Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-04-30

our second syrup kettle. 1 told hin
we would want it soon ourselves, ant
he went away looking mad P'r'ap:
they've done this out of spite. Looks
most bad enough for spite work."
well, if they try any more thiev
ing around here," declared Dirk,
hotly, "they'll fnd that Michigan
men can shoot better'n they car
steal!"
"There, there, Dirk" called Mother
DriscolI, "don't talk of shooting
Better lose twenty barrels of sep than
have blood on your hands. And you
aren't sure the Rabbits did it,"
Don't worry, MOTHER" said Dirk
resting his brown hand on his moth.
er's shoulder, Eve WON'T shoot until
we catch the thieveg," "
They repaired the spouts, cleaned
out the boats, and set them ell in place
again. 1t was a busy days work, and
Dirk and Lon walked homeward after
the woods grew dark. AS they turned
into the clearing, at the farther end
Of which the shanty stood, they al
most collided with the Babbitt boys,
both OF whom were walking rapidly
toward the Driscoll bush.
Dirk scowled Garkly and Ions grip
tigntened on the axe which he carried,
and thus they passed without word.
A moment later the Rabbits disap-
peared in the woods.
"Slinking, skulking thiovesi" said
Dirk. "Ihey're prowling round tc
see ii we're watching"
I'm in favor OF going down end
facing them with the theft" said
Lon.
"No, they'd deny it," said iona
than, "and how could you prove it:
Wait a day or two"
But Dirk could not wait, and he
and Lon decided to keep watch dur
ing the night. They proposed taking
their guns with them, bat Mother
Driscoll, who was famous for hel
hatred of firearms, persuaded them
to go unGymed.
They were late in making start,
and when they reached the bush, what
was their amazement to find the work
OF the lnaraudars already accom-
pIished. Spouts that had just been
replaced were snapped OF short, and
the sap was gone from scores of the
boats. Yainly they tramped back
and forth through the bush; the
thieves were not TO be found In the
morning, however, they discovered
prints OF moccasincd feet and the
tracks of steers.
"We won't stand this aay longer" ,"
said Dirk "Next time they come
prowling around here, we'll shoot 'eln
in their tracks. chats the only way
to deal with robbers"
Just at dusk than evening Jimmy
thrust his head into the shauty win
dow.
There's the Babbitsr he gasped,
excitedly.
Dirk and Lon ran to tho doorway.
At the end of the clearing, where they
had been seen on the previous day,
the two Babbitt boys were skUliing
through the bushes. Each of them
carried gun, and apparently they
wore anxious to keep out OF sight,
for when they saw the Driscolls ct
the shanty door, they disappeared
Two minutes later Dirk and Lon,
crouching and crawling, left the
shanty on the other side, keeping well
out of sight of the strip OF woods
where the Rabbits were. In this way
they ran for several hundred yards
and then stopped, painting and heated,
near an old log.
Dirk leaned over and drew from a
protecting layer of leaves double
barreled shotgun and a short rifle.
Both Of them were loaded half full OF
coarse salt, with big charge OF
powder behind. Unknown to his
mother, Jimmy had brought them
from the house that afternoon, and
Lon had loaded and sccrotcd them.
"We'll tattoo em for thieves this
time" said Dirk, grimly.
They sltirted the clearing and
reached the sugar-bush by its farthe
end, working their way cautiously mp
toward tho centre. They were sure
that the Babbitt boys would come
AtCAh bhS OppOSAbe NitCCIlOu. Near tne
edge of the bush and close to little
valley, through which they could re,
treat ii necessary, they concealed
themselves behind thick bunch of
hazel brush, from which they could
command clear view of the sledge
track in both directions.
1t was already dark. During the
afternoon the sky had clouded over,
and the moist wind was from the east.
Jonathan Driscoll, holding mp a
moistened finger, had predicted snow.
An hour passed and the sugar bush
was still undisturked. Occasionally
the boys heard the faint clatter of the
stirring rod as it beat against the iron
kettle at the distant shanty. 1t was
the only sound that suggested human
habitatIon.
'"They've probably gone back for