The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-10-18

ready fastened the bed-cord TO thu
| post, opened the window, swung
down to the roof of the porch, anc
reached the ground from thence by {
ladder which Tom brought,
Their first resort was to the buttery
large, square room, with two win
dows. Toms father rigidly carried
out his intentions Of punishment
and the boys had been kept on bread
and milk through the day, a goot
enough fare for anybody, but consid
cred rather deficient by boys accus
toned to unlimited supplies of Nam
ma jones' delectable puddings, pies
and doughnuts.
Tom at once opened his plan tc
Bert. He proposed that they should
stay the next day in Captain In.
grams barn; hidden in the hay, and
the following night smuggle them
selves on board the schooner. In the
meantime they must have something
to eat, and, without any scruples,
they rified the contents Of jars and
pals, taking many slices of pink
corned beef and couple Of pies
These were packed into one of Nam.
my's tin pals, and, thus provided for,
our two heroes started out on their
travels, with as delightful anticipa,
lions Of the wonderful and surprising
things in store for them as ever Col.
umbus had. 1t was about three miles
to North Wharf; but, refreshed by the
enforced rest of the day, they trudg-
ed cheerfully along, muncing mince'
pies and cheese.
Captain Ingram's barn was alarge
one, and, ms the haying season was
past, it was well filled with hay from
the floor to the topmost NOW. The
boys selected the latter place in
which to hide, and excavated large
hole in the hay near the wall. The
moon had sunk low in the West, and
the moonbeams fell through the crew
ices of the barn, lighting up their
little den and lending to it a sense
Of comfort and coziness.
1t was sometime before they were
sufficiently composed to think of
sleep. They talked in low tones,their
talk dwelling mostly on catching
Goldfish and whales, on the difference
between schooners and barques, and
such nautical subjects. Once Bert
ventured to wonder what Nanny
would say, when she found they were
gone; but this subject was quickly
thrust aside as diSagreeable and in
appropriate.
At last they began to grow sleepy,
and Tom was just dropping of, when
he thought he heard a movement Of
some sort, not far away. He knew
there was not an animal in the barn,
for the COWS and horses were always
left in the pasture during warm
summer nights. He clutched Bert's
hand convulsively, and found he,too,
had heard and was wide awake.
In a moment or two there was
subdued "Ahem!" coming apparent
ly from the NOW just under them
Cold sweats started out all over Tom
when he heard that, and his mind
turned involuntarily TO the unfnish-
ed chamber and empty bed there
How he wished himself back in i'll
They sat with clasped hands, hardly
daring to breathe. Pretty soon, al
though it seemed to the boys ages,
there was another and q louder
"Aheml"
Who or what was ii? 1t was be-
fore the days Of tramps, though &C
casionally stray ragabOnd was seen
in Canterbury. Could it be a hand
organ mani Bert had heard fearful
stories of the capture of children by
hand organ men; he had heard how
they starved and beat them, and bow
tired the children got walking all
day and shaking the tambourine.-
What if this hand.organ man should
carry them of! Somehow a roaming
life did not seem so desirable and
charming to him as it did when he
and Tom were talking about going
to sea.
And Tom! A few days before he
had heard Sam Ellis telling at the
store about crazy man who had es,
capped from the Danvers Lunatic AS
ylum and was wandering about the