The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-03-26
Copyright, 1883, by Hsrber,s, Stone 4 Co.
CHAPTER XXIIG.-CoNrrSrED

then we knew that the game was up.
did you hear that, Stocker2" said
a voice in the room below. Did you
hear that? And il SO, what dye make
OF it,"
Suckers mumbled reply was NOT
audible, so we were not enlightened
respecting his views.
Quite So went on the voice. 1T
didn't sound human, did 1t? And il I'd
heard it at night, | should have said
that this house was haunted, that's
what | should have said. But being
in the daytime, it can't be that. What's
that you say? Very likely a bird that's
got a nest in the roof? Don't tell me.
Birds don't make noises like that. No,
1t isn't a wild animal that Mr.. Halls
brought home from his travels either,
unless it's an animal by the name Of
lubbock, and he's wild enough from
all showing. Only don't call him an
animal. | call him a numbering, saw
age brute. Anyhow, I'm going to see
what's under that roof, II | break my
neck doing it, There's a ladder lean
ing against one of the fruit trees in
the orchard, and il we stick 1t up on
top of the portico, we ought to be able
to reach the roof. Anyhow, We'll have
a try, so come along"
Councillor Number Six, the Silent
Councillor, Hall and myself must, |
suppose, while this was going on, have
been looking the ~reproaches which we
dare not speak, for as % as the po-
licemen We're out of hearing, lubbock
said snappishly-
Its quite incompatible that you
should all look askance at me as If
| was infected with African leprosy.
| was in no way cognizant Of COM
hitting mischief"
Quite so, lubbock" assented Num-
Der Two; you couldn't help snee2ing,
my good man, any mor thar you can
help getting the African leprosy, which
| trust you never will. The only mercy
is you didn't yawn, for yawning, like
the African leprosy, is catching, and
sneezing isn't. But the question we've
now to consider is, What's to be
done?'"
Il think" said the appeased Hub
book more deferentially, IF the coun-
Gil doesn't think the course too igno-
minious. that il would be advisable to
ensconce ourselves under the table. II
the policemen climb up on the roof and
extract a tile to look in, they cant see
us there, and they may conclude that
the room is uninhabited."
by extracting a tile, our friend
doesn't mean anneXing somebody else's
hat" explained Number Two good
humoredly; "all the same, | think he's
right. They couldn't see us under the
table, and If they come to the conclu-
sion that the rooms empty, they may
decide TO sheer off altogether, o. to
leave on guard here, while the
other goes on to Marlborough to re-
port progress to the superintendent.
The situation is not very serious at the
worst, for 1t would be the easiest thing
in the world for us to overpower the
two boobies, and either silence them
altogether or leave them here gagged
and tied up, while we make of. |
don't know that the former course
wouldn't be the kindest, for the room
might be discovered, and unless
they could manage to make themselves
heard, they'd stand a good chance OF
dying by slow starvation. But if we
can work things to get clear away
without coming to blows with the bob
bies, I'd rather that 1t were so. They
may think this is only an ordinary
billiard room that I've contrived up
here for a fad, and that they couldn't
find the entrance to, and thai as Hub
book and / seemed away. there's moth
ing to be done but wait until we come
back to arrest our friend here. APP
parently it's he they want, not me,
whom they still appear to look upon
as a reputable member of society. |
think our friends outside are ~propping
the ladder against the wall, In which
case 1t will be time to adjourn to n
der the table"
Before very long we heard the sound
OF some one clambering from a ladder
to the roof, and cautiously picking his
way, apparently on hands and knees,
towards the top. By-and-by the
sound of a moving body ceased, and
then we heard the working and
wrenching, which told us that the new
conner was engaged in removing some
tiles. Meanwhile we LAY low" en-
csonced ANONYMOUSLY, as lubbock
phrased it, well out of sight under the
billiard table. The position was so
cramped that | was, If anything, re.
lieved to know, by an exclamation Of
establishment from the extractor of
tiles overhead, that the secret cham
Der of Heath cottage was a secret no
longer.
Hi! Suckers! are you there?'
called an excited voice which | recog-
nized as the sergeant's.
I'm here, sir" came the reply from
below.
Il always did think that Hall was
a bad lot, for all his seeming SO quiet
and respectable" said the sergeant
Its always the quietest ones as is the
worst. What dye think he's got up
here2"
"Fowls?" suggested Stocker lamely.
He was not a man Of many ideas, and,
having lately covered himself with
- -. IT, t..stIE.-4 $1,000 - -.
viction of WI small boys who were
robbing a henroost-the prevention OF
poultry pilfering filled a very impor-
tant place In his conception Of the
duties of a constable. yes, fowls, !
expect" he added more confidently;
'leastway, stolen ones that he's kept
up there to be out of the way. 1t
sounded like fowls when we heard
that noise just now"