The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-05-20

rain. There was q little light from a
ciouded moon, and | could see that the
wagon was not an automobile. -C4<
horse was in view. and | knew there
must be another. The driver-but were
there not two? Iheard one mans voice,
though not his words.
Hastily drew i'll my head. and wiped
the cold water from my face and neck.
Who were these thieves that had put
their horses to my fathers wagon and
cotton? | had heard of Il similar case
in an adjoining county. y wagon load
ed with cotton had disappeared in the
night. and tine owner. after tracking il
many miles. had 1T last found ii at the
home of the thief.
This stormy night was the very time
for such Il theft: the rain would wash
out the wagon tracks. Of purse it had
| not occurred to the thieves that two
boys might be asleep under the sheet.
Greatly alarmed, | began to shake
Dapc. who was still sleeping peacefully.
We must do something. lie uttered an
inarticulate cry OF protest at being dis
| ibTDHti- / NtiStil ~ Id III i'"i VI
that the thieves had heard him.
For perhaps an hour sat there in the
dark. rehectingon our strange situation.
and wondering what l could do. Where
were those fellows taking us? How
long had we been travelling. and where
were we now?
| raised the sheet again. The wagon
was going through fiat woods. Now
this told something, for we lived in a
prairie country. and the nearest fiat
wood was ten miles to the west. So we
were at least ten miles from home. and
going farther. Much alarmed. | leaned
over Dape again, and whispered in his
ear:
"Dape. thieves are running clear of
with the cotton, and us, too.
This | repeated several times. until
he sat up suddenly, and his first whis-
percd question showed that he under
stood the matter. | told him what 1
had learned.
We've Got to get into Il clothes
he said. Then well unite the wagon
sheet at the hind end, drop out. and fol
low the road back to where somebody
lives
That's easy. but if we do. why. then
the thieves get clear away with fathers
cotton and wagon"
We'll. then. wen keep in hearing of
the wagon till it stops. Let's get dressed
right away"
.i:ut the men are on the front end.
and they must be sitting on our clothes
lou know we put en- right against the
sheet.
Here WAS a predicamont. If We got
out into the cold wind and rain. bare
headed. barcfooted and in thin shirts
and drawers. We must suffer fearfully,
ami might Ba chilled to death.
What ii w should stay in The wagon!
We Shuddcrcd as we asked each other
what would happen then. Murders are
often committed to conceal rophrT!y,
and il we did not get out the thieves
must find us on stopping.
After discussing various plans. we de-
cidrd to wait till we came to a house.
and then Jump out and run to il. ;" W"
united the sheet at the hind end. and
kept bnking oar heads out /" look for a
house. At this we soon got 80 old that
we had TO bury ourselves partly in the
cotton.
Houses Were far apart. but II last the
wagon came to one. Even before we
SAW its dim form. We could hcara great
barking.
That sounds like Il dozen dogs
doesn't it," shivered Dape.
1T does" / shivered back. "!:i" ones,
Too. Let's not get out. What Should we
do out there. nearly naked. in IL" cold
and dark. with such a pack!
"You're right: we're better off III the
wagon"
So we 90 down into the cotton again,
and waited for Il house with fewer dogs.
The laden wagon moved slowly. for
the cotton made Il heavy load for The
team. and before another house was
reached daylight came. We were now
more alarmed than ever. for if the
thieves should happen to look under The
sheet. they could not help discover
ing us.
! BESIDES. ii would he extremely en-,
barra>sing 10 approach a house IN
bread daylight in u present attire. In
fact. when we did come In one. and
/. tried to get pape TO start first. he said:
"S'pns2 there were women? How'd
/, look? Not much. You may 60 ii You
want to. I'll see this thing out right
, here" To this resolve | also was forced
by the circumstances.
=. About This time the rain stopped. As
Soon ~ the light began to come through
the wauon->heet. we looked eagerly fol
!. any chance of getting our clothes. arc
now saw that only one man was sitt1ng
= on the edge of the stretched sheet Ii
front. Either the other one had lettth>
. wagon. or there had been but one.a nc
t the talking we had heard had been hi
talking to the horses. However. We
, were sufficiently afraid OF that ont
man. armed as we felt sure he must he
And he was sitting on u clothes. Al
that could be seen of them was sleeve:
and legs.
. Well" said Dape. whose mind wa:
= hopeful and fertile. the man must LIVE
. somewhere in these woods. When h,