The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-29

OF bulvs eye iHnt0rn was asen within.
Hall . dozen active fellows same ~sprinaing
through tho trees, and without word or
II can't stand this" whispered Wilton TO
his friend. Five minutes more and they
will have lug9sd every gum In the Armory
to the boats. Yondsr comes one Of 'en
with the box Of cartridges now"
~ no spoke. q man. staggering slightly
under the weight. cams heavily out into the
wooden box.
Rose. run for the hill. Some Of our
fellows must have reached the old observa-
tory by this time. told them TO halt the,e
and wait for the major, but fetch along all
Won can quietly now, unless you hear me
yell. Then come for all you're worth. of
with youv'
Reluctantly. but yielding to tho master
mind, Ross sped away through the grove.
Another instant and Wilton. lesping from
his concsalment, noisslsss % a cat went
bounding down the slope on the trail Of tho
box bsarer. HAmpered by his burden,
stumbling and QrumblinQ down the wind
ing pathway 10 the shore. that worthy
never knew exactly what happened. Some
thing that he afterwards described ~ a
''stuffsd brick bat" hit him back Of the ear.
A million stars danced through the DARK
cartridges went crashing into the gravel at
the foot of the bank. the m%araudinR militia
men ,Olling after it and there in the sands
lay duInb and ssnselsss.
whats the matter thsre7" hailed q voics
from, the boats.
'tshut up!' was the mufiod answer, "I'm
going back for the guns You fellows haul
out and &c up the shore to the point. Well
fetch EN- there. Tie bsys have got wind
of us somehow. Quick! l tell ye."
And the speaker dsrtsd back through the
trees. For . moment the party at the boats
parleyed and hssitated but no answer came.
IT was Hanks VOICE. finally said 4 Of
ready weakening under the strain. We'd
best lose NO tins in getting out of here"
An 30. half pushed, half padded. the
beets went drifting OF into the darkness.
and in three minutes were out of hearing
utterly ont Of sight. The two men who
just a little later, stumbled over = heavy
box half imbsdded in the sand and, for ali
explanation, extracted from q dazed and
stunned n bewildsred comrade slowly
pulling himself together from the heap in
which he lay that "a cyclone tux him be-
Drop yer guns aud help lift him to the
boats, Jimmy" said one in sudden alarm.
Gall two Of the boys to help ye."
But neither boats nor ''byss'' we're there.
Throwing down his armful of Springfield
in dismay, the lrishmsn called to his
friend:
They're onto Us, Mick. The boats are
OF. There's only wan way out of it. Cut
and run"
"Pick up Jerry then. I'll not lave him."
was the stout answer "Hs's hurried. The
rist can lux out for themselves"
So between them they hsaved Jerry to his
sprawling feet and started towards along
from behind the bank Of cloud. just before
Hank and two others came laboring down,
their arms ladsn with ri1es-just in time to
save their precious skins from the wrath
that followed.
Far up towards the observatory sounded
the sharp. sar-piorcing trill of = skirmish
whistle. The two men, still engaged in
hauling rifles out of the racks heard, and
picking up their bullssye rushed from the
armory into the gymnasium and made for
tho open doorway, In the darkness the
leader buttsd full against the blunt end Of
tween the eyes with the force Of a bxttering
ram and dropped him in his tracks. The
other, lantern bearing, sped safely on to the
entrance. A dark form sprang athwart his
path-a stern voice ordered: Halt" and q
fist enforced the demand. The
lantern vent crashing into a corne and the
carrier hattensd out in a heap on the
threshold. Lilo still, you scoundrel, or I'll
smash you," was the further order-some-
what breathless. This way, major: we've
got two of 'em here" painted Wilton. Dart
around under the armory windows, some of
you, and head off any who try to drop out.
Ross, you run for the shore with the others.
The boats are gone but some of the gang
are there yet"
And then came the Varsity watchman
with lanterns. and \ force of policemen
from town. and the major calmly inspected
the gymnasium, and later the bruised and
rueful visagea Of the two captives, and
Ross and his party came back from
the shore Juggling the missing guns and
reporting that the rest of the gang must
scurried away when they heard
the rush, but the telephone bore the news
police headquarters and . steam launch
speedily started out after the boating party
and towed them into the dock despite their
. rotesta that they were only out fishing,
and then three of the students wanted to
mount guard. but the major smiled grimly.
"They won's rob this hen roost again in
q hurry" said he. "How's your fist, Mr.,
Wilton? Think you can carr y a sword on
parade?"
IT hit with my left. SIR" grinned the
adjutant, gently rubbing the knuckles.
"Well. bathe it in ~arnica, or Ponds ex-
tract. Good night. gentlemen. Well fire
those yolleys in the morning. Thanks to
And they did. And they marched with
FULL ranks and proud hearts though it was