Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-08-03
STOLEN GUARDS.
10" Wo Texas Boys Saved Tbo;r
Fathers Cotton. ''o''
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Whefe were those fellows takin.
us. how long had we been TRAVELLING o
ana where were we now?
raised the sheet again. The varo,
was going through fat woods. Nov
'hls told something, for we lived in
pIairle country, and the nearest fla
"ooo was ten miles to the west. S,
we were at least ten miles from home
ana going farther. Much alarmed
ieencd over Dape again, and whlsperee
IN his ear:
Dape, thieves are running clear of
WIN the cottou, and us, too
Inns | repeated several times unti
ne sat up suddenly, and his frs
whispered question showed that h.
understood the matter. l told hin
what had learned.
we We got TO get into our clothes, )
he said. Then we'll unite the wagon
sheet at the hind end, drop out and
follow the road back to where some
body lives"
That's easy, but if we do, why
then the thieves get clear away with
fathers cotton and wagon"
Well, then, we'll keep in hearino
OF the wagon till it stops. Let's oct
dressed right away"
But the men are on the front end
and they must be sitting on our
clothes. You know we put 'eln right
against the sheet"
Here was a predicament. five got
out into the cold wind and rain. bnre.
headed, barefooted and in thin shirts.
We must suffer fearfully, and might
be chilled to death.
What If we should stay in the
wagon? We shuddered as we asked
each other what would happen then.
Murders are often committed to CON
ceal robbery. and if we did not get
out, the thieves must find us on stop
ping.
After discnssinr varions rlo~r NO
decided to wait till we came to a
house, and then jump out and run to
1t. SO we united the sheet at the
hind end, and kept poking our heads
out to look for house. At this we
soon got 50 cold that we had to bury
ourselves partly in the cotton.
Houses were far apart, but at last
the wagon came to one Even before
we saw It's dim form, we could hear a
great barking.
THAT sounds like dozen dogs,
doesn't it, shivered Dape
1T does" | shivered back. 'Big
ones, too. Let's not get out What
should we do out there, nearly naked.
In the cold and dark, with such a
pack"
You're right; we're better off in
the wagon
50 we got down into the cotton
again, and waited for house with
fewer dogs.
The laden wagon moved slowly, for
the cotton made heavy load for the
team. and before another house was
reached daylight came. Wewere now
more alarmed than ever, for if the
thieves should happen to look under
the sheet, they could not help dis
covering Us.
Besides, 1t would be extremely en-
barrassing to approach house IN
broad daylight in our present attire.
La fact. when We did come to one, and
tried to get Dape to start first. be
said. "S'pose there were women?
How Il look? Not much You may
90 If Won want to. III see this thing
out right here TO this resolve l
also was forced by the circumstances.
About this time the rain stopped.
As soon as the light began to come
through the wagons heet. we looked
eagerly for any chance of getting our
clothes. and now saw that only one
man was sitting on the edge OF the
stretched sheet in front Either the
other one had left the wagon. or there
had been but one. and the talking We
had heard had been his talking to the
horses. However. We were suth-
oientlv afraid of that one man, armed.
as we felt sure he must be. And he
was sitting on our clothes. All that
could be seen o; them was sleeves ana
legs
"W ell said Dape. whose mind
was hopeful and fertile, the man
must live somewhere IN these woods
When be gets home, he's sure to stop
the wagon several yards from the
house. and 90 IN TO warm up and get
his breakfast. That be our chance.
We will put on our clothes. jump OUT.
aud run for the brush
Blu. the man OF some Of his family
will be sure 20 take LOOK under tie
sheet when the wagon stops.
well. let US hide II the cotton.
No danger Of them seeing Us i we
cover ourselves well.
And that was what We did. We
covered ourselves completely. leaving
only little holes 10 breathe through.
In .uls position We could not hear
much. and could not see a. all: bnt Il
was not loac till We felt the wagon
stop. Dape punched ne. to intimate