Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-04

your hand when Of them amt lookin'
up toward you, real careful, an Wen creep
up an jine you.' Is
Billy, never falterfng, started like an In
dian boy to worm his secret way toward
the edge of the Bluff The grass in the
pasture lot was high IN places and not
very short anywhere and Billy used the
tufts SO cleverly that Betsey whispered a
word of admiration to her companions.
Jest like an eeIaafn't hep she said to
Mrs. Sucker. Il kind o'jreckon that when
that boy come to the Cooper mansion
stealin' pie the Lord was doin' all of us
a real good turn" 'R @ 3
She slipped her hand into Mrs. Stick
er's, softly, and gave squeeze to It, She
was instantly sorry that she had USED
that word Stealing" bit Betsey Bobbin'
kindnesses had been too many to the lone
and deserted woman to let her misunder-
stand her for moment.
But for this one whisper there was no
talking among the group crouched down
there by the bars. The only sound that
rose from them was the occasional rustic
of Betsey Bobbin's very stiff1y starched
skirts and the labored breathing OF the
whole party. Their own unusual attitudes
and Betsey Bobbin's remarkable posture
she was crouched as a tiger might be just
before spring, on all fours-m1ght nave
made the young folks laugh had it not been
for the tense and strained expression on
the dressmaker's face. But as the suspl-
cion which had come to her and which had
at first given her countenance it's intent ana
warlike look mellowed in her mind that
look changed, and she very nearly spoiled
the situation. The funny side of things
Smote her irreSiStibly, and the first smiled
then grinned, then gurgled and made
quick clutch at her mouth to stif1e the I'M
ruly sound, and then finally, choking in her
efforts to maintain silence in spite of the
overwhelming wave of mirth which swelled
within her, she sank back on the grass, sit
ting with her apron over her head and con-
vulsed by one of those silent ecstasies OF
f-th tr,hi nh n1, nrf
her. as she said 1t was contagious, as
such seizures always were, and first the
hard line of the parsons mouth softened
into grin, then Mercy yielded to a stified
snicker Bess succumbed next not under
standing in the least, and following quickly
in her lead Selkirk fell victim. Mrs.
Sucker was the last to yield, but, surround
ed by such group of silent laughers even
her settled and unobtrusive melancholy
gave way, and she shook and gasped, con-
vulsed but wholly ignorant of why anyone
should laugh, inspired, as were the others,
by almost irresistible impulse to howl
with mirth while utterly unable to assign
a cause for it.
Thus the group, each member of it pros
trate in separate way, was disposed when
Billy's signal came. They could plainly see
his arm raised up in soft light bath from
the moon, and, without a word, they set
themselves to the serious business of get
ting across that field without rising higher
than their knees. Jack, the minister and
Bess adopted waddling gait, using all
tours as means of locomotion, and rising
high where ordinarily they rested on their
chairs, as human animals must do when
they adopt the means of progress planned
by the Creator for the beasts. Mrs. Sucker
crept cautiously on hands and knees greatly
to the damage of her frock. Mercy sided
in fashion quite incredible and with
rapidity that promised to land her at the
bluffs edge ahead of all the others, and
would have kept the extraordinary progress
ha1 no f1,o ,i,,iet
who really had an idea, now that he was
approaching the vantage point where Billy
waited for them, that their recent mirth
might have been iil-timed and that they
might be about to gaze upon some sight too
terrible for girlish eyes, signaled to her to
wait
Jack and the parson reached the bluff S
edge first and peered over cautiously. Billy
whispered something to each of them. There
was a smothered Most astonishingW from
the parson, and then the women were per-
mitted to approach. They ranged them
selves in line along the bluffs edge as rifle
men array themselves, quite PROSTATE, at
certain portions of the drill. When country
boys slide down hill in winter thus placed
upon their sleds they call their posture
'bellywhack." Thus posted each could Just
see over the cliffs edge down where the
moonlight shimmered on the beach,
And there We're other objects than the
sand for 1t to simmer on. There was, for
instance, certain well-known clam sloop,
oWLeu ny d Partnership OF portuguese from
down the coast, and known to all the
watcherS.ssThsEe@ was. for 4aha Their instance
perched upon that clam sloop's rail and
closely muffied, although the night was
warm, shrinking figure which they rec
ognized as Jacob Musser. Between the
sloop and the beach, standing knee-deep in
the water, was a Portuguese known as
"Clammer Pete,,'' who acted as a central
passing station between a fellow-country-
man upon the soop and two others on
the shore. 1t was low tide and the baskets
passed contained objects which looked gray
and round-surfaced nestled in the baskets
Also when those baskets were moved in the
rapid work there issued from them dull
rafting sounds. The whole purpose of tn.
expedition, which Billy in his romantic
imagination had attributed to pirates. was
at once quite clear. Jake Musser, thrifty
farmer that he was, assumed that he could
not expect to reap bivalves where he had
not sown, and was preparing for the NOR
rows harvest.
After they had gazed their full at this
extraordinary spectacle Miss Bobbin and
her companions withdrew noiselesslv until
they had reached safe distance from the
bluff edge Then, after seconds con-
ference in careful whispers, the parson led
the way still on hands and knees to an
old shed in the meadow, into which thew
crept to discuss the situation more at
length. The first thing decided upon was
to send Billy back to scout He left them
with instructions to stay by and watch the
'oiiSpii ettoiS uIitjI tuty SIlOulQ nave gone
away. After he had gone the others set
tied on their plan.
1t was almost l O'Clock by the parson' 8
big silver watch when the boy returned 10
them. He told them that the sloop had
started from the cove, and, indeed as
Mercy peered through a crack at the back
of the shed she could family see her
ghostly sail gliding outward toward the
sea. But he added that one man, whom
he had recognized as Portuguese Joe a
clam vendor, well known had been left. an
parently on guard. The whole nefarious
plot was plain to them now that they
made almost comment on it. Betsey
Bobbin was the first to speak Her com
ment came in whispers, although there was
really no need for such caution at that dis
lance And she had been thinking deeplv
Where was them CLAIMS planted?' She
asked Billy.
''All along the beach for quite a stretch
up to a line that Musser squinted with the
tree there on the bluff said Billy.
That's the half of the course that Mus
ser evidently plans to choose tomorrow"
Jack announced.
'Outrageousr' said the minister
know Joe real well. l allus buy my CLANS
of him. He's a real nice feller for a Por-
tagee."
After they'd planted bout a million
clans along one reach said Billy. they
dug up a lot along further down and plant
ed them beside what they took off the