Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1896-07-02


hoping every moment to overtake his
friend or discover some sign that he
had passed that way. Awed by the
gloom and silence of the great ravine,
he had almost involuntarily ceased to
shout, but his eyes scanned every inch
Of the pathway and overhanging rocks.
Suddenly he stopped, his heart beat
ing like trip hammer The sound Of
I loud, gr1f voices came to his ears, and
then another, lighter voice. Could it be
Alec's? Creeping forward to the great
rock which jutted across the path Tom
slowly and carefully climbed up its
sloping side and peeped over. Sure
| enough, there stood Alec in the midst
of group of fierce looking men who
were talking and gesticulating wildly.
Tom took in the situation instantly
These men We're smugglers whose hid
ing place Alec had unwittingly STUN
bled upon And now they were debat-
ing what to do with him.
Tom grew weak and sick with dread
as he reflected that perhaps the unscru-
pulous smugglers would kill his COM
panion, on the ground that dead men
and boys-tell no tales. Some of them
looked so fierce and gesticulated 50
wildly that he was sure they must be
advocating the most extreme measures
| What could he do to save his friend:
Return to the village and summon help!
All, no! Help would only arrive too
late. Should he rush out and fling him
self upon the desperadoes in his COM
| panion's defense? That would be utter
foolishness-one weak boy against q
half dozen brawny men. Ahl a thought
like an inspiration flashed over him
the giant firecrackers!
| Cautiously he ranged them side by
side on top of the rock There were
eight Of the big cylinders in all. Then
he lighted the fuses, one after another,
and, sliding down into the path, ran
back for few yards
Sz-z-z went the fuses How the boy 3
heart throbbed as the powder sparks be-
gan to fly out. Suddenly a tremendous
report rang through the silent ravine
waking thunderous echoes among the
rocks. Then followed another, and an
other, and then perfect volley Of re
ports, till it seemed as if the very cliffs
would split with the echoes.
As the loud reports began to ring
through the glen the smugglers, think
ing that whole detachment Of Uncle
Sans revenue officers must be upon
them, fed in the widest confusion.
Alec was left standing alone, with
hands bound, near the scattered embers
of the campfire. Judge Of his astonish-
ment and delight when Tom bounded
into sight, exclaiming:
'Hurrah for the giant firecrackers
They did the business that time and no
mistakel" With quick slashes of his
knife Tom cut the cords which bound
Alec's arms, and then the two boys fed
back i'll the direction from which they
had come, laughing convulsively every
now and then in spite of their haste and
terror at the spectacle presented by the
six stalwart men fleeing from bunch
of firecrackers.
There was no more thought Of climb
ing old Baldtop that day. The boys
hastened back to the village, and soon
the story of the smugglers was III every
bodys mouth. Sheriff Smith got to-
gether posse Of men, armed with guns
and revolvers inside Of an hour, and
guided by the boys they made quick
time for the Notch.
Meanwhile the smugglers. finding
that they had fled ON false alarm, had
returned to their camp and We're hastily
packing up their contraband goods,
knowing that their escaped captive
would surely give the alarm as soon as
possible. But Sheriff Smith was a
shrewd man and understood both the
lay of the land and the probable tactics
of the smugglers So, instead Of taking
his entire force into the Notch, he sent
five men over the course taken by the
boys. and with the other four Went
himself across spur Of the mountain
to the farther end Of the pass, thus
penning the smugglers in a trap.
The smugglers, as the sheriff had ex-
pected, attempted to escape from the
Notch as they had entered it, little ex-
pecting to meet their pursuers in that
OuCCblOA- Dub do lHty Mtlb IuII1 luS
out of the narrow defle, incumbered by
their packs, five men suddenly started
up from behind as many powders and
presented their cooked guns at the fugi-
tives' heads.
Surrender, - cried the sheriff, "or
you are all dead men!''
Every pack was dropped to the
ground, and up went six pairs of hands.
1t was complete surprise and blood
less capture. The smugglers were
marched off to the county seat and
lodged in Jail that very night And the
next day the city papers had column
accounts Of the heroism Of the boys
and the wonderful effects produced by
the eight giant firecrackers.
by the way" said Sheriff Smith to
Tom and Alec few days later, there
was a handsome reward offered for the
capture Of those rascals Did you know
it, boys?''
''NoP' exclaimed the boys "Who do
you suppose will get it?''
You will, replied the sheriff, with
twinkle in his eye, provided you'll
ride over to the county treasurcr's with
me tomorrow and sign receipt for the
money "-Philadelphia Press