Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-06-28

avail hlmselt OF my knoWledRe OI tne
country.
wished particularly to earn a hun
dred dollars that fall, but 1 refused his
offer. 1 knew that to aid detective
would get me into trouble. l should be
"spotted," and, likely enough, waylaid
some night.
But Staurt came again the next day.
He had an oily, fattering tongue, and he
said if I would do my best to help him
work up this "iob," as he called it, he
would get me into the detective service,
where keen young fellow like myself
(such were his words could soon make
fortune.
A great many boys of seventeen
would be caught by such an offer. ]
was caught, and took a weeks pay in
advance to consummate the arrange
ment.
The next week we set off, disguised as
two mink trappers, and spent nearly q
fortnight wandering about the bounda-
ry, picking up such information as the
settlers on each side were indiscreet
enough to give us.
There was but one road across the
cline" through the wilderness from
Canada to Maine; but there we're a
number of "bear paths, and old tote
roads.
One of these, called "Durkee's tote
trail, f." we watched constantly for five
days, on hint dropped by an old French
settler. Certain signs and tracks indi-
Gated that there had been recent passing
and repassing; but thus far we had not
seen any person upon it.
Early the sixth morning, we set off to
follow the trail up to Meguntic. We
had not gone hundred rods, and were
still on the Maine side of the line, when
we heard voices ahead, and had just
time to slip into the frs beside the path,
when two men came in sight with packs
on their backs"
We took good look at their faces as
they passed, but Stuart did not attempt
to arrest them. They were both young
men, and had bulky packs.
1t was evident they had not come very
far that morning, for it was scarcely
sunrise when they passed us. There
was a frosty dew on the grass and
bushes.
As soon as they were out of hearing,
we came from our place of concealment
and followed back on their trail, to
trace them, if possible, to their camp,
which Stuart thought would prove a
sort of halfway house for storing con-
traband goods.
But for the frosty dew, we should not
have found it. Some two miles further
up, and just over the line, there was q
thick second growth of scrub fir and
spruce. Ten or dozen years previously
he lumbermen had cut off the old
growth. The tracks in the frost at this
point turned from the trail and led into
this dense green thicket.
We followed cautiously in, and, after
beating about awhile, stumbled on an
old lumber-camp. where the loggers
had formerly spent the winter. So
completely hidden was it by the second
growth of dense frs, that one might
have passed and repassed within three
rods of it, without discovering it.
"Here's their den p Stuart whispered
We peeped about it; then approached
closer, and looked in at chink betwixt
the logs. No person was in the camp.
We unbuttoned the door and went in.
A number of old grain-boxes, each made
to hold hundred bushels, lay bottom
up on the floor. Under these was a
rich sight-Havana cigars, and liquors,
box on box, flask on flask French
brandies, and old Bourbon whiskyl
Stuart ran his eye over it, and said
there was at least a thousand dollars
worth.
ga good haul" he chuckled.
"But it's over the line, 1 said. "We
can't touch 'em over here"
"See if 1 don't" laughed Stuart.
''In such case as this, I'll take the
risk. I've seen 'em carrying the stuff
across. And in this t-of-the-way hole,
it is not SO easy proving just where the
line is"
He had hardly uttered the words when
we heard voices in the frs outside and
close by.
"They've come back for something, u
Stuart muttered.
There wasn't even chance to get
out. The detective hastily tipped up
one of the big grain boxes, and we both
slipped under it. The edge was hardly
down on the floor when the door was
pushed open.
"Strange Bige didn't button it," were
the first words we heard, in harsh,
coarse voice, as the owner of it stepped
into the camp. He was followed by an
other and another, till gang of at least
ten men had come in and thrown down
their guns and packs.
Some of them sat down on the very
box we were under. There was knot.
hole in the box above us, large enough
to have stuck q fist through.
To say that we felt uncomfortable
there in the very den of that lawless
gang, expecting nothing but that We
should be discovered next mirute-
but family expressed our emotions, my
own, at least.
True, we might make stout fight
with our carbine and revolver; but We
should certainly be overpowered and put
out of the way. The safety of every
man in the gang would demand that We
should be disposed of effectually; and
from their talk, they seemed the men tt
do any desperate deed. Half their con
versation was oaths.
The smugglers seemed tired. w,
soon understood that they had beer
travelling all night. They sat and lay
round for ten or fifteen minutes. On,
of them--whom the rest called "Cap'n'
then said:
"Pack away the stuff, boys, and thel
get up breakfast.
They all rose up and unbound thei
packs.
"Shall we stow it in this box?" asked
one, tipping up the box we were unde
at least foot.
Our hearts leaped, and we gripped ou
weapons.