The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-06-25

But the thought Of hetraying us com.
rades in captivity was as far from his
heart as Nat OF allowing his masters
saddles 70 be quietly stolen before his
eyes. Stolen they might be. but only
for the moment; he would call In Mac.
beth and his mate TO see how nice they
looked In the morning
In few minutes he was fully dress
ed and lodging Roberts. the night
Waterman, behind the convict huts
10 other man among them would have
found this preca9tlon necessary, but
the groom was an unpopular character.
whom Roberts would have reported
none the less readily after winking. as
he must have done. at the theft Of the
saddles. With luck and ingenuity.
Tom managed to elude him, however,
and was soon racing down the wooded
slope where the timber was being fell.
ed, leaping the stumps as he ran aud
steering By the Southern Cross for the
southern boundary OF the farm, which
was, In fact. the creek on whose fur.
Their bank the squatter was now en-
camped.
Ii was a perilously clear night. a
white moon grizzled the peellng bark
OF a small forest of red gums. and the
famous constellation burned but feebly
in the south. Tom kept his eye on IL.
however. and. bearing slightly to his
left. struck the creek at last. out Of ear.
shot OF the squatter's hut. Here he
paused to cool his feet In the delicious
running water. His plan was to cross
the creek and then reconnoiter the en-
emy's position from the rear. And 50
well did II work out that Tom skipped
| behind a friendly trunk Just as the
thieves succeeded In making Jarman
hear. who now appeared with his black
gin In the mouth OF the wigwam.
New saddlesf What in thunder was
the use Of new saddles. or old ones
either. to him? Where was he to stow
them In the meanwhile? Did they
want him to be landed with the swag
on his hands aud Jagged all oyer again
to obllge a pair Of lubbers like them
And here Tom felt that door would
have slammed had there been one. As
It was. the outraged Jarman came q
q pause for want OF breath, and Mac
beth got In his word az last
Tom could not hear II. but II seemed
to make difference. II made the very
plainest difference In the squatter's
tone.
"what? What's that? I don't believe
itF' cried Jarman In one breath
Take your oaths to II. will you
Well, II It's a fact. it'll bear thinking
about. Said all that, did he? And yo'
think he won't 60 and round on N
after all? Well. then. come inside. and
we'll talk 1t over. In you 60. missus
and light up"
Tom took a peep as the men followes
the black woman into the howell The.
had left the saddles outside. but I,
J snatch them now was impossible. tn
sackIng that did duty for door ha'
been drawn aside and hItched TO
} nall. On the lighting OF candle stucl
in bottle within some eager face wa
revealed TO Tom whenever he dared :
look from behind his tree. Even II b
were not seen he would be heard. BE
sides, the partE might break up at an
/ moment.
So be stood where he was and III
; tened to the voices, but ceased strain
! Ing after the words. Then cork POI
ped. the voices were raised In q mir
: ute; in less than ten he must hear eN
cry syllable whether be would or nj
CONTINUED on third page.)