Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-09-02

answered.
The younger boys became frightened
as they remembered their first sus-
| picions, but AL although Il great dread
had sprung up in his own bosom,
laughed to scorn the fears of his COM
panions, and set about stretching big
canvas over his wagon as usual, weight
ing it down on all sides with rocks, and
forming q snug tent for their beds,
which they spread on the ground be-
tween the wheels of the vehicle.
Reassured by his confident manner,
the tired boys were soon sleeping
soundly, when Al slipped quietly out
of bed and paced silently up and
down the road. Not sound could be
heard save the champing of the horses
at their feed boxes; and after untying
sack of horse feed and showing the
money down among the oats as far as
he could reach, he tied up the sack
again and crept back to bed, but not
to sleep. Several farmers had been
robbed in the vicinity of Smoky Hollow
that autumn, and the more AL thought
of it the more he became convinced
that his passenger was spy acting
for the band that committed these
crimes. He lay awake for hours. No
sound but the hootings of owls broke
the stiffness, and he was just falling
into n doze when the rush and clatter
of troop of hard-riding horsemen
came to his ears.
"Boys! boys!" he whispered, as he
shook his sleepy companions. "Walse
up! quick; Somebody is coming, and
Pm afraid it's robbers. Now, mind
what tell you," he continued, as the
sleepy lads sat up and stared at him by
the light of the lantern. THAT scamp
was spying, sure enough. Hear them
coming? But don't you get scared.
I've hidden the money, and if we keep
our wits about us we can stand them
off in some way"
At that moment wild yell, accom-
panied by several pistol shots, lang
through the woods, and half dozen
riders dashed into tho camp and sur
rounded the wagon tent just as the
boys came stumbling out.
'Throw up your hands!" ordered the
leader, as he and one of his men, easily
recognized as AIS passenger, covered
them with their pistols while the other
four dismounted and began searching
the other boys for money.
"Look'e here now, my young
friendsl" shouted the leader, when the
men reported the result of their
search, "our time is precious, and we
amt the kind of men to be fooled
with, SO the sooner you hand over that
gold the better it will be for youl"
What gold are you talking about?
We haven't dollar in our pockets, not
one of u.s." boldly answered AL, who
did not know the spy had seen him re-
ceivc the money
THAT may be-" replied the robber,
but if you haven't got it in your
pockets it's hid about your wagons
somewhere. There's no use of your
trying to bluff me. My man here saw
you get the money and watched to see
that you did not spend it, so just fork
it over, and be lively about it; do you
hear?"
Al heard all too plainly.
''If that snealsing blackguard knows
where there's any gold, let him find
it," he answered, hotly.
''I'll do that in hurry, cap" replied |
the man, who was about to throw him
self off his horse when the leader
checked him.
keep to your horse, Billr' he Or
dered You're sure they had the |
money when they left the landing?"
''As sure as l sit on this horse" an
swered the spy. THAT feller there,
the tall one, had it in his pocket in a
buckslsin bag"
"Do you hear that, youngster?" said
the chief, turning upon AL. "Now
we're here after that gold, and, what's
more, we're going to have it. Will you
hand it over ormust make you do it?''
AL hesitated. He knew he had des-
perate men to deal with, but was de-
termined not to yield until obliged to.
Look here" thundered the ruifian
bornness, "Ive fooled away all the
time I'm going to with you, young fell
low. Do you see that horse there?"
pointing his pistol at one of the teams.
well, I'll give you just one minute
to hand over that gold, or down goes
that horse; and if that don't con-
vince you, I'll down the next, and
the next, and every hoof you've got.
And if that don't fetch the money" he
added, with fierce oath, ''Ill take a
shot at you'll"
AL saw the fellow meant what he
said, and, as further resistance would
have been foolishness, he united the
sack of oats and handed the money to
the robber, who, after counting it, put
the purse in his pocket.
"All right, boys!" he called out
And now, my young friends, when
we've troubled you for look at some
of those goods, we will bid you good
night and bo off. You see, our out
door occupation demands warm cloth
ing and plenty of powder and lead, and
If you have such things aboard, you
will save much damage to the rest of
your loads by showing us where we
can find what we waut."
"You might as well do it, AL" whis-
pered Frank. They're bound to have