Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-06-02

| who did 1t are the parties you re look
ing for They must have been hidden
in here"
Andys words made doubtful i'm
preston. The men were not yet con-
! WINGED.
believe me o. not" he added,
earnestly; but you'll be sorry for it
soon enough Til. thieves are pulling
down the river by this time, and, if
there was any money in that tin box,
they have it with them
Andy's manner, rather than his
words, turned the scale in our favor.
Maybe tn Sc young chaps are not
the ones. after ALL muttered two or
three of the men.
The money isn't about them. any
how" added another.
We'll, we'll settle that question soon
enough" replied the leader, sternly. IF
their boats on the island that'll prove
them gnilty Vel find a way then to
make them disgorge the cash
This sentiment met with general APP
prevail, and the whole party trooped
down TO the river bank, taking Andy
and me with them.
Our own boat was gone. but there
was another in its place-or, rather. a
few yards above where ours had been.
1t was no doubt there when we landed,
but we had failed 20 see it. It was a
rickcty old concern, empty save for
pair of paddles.
This discovery was regarded as a sure
sign of our guilt. a great hubbub
arose, and we were roughly handled
for moment or two.
But, fortunately, our own boat had
I l.f -, ha
when we succeeded in pointing this out
to our captors they accepted it evil
dence of the truth of our story-name-
ly. that the robbers had abandoned
their own boat and taken ours instead.
You fellows may be lying, and You
may not" said the leader. but if you've
got nothing to do with this burglary
reckon Squire McMasters will want to
see You about that Indian grave, SO
| well send you right over to him"
The men held u hasty conference. and
then hurried us across the island. Their
own boats were on that side-two big
bateaus. Half of the party immedi-
ately embarked in one of them and
pulled with long stroke down the riv-
emo doubt in pursuit of the thieves.
The others crowded into the remaining
|
for the opposite shore.
BY this time there seemed to be
general belief in our innocence, and one
of our captors obligingly told us that
the men whom they were pursuing had
robbed a farmhouse ten miles up the
river that afternoon, and injured the
| farmer.
The pugnacious young man, who had
| - II, 1nat
The burglars had taken to the river in
a stolen boat, and the pursuing party
had followed steadily on their track,
until CLEAN of light from our lantern
caused them to land on the island
Andy and / took little interest in the
story of the burglary. We were wor-
ried over the lost boat, and over the
fate that Squire McMasters would
probably mete ont to us.
Of course the squire was in bed when
we landed, but he came down in dress
ing-gown and slippers, and received the
whole party in the hall
The confusing tale was soon told, and
the squire eyed us malevolently.
''Sacrilegious young rascals.' he NUT
tered. ''Ill teach them a lesson"
Then we were led away to an out
cape was out of the question, so we
made the best of the situation and slept
| brokenly until morning.
| About eight o'clock the squire himself
liberated us and led US down the bank
to the river.
| Half dozen of the men who had cap
tured us on the previous night were
standing around. Both bateaus lay in
| I'd hot
to our great delight, our own boat.
1.-THE two burglars were captured
down on the dam" said the squire, in
peculiar voice. 80 you boys are exon
Grated from that charge. There is your
boat again, safe and sound"
He led US down to it, and lifted the
lid of the locker, revealing the heap of
bones and broken pottery.
Il suppose this is the result of your
dissertation" he said, sternlv. Which
mound did you get into? The one near
est the house,"
"fes-yes, sir" we stammered, to-
gether
The squire's eyes twinkled and the
corners of his mouth twitched.
Il thought So he said. Those are the
bones of my old white horse, Moses.
week | moved from the island. That
other valua BILE Indian pottery is some
broken crockery my wife threw into
the hole. There's a bushel or more of
it back in my wood yard you may have,
and I'll pay you to boot for taking it
away" The squire paused a moment,
evidently to enjoy the situation. II
won't prosecute you this time" he re-
sumed, but if 1 ever catch you on that
island again you'll not get off so easily.
You can go now"
Andy and / took quick advantage of
this permission, and as we pulled swift
ly down the river we heard the squire
and his companions laughing uproar-
iously.
We sunk the bones and the crockery
in the deepest part of Clark's Ferry
dam, and arrived home in the middle of
the afternoon. Somehow or other the
joke got out, and it was a long time be-
fore we heard the last of it.
The experience taught us lesson.
| however, and from that time on we had
considerably more respect for the prop
erty of others. We never paid another
visit to Eagle island. -Ralph Hamilton
in Golden Days.
| a Summer Girl.
She had been reading lovely adver.
tisement of a summer resort as the