The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-11-09
The Hornet
Of the Sea.
BY HARRY e. ANDREWS.
A Thief Was Stopped In the Nick
Of Time by q Stingaree.
BY HARRY e. ANDREWS,

- sSSSS
'Its coyotev'
mo coyote made that mark-it's
greaser!' And, lowering his lantern,
Fritz Krantz pointed to the broad
print made by bare foot in the sand
Il guess you're right" said Will, the
younger brother, while MILDLY, the set
ter, who had been barking furiously,
| added, "I'm sure Of it," with a sniff
and wag and an eye flash.
The boys had been called out of bed
| by Middy's noisy alarm and the loud
commotion among the fowls in the cor
raj. They owned a. chicken ranch in
| southern California, near the bay Of
San Diego.
Their invalid father had come with
his family from the eastern states
few years before and started this little
industry. He did not live to see it pay
dividends, but he told his boys that If
they would "stay with it, it would
support them and their mother, and
always remember" said he, 'that the
Lord helps those who help them
selves"
The young fellows mastered the hen
problem. They bred those famous
mortgage lifters," white leghorns.
The boys broilers were the first in the
market, their layers had scientific care
and did business when others didn't,
and their income from their enterprise
was growing every year.
"He's got nothing" said Will at last,
with an expression Of relief.
"Good dog, MILDLY! Good felloww ex-
claimed Fritz fondly, patting the set
ter. 1--WE can go to bed all right with
you on guard"
But before going in, they could not
help giving another look at the roost
where perched drowsily their. pair Of
pet cockerels, the pride Of the coops
and the hope of the young ranchers.
"Do you think they are winners,
WHIP asked Fritz, as he cast Ian
tern glow over the plump, contented
birds.
"I'm sure Of it," said Will. "There
isn't pair in the country that can be-
gin with them. Everybody says So"
The county fair was near at hand,
and these young ROSTERS were candi-
dates for the special prize Of $50 Of
fered by an enthusiastic fancier for the
best pair Of white leghorn cockerels.
"Mucho bee-utifulw cried old Este
ban. the Mexican egg buyer, when he
came around few weeks later. ''They
win sure. Az, la blancura! Only one
pair come near them. They Manuels,
cross the bay, but not so white, no."
They were beauties, every one could
see that. Yes, they were rare and al.
most perfect specimens Of their strain
and fully deserved old Esteban's eu-
logy.
One afternoon the boys had gone
back on the desert to hunt cottontail
rabbits, which their mother knew how
to fry so temptingly, and they were re-
turning with full bags, MILDLY trotting
along few rods in advance.
As they neared their home in the lit
tie settlement by the sea, where only
few cottages stood, and those far
apart, MILDLY came rushing back as
fast as he could gallop, barking like
mad and beside himself with excite
ment.
They soon ascertained what had ex-
cited the dog. There was a great hue
and cry in the poultry yards, and one
of the pens had been broken.
''That thieving greaser again, and in
broad daylight this timer
They hurriedly took census Of their
stock.
"None missing here" said Fritz.
mo, they count up all right" replied
VIII, "and there are both the prize
cockerels over yonder."
Fritz paused q moment and turned
pale.
"But what's the matter with themY'
he exclaimed, and both boys anxiously
rushed to the birds.
They're not our cockerels," cried
VIII. "See those yellow feathers!
"And the white in their faces" said
Fritz. 81 see through the trick. That
greaser has snapped with us!'
"He's taken to the beach. See Mid
dy! He knows. You go down by the
old road and I'll take the steps. Wen
catch him YETI
The little colony sat on bluff rising
almost perpendicularly from the beach.
There were two paths to the sea, one
by an easily inclined road which
wound around the cliffs, and the other
by long, steep flight Of steps that
scaled the face Of the bluff.
Fritz and MILDLY anxiously scanned
the heights and beat about the little