The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-10-27

But they were coming fast enough and
cursing at every step, and with the energy
of despair caught the boat in my arms,
and with a wild strain tried to shove it
into the water. But it would scarcely
bulge. Again and again tugged, the
blood almost bursting through my ears
by the exertion and the skin tearing from
my hands and bare arms.
So near, thought, to safety and still
the danger increasing every secondl Then
as heard an oath more wicked than
the others, as one of the burglars fell over
stone, felt the boat move, and little wave
rolled in and lifted it, SO that with one
more push it slid off into deep water. l
jumped in, caught the oars, and as the bur
glars dashed down through the darkness
to where they heard the noise the boat shot
out into tie water, and was safe
They might have shot me from the shore,
but they had either left their revolvers in
the house or had none, the revolver being
too noisy weapon for burglars as rule.
Whatever the cause, they did not fire,
and did not wait for it, at least that close
A hundred feet out began to be myself
once more, and stopped rowing.
"Why don't you come on" l shouted
back half Historically.
Hold on" they yelled, and could hear
them running up and down the shore in
the darkness
"Oh, you're all right" laughed shrilly.
"rll come back and take you off in the
course of a few hours" and then, fearful
that they might get their guns, rowed
away as fast us could for the mainland.
/ think | made that three miles in half
the record, and when | found the first po-
liceman he was for running me in as q
lunatic or sleep walker but he knew me,
and as soon as l told my story force of
10 men boarded tug, and we returned to
the island By this time the first gray
streaks of dawn were showing in the sum-
mer sky, and as we cautiously ran up to
my wharf it was almost light enough 70
see the house.
We saw no burglars, however, nor any
signs of them, though | knew had them
penned up on the island, and escape was
impossible We waited until daylight,
and then deployed as skirmishers; the po-
licemen began to move across the island,
expecting any moment to flush burglar
or get Il shot from ambush.
AS we came up to the house one of the
burglars appeared in the doorway and was
covered on the instant by dozen guns.
Come in, gentlemen; come right in" he
said cheerily. 1--WE were expecting you,
and we've got q nice breakfast ready"
The mans GOODNESS almost gave me the
Mysteries, for knew by the sound of his
voice that he was the fellow who wanted to
Fix" me.
But he was uttering the truth-they did
have nice breakfast for US tout Of my lar
| der), and not that only, but they had found
that Henry was not dead, and they had
washed him and done what they could 10
caring for him, and had done it so we'll that
he is alive today with only an ugly scar on
his neck as a memento.
There were four in the lot, and we soon
had them handcuffed, and then we sat
down to breakfast and enjoyed 1t, though
must confess that by this time the condi-
ton was in physically was not pleasant.
YOU'RE queer gang" said the lieuten-
ant of police to the leader, who had invited
US to breakfast. what did you do this
forf"
1.-THE breakfast, you mean~
"And all the rest of it," said the officer.
"Well, cap'n," he replied, Its like this:
We wuz here fer de swag. kill er no, and
we thought we had killed the fust one,
and of course the other one had to go to stop
talk. Then when he got away and had us
penned up like rats we came to the conclu-
sion that we had better git out the best way
wo-co,Ffe1l., The one we thought was dead
only needed repairs, so we repaired him,
and we knowed you'd be here bimeby to
look fer us, and probably coming out SO
early in the morning you might be hungry.
So, begin the gents pardon fer trespassin,
| l., n 1T.
fast. Now, wasn't that about the white
thing to dor"
had had enough to put most men in a
bad humor, but this candid statement
struck my funny bone somehow, and
laughed until the tears ran down my cheeks
and even the policeman smiled.
OF course the burglars had done the best
thing possible for themselves, and the very
unique plan they had adopted of necessity
was in their favor, and they only got II
years apiece, Henry testifying so earnestly
to their politeness and care that that part
Of it was not taken into the count at all.
But can assure you did not go back tc
the island again. gave it to Henry as il
stood, and he lives there with his wife, re-
spected and admired, do believe, by every
burglar in the guild, for he holds them in
the highest esteem.
Oh, yes, | almost forgot. When this
story came out in the papers and my part
of it was set forth as only reporters know
how to do such things, Isabella of course
heard of it, and one moonlight night shC
said to me;
major, l thought once you were not the
kind Of man for woman to marry, but
Tve changed my mind"
feel under obligations to those burglars
myselt-W. J. hampton In Detroit FreC
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