Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-24

roof, dropped into thicket or black
berry bushes at the end, and only
pausing TO rub himself little,
started of at run down the noun
tain side.
"For," he argued within himself.
"all that fatherand mother wanted me
TO stay in the house for was To make
people suppose that it wasn't left en-.
tirely alone-and why can't old Stutfy
do that just as we'll as me?"
.He made such good speed by swinging
himself recklessly across the frame
work OF the broken bridge that he
got to PiXley's Woods nearly as soon
as the other boys, who went by the
regular pathway A bright blaze of
dry wood and leaves had been kindled
under the shelter Of huge rock, the
corn, apples and sweet potatoes were
put down to roast, and the BOYS be-
guiled the time by dancing break
downs singing comic songs and tell
ing tales and riddles.
The first lot OF smoking corn had
| just been lifted out OF the ashes when
little Larry Pike came plunging down
| the ravine.
"Halloa, fellows" said he, breath
less with the haste he had made,
"have you heard the news?"
News! What news?" said Herman
Smith. while all the boys stopped
short in their occupations and stared
hard at little Larry.
Thieves" said he, painting for
breath. 'In Mavericks house! And
jerks has gone for the consta bles,
and Will Maxwell has trotted off on
his fathers horse to tell Mavericks
folks at camp meeting"
'Is-is anything stolen?" said Billy,
thinking Of his grandmOther's silver
teaspoons and the spare money his
father always kept in the till Of the
big red chest up in the garrett.
They don't know" said Larry.
They've got the house surrounded so
that no one can get out, and now
they're waiting for help"
Thunder. what fools they must
be-" said Johnny Jaycox. 'Why
don't they go in and knock daylight
into the scamps? l wouldn't wait if
l were there.
But" said Larry. wisely, show
are they to know how many robbers
there may be, or how we'll armed they
are?"
"Oh," said Johnny, who had not
thought OF this, and all the boys drew
long breaths and looked at each other
with the intense interest Truly"
thought they, 'this is almost as good
as a 'to-be-continued' story in a
weekly paper.
But Billy Maverick broke away
from the rest and ran as fast as he
could toward the solitary farmhouse
on the mountain plateau. Whatever
came OF this dreadful state of things,
he should always feel that it was his
| fault
Lyon Jones. a neighbor, was lean
ing against the farmyard gate, hid
den bv cluster of cedar bushes, as
Billy came running up. He caught
at the lads arm To stay his steps.
Don't go any further, Bill" said
he in whisper. Don't give the
alarm until we're ready to tackle the
fellows"
"Where are they?" said Billy,
hoarsely. "What have they taken?
How many are there?"
1--WE don't know yet" said Jones
''Pike saw one man through the
kitchen window. He was warming
himself at the fire, very much at
home in your fathers old rocking
chair. l suppose the rest are scat
farad fhrnnnh tho houcatf,
Zone man" said Billy, 'at the
kitchen fire."
"Yes," said Jones, ''with snuff
colored overcoat on.
Billy stood a minute, staring at
Lyon Jones-then he burst out laugh
ing.
"It's old Stufy!" said he. And he
broke away from Jones and ran up
the path as fast as he could go, call
ing. "Come on! come on! There are
no burglars at ALI"
The neighbors issuing from their
various hiding-places, followed him,
and gathered around the door just in
time to see Master Billy scramble up
the shed-roof bounce into the little
window, and disappear!
Presently he once more appeared
at the door OF the kitchen, waving
both his hands above his head.
'Come inw he called out, AGAIN
exploding with laughter. Come in
and see the burglar. He won't hurt
you, I'll go bail! Why, he's nothing
on earth but holster, dressed up in
fathers old clothesw
And then as the four sturdy men
came somewhat sheepishly in, he
showed them the outlandish Imita-
tion OF humanity, which he himself
had devised.
BY the time his father and mother
returned from camp-meeting every
one was in lit OF hearty laughter
to think that they could possibly
have mistaken "old Stuffy' for one of
a gang Of burglars.
Mr.. and Mrs. Maverick smiled too.
1t would have been difficult TO help
it, But when everybody had gone
home, and they were all alone, Mr..
Maverick turned to his son.
ut is all an excellent Joke" he
conceded, ''and / am heartily glad
that your old Stuffy' is the only burg
lar we have had about the premises.
But, Billy, 1 would almost rather
have the old silver stolen than know
that my boy cannot be trusted tn
keep his word"
Billy hung down his yellow, curly