The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-09-13

benefit, but felt al too marrow 70 inclose
the explosive elements of our party.
Blew and / At last walked the major
out through the conservatory on TO the
terrace 1t was q warmisA, February
night-such things do befall now and
then and blazing moon. We walked
Backward and forward for turu or two,
and then leaned over the balustrade,
looking at the expanse Of lawn and
shrubbery, and the woods beyond, al
wonderfully clear and distinct in the
white, still light. Suddenly . spectral
outline few over the lawn, followed by =
very substantial figure in hot pursuit.
Congo!" exclaimed MariIlier and
simultaneously. doesn't it recall Bally-
noggin p M
Congo it was. He dodged CArmody
round and round the fountain, and then
ATTRACTED, presume, by the brilliant
range of lighted windows-made for the
terrace, came up and over the side in
three swarming leaps, chastered a recogni-
tion of his master, and then, To make all
safe, seized trailing bough of ivy and
swung himself aloft up the ornamental
stone-work above one OF the windows.
Up came Carmody.
It's the housekeepcr's best bonnet,
yer honor! She's just dancin' mad after
him. he painted.
Congo proceeded to dissect a mangled
mass of black stuff, part of which seemed
composed of giant grapes made evidently
OF some inedible substance, for after tast-
ing one, Congo wrenched of and cracked
the others spitefully till he took to pelt-
ing Blew with them
Marilher meanwhile was talking to
Carmody.
There they are, ready enough, I'll be
bound, sor," heard the latter reply
"Two fine active boys, and ladther
enough to go up a church steeple, let
alone the roof"
"And lanterns ?' MariIlier asked.
thought it rather an expenditure of
force if they only wished to recover the
bonnet, now hopelessly demolished Con-
go had put it on, and Allonby, who had
just come out, was shouting with laugh
ter.
"Very well, very well Major Marillier,"
said Jonathan's voice at the window.
" I've found my servants in new mourn
ing once: can't be expected to replace
your brute's-"
Here his remarks were cut short by
Congo, who made one leap on his head,
and second into the room. Marillier
sprang after him. He sped like light
ming through the whole score of rooms,
across the hall, and into the deserted din
ing room. Here we came up with him,
and found him ravaging the table, his
cheek stuffed with preserved fruit and
nuts. Allonby tried to throw napkin
over him, but this only produced fierce
chatter, and the creature, now seriously
scared, kicking over the epergne, raced
back as he had come. Out on the ter
race, up the ivy, appearing for one mo-
ment grinning over the battlemented par
apet, the next high on the ridge-tiles of
the roof, against the sky.
g Shoot him p shrieked Jonathan. half
frantic "He's got the nut-crackersl A
sovereign to the man who gets gun and
brings him down."
" I'll give ten to any man who can bring
him back alive p shouted the major.
I" Here you are, sir r sang out a gard
ener's boy, hurrying forward with lad
der on his shoulder
He placed it against the wall, and mp
he went. Up went Carmody with Ian
tern swinging on his teeth. Up went Ma
jor Marillier, shouting, "come along
some one-Blew or Rivers :"
Up went all, followed by two men with
additional lengths of ladder. stirred by
simultaneous impulse of froIic, to join the
mad game of follow my leader and that
leader Congo) over the roof of Brock
wood.
There can never have been a weirder
scene under the stars than that monkey
hunt. Brockwood looked rs big As a
small village by the half light. The roof
ran up into countless peaks and ridges,
now and then descending sheer into abys-
ses Of blackness, now opening into great
wide plains of lead roofing with treacher-
Gus pitfalls or skyIights The great stacks
of chimneys cast black shadows across
our way an evil tapped ont at rs lights
began to fit about excitedly in the win
dows that overlooked our course; the ser
wants turned out. on the watch for Con-
go's descent, and we four lnnatics In even
ing dress, ran, hallooed, slipped, scram-
bled and perilled our necks more times than
we cared to count, without the smallest
chance of ever coming up with our quarry
unless by his own good pleasure. Carmo-
dy, in good training from long practice,
kept well up; then the boy, an ex-slater
it appeared then We feur At varying
distances jonathan Marillier had taken
heart Of grace, and ascended, but content
ed himself with surveying N from dis