The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-08-13

preston II lOQu were not always u yHlS ,
so we let him whimper without much no.
tice, and sat watching the door through
which the master passed, after charging
us to keep our seats. We had not long to
wait-only time to say, Shut up, Todd"
once or twice, when the door reopened.
The master, Mullett, Decker, ana-and
is it possible {? Coles the constable! We
rub our eyes and stretch our necks, but
cannot change that burly form into any
thing but Coles the constable. This was
more than we ~bargained for, having
thought the excitement would eliminate
in a public logging, or at the most an ex-
pulsion. The culprits were placed before
masters desk, AMI Coles took a seat on
the platform beside him.
Little Miggs, will you come and take
this chair, if you please"
The boy slowly arose, took his crutch.
and limped 20 the seat assigned him. As
he passed across the floor you could See he
was a cripple, and a sadly detOrmed one,
too; but you couldn't have been in the
school a single day without discovering
that he is the favOrite. Who could UNI
pire a game of ball or cricket with the fair
ness oflittle Miggs? No one ever thought
for a IN of ~disputing his decisions /;
and of The cheers which followed the con
clusion of game, those for little MiggS
always seemed the heartiest and most pro-
lOnged.
Boys, learned from little Miggs yes
teriay that a conspiracy had been formed
to commit Il crime in this house. The in
formation wa given that | might be on
my guard. | could not draw from my in
formant the names of those implicated,
but through means of a fortunate accident
| discovered the culpritS. What the
crime was, and how the design was
thwarted, shall be told by one who was a
listener. although an unwilling one, at
the plotters' rendezvous. | have insisted
on this public disclosure, and | need hard
lv assure YOU that my principal witness
tells his story with the greatest reluctance,
and only by my express desire"
" Ify please, sir" said little Miggs,
Il was down in the birch hut yesterday,
! "iliNll VT huIil Sob NiION' " OtlI ptl
club meetings. There was one appointed
for hat day, but it rained and so it was
adjourned. | was late, and didn't get
there until all the boys We're gone. 1t was
raining 80 hard, that [ could not return,
and as the roof isn't very tight, the water
poured through, so | crawled into the
large box where We kept our clubs-it is
the old dog kenuel-and | could not have
been there more than five minutes, when |
heard Mullctt and Decker talking oHtSide,
and ~by-and-by they came in and seated
themselves on the box over my head. |
was just going to come out, when Mullet:
said:
Blu are you sure yOt can put your
hand OF the money after YOU get in?'
Yes said Decker, he keeps il under his
pillow at night. liiggs saw him put it
there The day master had him seen on the
lounge in his room when he wa sick |
lay very quiet while they talked over their
plans. was very mach frightened, sir,
forI o discovered that they meant to
rob you last night. | found it was their
intention to pretend sleep when the dor
mitOrieS were Inspected for the night, and
then Il was to conceal himself in your
Don before you came up from the study,
while jhe other was watching in the CORR
dOr and if successful, they were going
to hire a horse and carriage at .Tcwett'S
eaIlE this morning and get away ~ soon
as possible and run off to sea. Then, sir
they began talking very low indeed. and
the rain upon the roof made so much
noise, I couldn't make ont just what they
said, and, oh sir! just ut that moment |
found | was going to Snecze. | tried ali (
could 10 stop it, but it would come, and |
really think, sir, it was the loudcstsnoc
| ever gave. Then there was nothing for
me to 90 but to come out
"'See here. young one, have yoI been
listening 10 all this?' said Decner. 'Oh
yes, Decker | cried, and how can yOu-'
Now just stop that sniveliDg. or III give
you something to cry for, and | saw that
Decker had been drinking. Then MulIett
said quite kindly, although he was very
much excited, Now, little Miggs. we're
bound to carry this thing through, and We
Wont have interference. Wemustn't per
nit you to leave this place tonight and
interrupt our plans. Yes, on one cOndi-
ton can you appear at the school this
evening, and that is that you will solsmnly
promise, upon your oath, not to mention
what you have heard to a single soul until
our flight has been discovered
"'Mullett, Mullett, how car I promise
you this?'I said, No, no; don't ask it.
Oh, Decker, think of this awful thing you
are going to do; and to the best master a
hn,- nrrnr lnl Dnnr Mrllnt- r-n-r -nrrnl