The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-29

street, noticed a fellow following in the wake Of
aproducc wagon on Its way 70 the market Quick
~ the wagon and started on run Tor the sidewalk
forgot all about what was considering and
ooSs him ne ran into S1ITc%m Sp tes
about six feet behind when he got in. Running
behind the bar he tumblcd butter tub and all
down tap door that the barkeepcr had opened
for him. And after him. had no sooner got
ON my feet at the bottom Than he stopped and half
threw half rolled the tub at me. Ii struck my
trap in the dirt floor and Disappeared .Nsquickly
as could get up dropped after him.. Down siN
When sputtercd to the surface heard the splash
OF rapidly moving oars lie had dropped into
In minute my head hit something hard put
mut my hands and caught something that felt
like board. drew, myself up out Of the water
and lying on my belly cautiously explored with
my hands. | struck something that went over
with smash q glass Then l stood up lhshed
with lantern lying al my feet, Although the
glass was broken soon had feeble light. Then
1T was the same platform To which had FOL
lowed Tn. three rats two months b"iore tut tins
ladder led M 10 the roof from the back Of the plat
form Up this climbed. Its upper end was jus, a
little on" side Of ,hclasttInpl had dropped though
bar and pushed u" up sud- Suddenly he G%TEeeper
didn't hear il until il fell hack On H." hcor Just
as he turned around my head and shoulders were
them. lie fell hard and lay still. rushed 10 the
station house and told the whole story in q few
we raced TO Canal street The butter tub thief had
10 be- caught before he could alarm the gang.
AS it was broad Daylight We had plenty OF
time Our man would hardly venture out from
beneath until dark. But we didn rely too much
upon that -Four Of us got INTO boat and started
under. stecrrd by the nOtChcd irnil MS long rs
dared keep light gong and then by guess. We
had been under perhaps half an hour when Q sharp
turn brought MS into a new channel. Suddenly
ahead OF us we heard oars grind IN oarlocks as
struck out. Somebody from the other boat fired
shot That was precisely what We wanted.
IL let us know Just where they were. We didnt
reply, but before they had fired more than six
shots We bumped into them.
There was such miXup that never could
I'll exactly whs, happened Lfnnis Morgan, ny
his head for a full five seconds against The gun
whale after we four had climbed into lheir boat.
When things were, over. and we had lantern
Of them my friend Of the butter tub We steerrd
out by COMPASS for the rats wouldn't show ny the
way, and landed all hands with no more death
symphonies.
after that all was plain sailing The captain
looked out for his end we'll The barleeper pinched
and out OF the way, he put sixteen men on the
found moored to piles not far from the platform;
He sent me down with boGtload 10 cruise around
the Canal street entrance and follow any rat boats
hG, SpT he in TIA" b no
fourteen that night At the platform. rsidcs re
cover ing lot Of goods stored there, Not q shot
was fred. Only one head was broken, and that
rat one The men IN the boats weren't even
called on. The men on the platform waited until
oil the rats had landed, and then they bounced
on them before the rats lad suspicion. They
were all sent up for various terms The captain
got a commentator and got my promotion"
There was silence for a moment
Yes, said the sergeant, gazing into space with
the air of a man who sees much there those were
the days