Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1906-08-17

man at Signal Hill saw the arms of the
semaphore at the settlement make three
motions thus:
The semaphore was furnished with
three revolving arms, fixed one above
the other. The upper one denoted units.
and had six motions, indicating one to
six. The middle one denoted tens, ten
to sixty. The lower one marked hun
dreds, from one hundred to six hundred.
The lower and upper arms whirled
out. That meant three hundred and six.
A ball ran up to the top Of the post.
That meant one thousand.
Number 1906. or. being interpreted,
Prisoners Absconded."
There's a bolt" said Jones, the sig
mailman.
The semaphore signaled again
Number 1411."
with arms" Jones said. translating
as he read. "Come here, Harry here's
a gov'
But Harry did not reply. and. looking
down, the Waterman saw q dark figure
suddenly fill the doorway. The boosted
semaphore had failed this time, at all
soon as the signal
The.man sprang at his carbne. but the
intruder had already possessed himself
of it. ITS no use making fuss,
Jones! There are eight of US. Oblige
me by attending to your signals"
Jones knew the voice. 1t was that Of
John Rex. ''Reply, can't youY' said
Rex. coolly. Captain Burgess is In a
hurry" The arms of the semaphore at
the settlement were. in fact, gesticulat-
ing with comical vehemence.
Jones took the strings in his hands,
and, with his signal book open before
them, was about to acknowledge the
message, when Rex stopped him. Send
this message" he said. mot Scent Sig
nal sent to Eaglehawkr
Jones paused irresolutely. He was
himself a convict. and dreaded the inev-
ltaDie cat that he knew would follow
TINS raise message. IF they finds me
out" he said. Rex cooked the car
bine with so decided meaning in his
black eyes that Jones banished his hesi-
tatlon at once and began to signal Gag
erly. There came up a clinking of metal
and a murmur from below. whats
keeping yer, Dandy?'
"All right. Get those irons off. and
then Wen talk, boys. I'm putting salt
on old Burgess tail" The rough lest
was received with a roar. and Jones.
looking momentarily down from his win
uow on the staging. saw, in the waning
llght' group of men freeing themselves
from their irons with a hammer taken
from the guard house: while two. al
ready freed, were casting buckets of
water on the beacon woodpile The sem
try was lying bound at little dis.
lance.
Now" said the leader of this sur
prise party, signal to Woody Island. u
Jones perforce obeyed. "Say. An es.
cape at the mines Watch One-tree
Folnt! Send on to Eaglehawkr Quick
now"
Jones, comprehending the force of
this maneuver, which would have the
effect of distracting attention from the
Neck. executed the order with grin
You're knowing one, Dandy Jack. y
said he.
John Rex acknowledged the commit.
ment by unlocking the carbine. Hold
out your hands, Jenny Vetchl Come
up. and tie our friend Jones. Gabbett
have you got the axes?' "There's onIv
one said Gabbett. 'Then bring thar
and any tucker you can lay your hand.
on. Have you tied him? On we co
then" And in the space of five min
ntes from the time when unsuspectins
i Harry had been silently clutched by two
forms. who rushed upon him out of tn,
shadow of the huts, the Signal Hill sta
ton was deserted.
At the settlement Burgess was foam
ing. Nine men to seize the Long Ra,
boat. and get half an hours start of th,
alarm signal was an unprecedented
achievement What could Warda,
Troke have been about? Warder Troke
however. found eight hours afterward
disarmed, gagged and bound in tn,
scrub, had been guilty of no negligence
How could he tell. that at certain
signal from Dandy Jack. the nine mel
he had taken to Stewards Bay Womb
rush" him; and, before he could dra
a pistol, truss him like a chicken? TIL,
worst of the gang, Rufus Dawes. ha,
volunteered for the hated duties of NIL,
driving. and Troke had felt himself 90
cure. How could he possibly guess tina
there was plot in which Rufus Dawes
OF all men, had refused to join?
Constables, mounted and on foot
were dispatched to scour the bush rom,
the settlement. Burgess. confident. from
the reply of the Signal Hill soma phore
that the alarm had been given at Eagle
hawk isthmus, promised himself the re
capture of the gang before many hours
and giving orders to keep the communi
cations going. retired to dinner. Hi
convict servant had barely removed tn
soup when the result of John Rex'
ingenuity became manifest. The sem
aphore at Signal Hill had stopped work
ing.
Perhaps the fools can't see." sal
Burgess "Fire the beacon-and saddt