Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-12-21
CHAPTER XII.

turned himself round for a fresh doze
he heard the steps descending the lad
der. His first impulse was to draw
the blanket over his head and his legs
under him and to shout; but, recollect-
ing thkt the door was locked and the
window carefully bolted, he allowed
his head slowly to crop out among the
blankets and listened intently. Who
soever 1t might be, there was no danger
of their getting at him, so he clambered
out Of bed and, going on tiptoe to the
door, applied his eye to the keyhole.
There was nothing to be seen; so,
walking to the window, he brought his
face as close to the glass as his nose
would allow. There was figure just
discernible. The lad was not trying
to walk softly, and the heavy shufiiing
Of the well known "vel-schoens" could
be clearly heard through the closed
window As they crossed the stones in
the yard. Bonaparte listened till they
had died away round the corner of the
wagon house, and, feeling that his bare
legs were getting cold, he jumped back
into bed again.
what do you keep up in your loft"
inquired Bonaparte of the Boer woman
the next morning, pointing upward and
calculating his meaning by the addi-
ton OF such Dutch words as he knew,
Tor the lean Hottentot was gone home.
Dried skins" said the Boer woman,
"and empty bottles and boxes and
sacks and soap"
'You don't keep any of your pro-
visions there sugar, now?" said Bona
parte, pointing to the sugar basin and
then up at the loft.
Tant, Sannie shook her head.
"0nly salt and dried peaches"
3 Dried peaches, eh?" said Bonaparte.
SHUT the door, my dear child. shut it
tight. ne cniIed ouI. ii En-, who stood
IN the dining room. Then he leaned
over the elbow Of the sofa and brought
his face as close as possible to the Beer
woman's and made signs OF eating.
Then he said something she did not
comprehend, then said, "Waldo, Waldo.
Waldo" pointed up to the loft, and
made signs of eating again.
Now an inkling of his meaning dawn
ed on the Boer woman's mind. To
make 1t clearer he moved his legs a fter
the manner Of one going nm = ladder
appeared to be opening n door. mosti.
Gated vigorously. said. "Peaches
/ reaches neaches y and anneared to no
!, coming down the ladder.
It was now evident to Tant, sannie
VA WHO nao peen' IN her lolt ana
ea ~ her peaches.
~ sAeallnphIy MS own snare ID the
p1oceeuinss nonaparte nay DOWN on
thc soa , anu, snullihg MS eyes tlghtly,
ealu, risnt' nlght' nlsnl Inen ne
/ sa. Up WAY, appearing 10 De intentiy
ns.enins, nilllickea Win ms Ieet tne
s ~ uoWn laduer ana looked AZ
ans sunlle. ms clearly showed
s uoW, roused IN the night' ne had ols-
covered tne inert.
ne must nave peen a great Iool TO
s sas my peaches, saio rant sannie.
Aney are ,nl ~ OF mites as q sneepskin
( ela as nard as stones.
{, onai'aree'} iuihDilng ~ ms pocket
~ ~. even neaI ner renaark anu took
guy .rom ms coattall a httie norseWhlp,
nicely romeo up. bo,naparte Wlnked az
rue llttle rninoceros horsewhlp. at the
fsoe PEI woman ana then az the door.
onaM we eau him-Waioo. Waido"
ne :, sa lil.
liant sannie noadeo ana giggied.
Ihere was sometnlng 80 exceedingly
nun IN the ldea that ne was go
ing 70 peat the boy, though for her own
part sne did not see that the peaches
We're worm u When the hamr maid
came Win tne washtup' sne was sent
TO summon waldo, ana Bonaparte
doubled up the little whip and put It In
ms pocket linen ne drew nimseif up
ana prepared 10 act MS important part
with becoming gravity. soon, waldo