relics of The war OF 1912, had been acoumu-
81 Sted at Rivermonth, and several of the "old
Engers" were scattered about on the wharf. 1t
In ttcurred to the 'enterprising mind OF ioung
day ilsy that here excellent opportunity Tor
frst r and midnight surprise. A few OF the lead
posed members ofthe Centipede Club were consult
Wherand readily entered into the scheme. A dozen
1Sn go of the cid dogs we're secretly got in
ern1neper trim and position. The necessary nmmu-
ton was quietly procured, and the services of
oTisilor Ben, under a pledge Of secrecy, were Sc.
EaEured to prepare the fuse for the grand awaken.
ing Wequote from the story ,ssas4.z
On Wednesday the fuses were 4feady:~~That
night we were to unmuzzle Ba,ieys Battery
Mr. Grimshaw saw that something was wrong
some where, for we vera reStless and absent
minded in the classes, and the bestof us came to
grief befor the morning sc ssion was over. When
Mr.. Grimshsw announced 'Guy Fswkes" as the
subject for our next ,aompoStion you might
have knocked down the Mystic Twelve with a
feather.
The coincidence was certainly curious, but
when mai, has committed, or is abnnt TO com.
nit an offence, hundred traes, which would
have passed unnotioed at another time, seem to
Guy Fawkes himself received inkhS start after
piled up under the House of Lords
Wednesday, as have mentioned, was half
holiday, and the Cenhpedes assembled in my barn
to decide on the final arrangements These were
as simple as could be- AS the fuses were con.
nected, it needed but person to fire the train
Hereupen arose a discussion as to who was the
proper person. Some argued that, had ought
to apply the match, the battery being christened
after me, and the main idea, moreover, being
49, "a, 4Ln 1,iv ~ Dl,,1A 1
arns as the oldest boy. AT last we drew lots for
the post of honor.
Twelve slips Of folded paper, upon one Of which
was written Thou art the man" were placed in
quart measure, and thoroughly shaken; then
each member stepped up and lifted out his des-
tiny. AT given signal we opened our billets
"Thon art the man" said the slip of paper trem-
bling in my fingers. The sweets and anxieties
Of leader were mine for the rest of that after
noon. -t ai.y
Directly after twilight set in, Phil Adams
stole down to the wharf and fixed the fuses to
the guns, laying a train Of powder from the
principal fuse TO the fence, through o chink Of
which was to drop the match at midnight.
AT 10 o'clock Rivermoutb goes to bed.
AT eleve o'clock Rivermourh is as quiet as
country churchyard.
Attwel, o'clock there is nothing left with
which to compare the stiffness that broods over
the little scar ort. 81 rsEr gtsfpgTlph
In the midst Of this stiffness arose and Gid
cd out Of the house like phantom bent on an
evil errand like a phantom / fitted through the
silent street, hardly drawing breath until knelt
down beside the fence at the appointed place.
Pausing moment Tor my heart to stop thump-
ing, lighted the match and shielded it with
both hands until it was " ell under way, and then
dropped the blazing splinter on the slender train
Of gunpowder.
A noiseless fash instantly followed, and all
was dark again. I peeped through the crevice
in the fence, and saw the main fuse splitting out
sparks like a conjurer. Assured that the train
had not failed, took to my heels fearful lest
the fuse might burn faster than We calculated,
and cause an explosion before could get home.
This, luckily. did not happen. There's ? special
Providence that watches over idiots, drunken
men, and boys.
lodged the ceremony Of undressing BY plung.
ing into bed, jacket, boots and all. am not sure
l took off my cap; but l know that had hard
~ pulled the ooverlid over me. wija !" Boon !"
sounded the first gun of Baley's Battery.
I lay "a still as mouse. In less than two
minutes there was another burst Of thunder. and
then another. The third gun wa tremendous
fellow, and fairly shook the ground.
The town was waking up. Windows were
thrown open here and there and people called to
each other across tho streets asking what that
firing was for.
"Boom !" went gun number four.
Isprung out Of bed and tore Of my jacket, for
heard the Captain feeling his way along the
wall to my chamber. was half undrsssod by
the time he had found the knob Of my bedroom
door.
II ssy, sir,' I cried, "do yon hear those guns
"Not being deaf, d." said the Captain, . lit
tie tartly-any reflection on his hearing always
nettled him; "but what on earth they are for
I can't conceive. You had better get up and
dress yourself" &, a-4LlJ "a
Tim nearly dressed sir" .~
Boom boom 1.-TWO Of tho guns had gone
off together.
Tho door of Miss Abigail's bedroom opened
hastily, and that pink Of madenly propristy step
ped out into the hall in her night-gown-the
only INDIGENOUS thing ever knew her TO do
She had lighted candle in her haad md looked
like very aged Lady Macbeth.
20 Daniel, this is dreadful What do you
suppose it neans?"
81 really can't suppose" said tho Captain, rub.
bing his ear; but guess it's all over now"
Boon" said Bailey's Battery.
Rivermouth was wide awake COW, and half
the male population were in the streets, running
different ways, for the firing seemed TO proceed
from opposite points Of the town. Everybody
waylaid everybody else with questions; but as
no one knew what was the ooossion Of the tn.
multi, people who We're not usually nervous be.
gan to be oppressed by the mystery. -
Some thought the town was being bombarded
some thought the world was coming 70 IN end,
% the pious and ingenious Mr.. Miller had pro.
dicted it would; but those who couldn't form
any theory whatever were the most psrplexed.
In the meanwhile Baloy's Battery beloved
away at regular intervals. The greatest oonfu.
sion reiyned every where by this time. Paonla