The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-10-03
By Geofrey p. Morgan

Ai1er We had romped, and tumbled un-
III We We're tired we lay in the hay and
rested, until finally we both fell asleep.
We were wakened by the creaking
of The: big door. which opened into a
lean TO shed built at once side OF the
barn. We thought at first nay father
was. coming in and was just about TO
raise nay head and. call to him when we
heard something which made us both
lie~very stnL
Curse it, we heard a rough voice
say. its so dark iu here l cant see a
thing after being in. the sun
Nor can T." said another voice. but
: there's some stuff worth taking in here
~ know. Wait bit till We can see bet
Ter. and wen have a look. around.
The wall which divided the shed and
barn was only about six feet high and
The hay had been piled well above IT,
so that from where we lay tx was easy
10 look down into the shed eau
. riously raised my head and peered- Tie
} speakers were two rough. dirty men,
apparently tramps. who had evidently
come to see what they could steal.
Billy was lying close beside me. The
men went on talking and L nudged him
and whispered. '-Tramps."
Guess they're looking for something
10 steal" he whispered. and: then we
lay very still and listened again.
The men We're talking in very low
tones, so that everything was very
quiet. When suddenly I felt a sneeze
coming I. held my breath. twitched
nay nose and did everything possible
hut without effect. 7 chOked il as well
rs Tscould and fnufaed snort was the
result
What's that?" exclaimed one Of the
men.
~oh. nothin'." said the other. easily
y guess there's rats up there in. the
hay. that's an"
Didn't sound like rats to NE" said
his companion. I guess III climb up
there and take "A look"
held my breath. in good. earnest,
then. for IN minute we should have
been discovered. But the. other man
saved as
"Aw. it's nothin-" he said impatient
lv. We amt got time TO waste in
h9ntin' rats. Le;'s take look
around q.
Amt nothin' here We cam Ia le. '-sa id
his companion. these plows and haf-
rows arc all too big Hold on a min
ute. though. What's in this room over
here.I wonder? Let's take a look.
They made their way TO q to0lroom
huilt Of rough boards which stood i'm
ore corner. u was q long lew room.
which my father had built to keep his
tools in. for they had been stolen be-
fore This morning, however. he had
\ forgotten TO lock IL. and the door which
stened with a paddock. stood half
open We listened while the. men
groped their way inside.
say, this is the stuff. said one.
Look at these here tools hanging
round These'l do 70 sell all right
You bet said the other. but let's
find something TO put 'em in first. We
can't carry EN- all loose this way.
lie came out Of the room as he
spoke and began looking around the
she'd Soon he found an empty sack.
he took IL back into the room and we
could hear the Two began TO ill it,
talking as they worked and swearing
because the tools caught on the sides.
The door. which. was on the end Of
the toolroom. stood only half open. and
the big paddock still swung in the
hssp suddenly IAN idea struck me. If
we could only lock them in, The
tramps were busy and making lots Of
noise, we were barefoot and the door
was not 20 feet away. I grabbed. Billy.
Let's lock the door," j whispered.
"I II grab the paddock. you slam the door
and III lock it. Come on, quick
There was no time TO waste. Billy
nodded and together we cautiously
rose The men were still packing We
slid TO the ground uptoed half way
across to the shed and then rushed. I
unlocked the paddock from the staple.
and as Billy slammed the door shut I
5erked the hasp over the staple and
snapped the paddock through it. our
robbers were caughtt
We had taken them so completely by
surprise that they did not realize for
minute what had happened Then
they flung themselves against the door
and tried 10 open. it, swearing terribly
Come on" I whispered to Billy, lets
fetch papa.
We tore out of the shed and off to-
ward my home. II was q long run. but
we never halted. soon we saw father
and the hired man. Henry, working
near the house. They looked up in
snlazement when they saw our flying
figures bearing down upon them
Papa, papa ] gasped, painting for
breath '-Thieves-come quick"
What's that?" said my father. What
about thieves2'
IN the barn. We caught them Come
quick" painted Billy
In the toolhouse-tramps- were
stealing tools-and we-locked them
in, I added
stealing our tools?v said father
"Where2 Down at the old barn2''
Yes" said. ."We-saw them
locked them in. DO come
Well Henry. said father, u guess
the boys have caught some one all
right. Run and get some rope and II
fetch my shotgun, and well go arO
see Hurry. now
Tn a minute we set out. Billy and
7 were still painting. Of course. but we
could not rest yet so we ran back with
them. Our prisoners were making .
terrible noise when we arrived. They
had hammered one board from the
side Of the room. but It did not leave
a space large enough for escape.
stop that noise in there" shouted
father i have a gun here, and I'll
use It. too"
The noise stopped at once.
Now then. Henry" continued father
lust unlock that door and well have
a look at these fellows"
Henry did so. and my father, raising
his gun. ordered them to come out
Then he made them turn and face the
wall while Henry tied their hands Sc
curely behind them Next he made
them sic down while he tied their legs
also until they were quite helpless.
Well" said father when he had fin
fshed. men who steal certainly ought
TO be locked Up, but I hardly think my
tool room is the place for them. So
II you'll hitch UP the wagon, Henry
wen Just drive. these fellows over to
h1a RI a