Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-10-08
CHAPTER III

he would not be going so much to them
steeplechases and football matches and
ball clubs " This was the remark of old
Mr.. Williston, we'll preserved army
contractor, who lived in large house
with six Ionic pillars, little beyond
the Mallory's as you drive out of town
on the Plainfield road.
Similar suggestions were made to
Mrs Mallory at the sewing society and
by one and another visitor. The mild
police" of the neighborhood was in
deed taken with good deal of surprise
at Wills long absence from school.
But one October night Will and his
brothers had an opportunity to put the
boot on the other leg, and for the rest
of the autumn the "mild police" had
nothing to say unfavorable to athletic
exercises.
Little Jacob Mallory was sent to bed,
unwillingly enough, about half past 8
O'Clock. His mother was reading 1.-THE
Black Arrow" aloud to the older boys.
1t was moonlight night, and before
Jacob went to bed he stood looking out
of the south window of his room. In
moment, with a certain impetuosity
which belonged to the family, he dashed
through the passage and down stairs to
the sitting room and broke up 1.-The
Black Arrow" with the cry: "There are
two men on the piazza of old Willistons
housed can see them from my win
dow"
ut is the black burglarsp" cried Will,
and at the instant he and John and his
two older brothers dashed out at the
front door. These brothers had fortu-
nately come over from Elmerville,
where they were at work, to spend Sat
urday afternoon and Sunday at home.
"You two take the turnpike" said
Will, land David and l will run on
this side. You can head them if they
try the back way" So he led across his
fathers garden, cleared the hedge with
that running jump which we have seen
before and advanced boldly toward old
Williston's piazza, but Williston's lawn
was wide one, and before he had
crossed greater part of it he had the
modification of seeing that the two men
had caught the alarm. They slid down
the posts of the piazza, and, without
regard to Mrs Willistons roses, took
the shortest cut for the country road.
Will screamed to his two brothers,
whom he had sent to the rear of the
house and who might not see the ma
neuver of the flying enemy. By chang
ing his own track across the lawn he
gained on the two men, who were,
however, a good hundred yards in the
81, Il f.I
him, not SO well trained as he and
indeed not so well dressed for running,
but he made good second.
The country road is perfectly level,
and, as it happened, the moon lay so as
to shine ON both sides, unshadowed by
the hedges or trees in the gardens. Will
saw i'll minute that he was gaining
He knew that he could run at that rate
for half ar hour, and he did not think
from their appearance, that the two flu
gitives could. The man in the rear
paused a moment and dropped his coat,
but Will did not stop for that and babe
Harry pass it. At the moment he pass
ed it himself the man stopped, turned
and aimed a pistol, crying, Twill fire. "
| Will wasted no words. The man fired
and turned again. He now put his re-
volver on his shoulder and fired with
out aim. 1t was the worst thing he
could have done. He emptied his bar
rels uselessly and reused the neighbor-
hood, for every one was awake so early
on that lovely October evening. So was
it that when he and his partner turned
| for shelter into the Maunders place,
where in the close shrubbery they could
have lodged almost any pursuit, they
met Hannibal, the stout coachman, who,
with view of cheap glory, had seized
Mr.. Maunders' revolver from the gun
room when he heard the shots and gone
out under the porte cochere. The lead
ing fugitive turned, dismayed, and the
man with the empty revolver stood still.
| Will paused not an instant. Resolute
and silent, he came on the poor fellow
like 100 pound cannon shot, flung
him from his feet and fell with him
on the ground. At the instant Hannibal
stepped boldly down.
"Here's de pistol, Master Will. Keer-
full now. He's loaded"
With the pistol Will was master of
the situation. The cries of his brothers
and their fast falling steps came nearer
and nearer "Lie where you are, " cried
the resolute boy, "and stretch out both
hands!" and to the other, Hold up
both your hands and stand still, or I'll
fire" They were both novices at their
business. Both were wholly "blown"
with running. A legion of Maunders'
women were on the piazza, sounding
watchmen's rattles and ringing police
alarms. In a minute more the other
Mallory boys Joined Harry, who was
already on the ground.
There was no tying the hands of the
prisoners, though clotheslines were
produced by Hannibal for that purpose.
The triumphant boys babe them still
hold up their hands, and in this man.
ner they marched them, Hannibal and
Mr.. Lewis Jones joining the procession,
to the basement of the signal tower of
the railroad. Here they were locked in
till two policemen could be brought
from a station mile away. The next
day they were tried and sentenced to