The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-10-05
1.-The caretaker rnight spot us.

"'The caretaker rnight spot us.
"'We must risk that; there are plen-
ty of trees in the garden, and we're not
likely to make any great noise, are
we?'
"'But there's the notice-board on the
tree
81 know; but we can get that down
without much trouble
"I don't say as we couldn't. Go on
"'Well, directly the man with the
picture comes through the gate, we'll
take him by surprise, throw chloro-
formed handkerchief over his face be-
fore he's time to cry out, and then rush
off and cab it to Liverpool street. If
there are two men, we must treat them
both the same way
"Clumber hummed and hawed good
bit, but at last l convinced him that
my scheme was feasible; promising,
however. that If the man who brought
the picture should happen after all to
elude us and deliver it at The Lindens'
instead of The Elms,' l would agree
to the place being burgled. But did
not anticipate that any such contin-
gency would arise.
'Nor did it, not exactly, at least,
though" Rotherby left the sentence
uncompleted, and, with a whimsical
smile, took some more whisky. Then
he resuned
"Well, next Gay we made arrange
ments for pal to look after the rooms,
sent what little luggage we required to
Liverpool street to wait for US, and by
six o'clock were once more at Cocker
mouth Gardens. 1t was first-class
night for our purpose, very dark and
very wet, and /, at least, had no appre-
tensions as to the result of the enter
prise.
1--WE walked straight to The Elms,
and Clumber, who had a quick eye.
whispered, excitedly:
"'Blessed if that notice-board Lasn't
gone!'
$50 it has, replied; the place must
have been sold, l suppose. Anyhow,
that's one job saved us, joe
"Clumber gave sulky assent, and l
then suggested that we should at once
proceed to carry out the interchange
of gates.
"'Allright,' said Joe, and, as I had
anticipated, the matter was effected
without much difficulty.
'Then Joseph crept into the garden
of The Elms' (Which had just been
transformed into The Lindens) while
] kept watch without.
There were two risks we were bound
to incur; the caretaker might come out
of the house, which was lighted as on
the previous evening, or some one who
knew the houses might observe the
transposed gates.
"But though two or three people
passed me none even glanced at the
gates, nor did the caretaker give any
sign whatsoever. And at last, just as
/ heard the church clock striking the
half-hour, ] saw what caused me to
hurriedly join my partner in the gar
den.
"'Now's the time / murmured,
hoarsely. The chap with the pictures
coming along. and he's alone. Get the
handkerchief ready
"Clumber nodded silently, and we
crouched down behind the hedge close
to the gravel path leading from the
gate to the house.
THE mans footsteps came nearer
and nearer, and eventually he stopped
outside. There was moments pause,
and began to fear that for some rea-
son or other he was going to pass by,
and so avoid our trap after ALL But,
no; another moment. and swinging
open the gate he strobe up the path
way.
What next ensued | need not de-
scribe. 1t is enough to say that Clum-
Der did his work noiselessly and in
simultaneously. and that in something
under so minutes we had borne our
prize in triumph to Liverpool street
Fifteen hours later, having landed at
Antwerp, we stood with our luggage
awaiting the customs examination.
we had never taken the picture
from its brown-paper covering, and had
certainly no wish to do so now. But the
customs officer insisted on looking into
every package, and, of course. it
wouldn't have done to oppose him. So
| cut the string. undid the paper, and
exposed to view handsome house
agents notice-board with a frame-like
ridge, the principal feature of which
was the word: