River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-10-24
'Yon'll stick to me, Dickin whispered
L.

"Candihons,' | said, in the same voice
"Waat the white feather growled til
old gentleman.
mo, no." l said; "but if I enlist no,
on your side, will you join me in a sieg
afterward2"
"Sieges what the deuceG Why dom
you speak plain, sir9"
"Well," said," mean about abou
"a certain young lady at the Priory
you know
"Confound your thick head, sirl VIII,
IT you had had an ounce of brains, yol
could have seen what | meant, and
"Bang, bang!' from tine woods.
Forward" shouted my uncle; an,
crossing a small open fold. we entered
the Spinney.
Now, ii | were to say that was brave
the assertion would be fib, for pos
sess but few of the qualifications Tor max
ing good soldier; but all the same a.
we pushed our way in that night amongs
the thick hazel stubs, 7 felt sort o
tingly sensation in my arm, which mad,
me grasp my weapon more tightly. anC
| feel as if wished there was something
to hit
keep your eyes we'll open, Dick,
whisptred my uncle, ''and ii you come
across a tall, thin. sqiunting rascal, witt
his nose on one side mind that's Ruddles
| Fell him to the ground in an instant, sir.
No mercy; capture him as you love me
And if you do take the scorndrel, you
shall save another COO! thousand down
on YOU wedding morning.
Sand if don't2" | whispered.
"Hold your tongue, you dog, and don't
talk nonsense"
On we went in silence as to our
tongues, but with the leaves rustling and
sticks cracking as we pushed on. Now l
could hear my uncle circulating; then
he'd stumble and mutter, while once I
had 10 haul him out of small hole half
full of water.
"Confound itl'' growled the old gentle.
man sbut i'll pay some one for this.
Open out bit to the right, Dick
/ separated from the main body. and
on we still pressed, rustling and crack
ling along, while now and again, l could
make out the well-defned forms of pleas
ants roosting amid the low branches of
the trees. Al a. cnce heard my uncle
stop short, for about hundred yards to
my right there came again sharp "bang,
bang" of two guns.
Push on, my boy" whispered the old
gentleman, closing up; and then, as fast
as we could fort he dense underground,
we made our way in the direction of the
sounds. "They're out strong, my boy !;
but we're four determined men, with
right on our side, and prize to winch,
you doggy
"Oofln 1 involuntarily exclaimed, for
just then my uncle gave me poke in
the ribs with his stock-very facetiously,
no doubt; but it hurt.
We were now in the thickest part of
the wood and, after going little further,
| felt my shoulder clutched, and
"Here they come" was whispered in
my ear. "Seize one man, Dick, and hold
on to him like a bulldog"
Just then I could hear in front the
sharp cracking and rustling made by
bodies being forced through the under
wood and, grasping my staff and press
ing eagerly forward, waited, with beat
ing heart, for the coming of the enemy.
1 did not have to wait long, for the next
moment I was face to face with Browsem,
''Lord, sir | thought it had been one
on emp be exclaimed; and then,
whispered consultation having been held,
we opened out about twenty yards apart,
and went straight away In the direction
we supposed the poachers to lave taken.
On, slowly and painfully, with the
twigs flying back and lashing our faces,
roots trying to trip us up, and the night
growing darker and darker. Right and
and left I could hear my uncle and
Brosem, while right off beyond the old
gentleman, Mr.. Todds, the reticent, was
making his way. Every eye was strained.
and every ear attent to catch the slight
est sound; but for quite ten minutes we
crept on, until right in our rear came the
sharp, loud report of a gun; and then,
after the interval of a few moments, ancth-
er louder and apparently nearer.
'Back again. cried my uncle; and
then, casting off all caution, we all pushed
forward eagerly, closing in as we went,
till we were only separated by few
bushes, so that could hear the hard
breathing on either side. Hard work,
and stumbling along; but
the will was good, and at last we all drew
up again in a small opening, painting, hot,
and regularly breathed.
"Hist!n whispered my uncle. and we
all listened eagerly; but with the excep-
ton of wild strange cry some distance
off, all was silent.
whats that2" whispered to Brow
sem.
"OnIy howl, sir" he whispered again.
blessed rum start this, amt it2"
"Bang, bang!' again hundred yards
off.
'Come on roared my uncle, furiously,
''there won't be bird left in the place"
And away we dashed again; blu tonly to
pull up once more, regularly puzzled.
Taint no good, sir" whispered Brow
sem. zone might go on like this all night,
and ketch no one"
"Why2" l said hopping my brow.
"That ERE, sir. as | said, was a howl,
must ha' been Munday's Ghost; and them
ere shots as we keeps hearings the ones
as killed the poor fellow, and that's why
the poachers never comes to this Bit"
"Browsem," pulled up my uncle.
eyes, SIR said browsem.
"You're fool, Browsem," pulled my
uncle.
"Thanky, SIR" said Browsem.
oWhat do you mean by that, sil r. cried
my uncle, fiercely.
''Notbing, sir said the keeper, mildly.
''For two pins, SIR" cried my uncle,
fiercely, I'D discharge you, sir. Dyer
hear2 discharge you, sir for talking such
foolery. Ghosts posts poohl bah!
puff stuff yah Forward"
Mr.. Todds, whe was at my ell ow,
his approval of his superior's
language, but gave superstltious shiver
at the same moment. And thence once
more we opened out and tramped through
the woods till regularly beaten out, and
without having heard another shot or
seen a single enemy, we reluctantly re-
traced our steps to the Priory
The next morning at breakfast the par
lor-maid again announced Browsem-
for my uncle abjures man-servants in the
house-and the keeper, looking puzzled
and long faced, appeared at the door.
''Now, Them sputtered my uncle.
''have you caught them9"
They clear d sandy Plants last night,
sir" growled the man.
"Who- what2" cried my uncle, upset
ting his coffee:
"Some on Ruddles,' / s'pose,"
said Browsem. Don't b'Iecve there's a
tail left outer scores," said the man.
'There 60 down and wait, and III
come directly after breakfast"
But to all intents and purposes my
uncle had finished his breakfast, tor
nothing more would he touch: while his