The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1910-12-16

can aim straight, indeed en-! WY.
John. what makes you trembis soi. 4
I'm not trembling, you gooselr I
'narled; Il can't ind my shoes, that's
III. Doggone II I'm going to live IN
Joint like this with ghosts and bur.
glars all over the place"
Just then an alarming yell ascend.
ed from the regions below, followed
~ . crash and series Of the most
picturesque. sulphur-lined oaths that
mortal man ever gave vent to.
It was Bunch. His trademark wa
on every word. I could recognize his
birthstone vocabulary with my eyes
shut. I.
But what dire fate had befallen
him? Surely. not even an amateur
craftsman would give himself and the
whole snap away unless the provoca.
ton was great.
Lights began to appear all over tho
house. Aunt Martha in a weird make.
up come out Of her room screaming,
What Is It? What is it?" followed
BY Uncle Peter and his trusty bow
and arrow,
Just as was ready to rush down
to investigate, Tacks came bounding
up the stairs. two steps at time, clad
only in his nightie.
Up the stairs. mind you! The nerve
Of that kid!
Cline the prize, sister!" he yelled,
Il caught the ghost! l caught him!"
What do you mean?" I said, sha.
king him.
Tacks grinned from ear to ear.
You know they's a trap door in the
hall SOS to get down to the cellar and
1t amt finished yet, so this evening
| took the door up and laid heavy pa.
per on 1t SOS If the ghost walked on
1t he'd go through, and he did, and /
get the prize. don't I, sister,"
l rushed down to the scene Of the
explosion, followed by my excited
household.
Leaning over the yawning cellar
trap door I yelled. who's down
there?"
"Oh! you go to blazes!" came back
the voice Of the disguised Bunch.
whereupon Aunt Martha almost faint.
ed, while Uncle Peter loaded his bow
and arrow and prepared to sell his
life dearly.
Great Scott! what situation! The
man who owned the house nursing
his bruises in the muddy cellar while
the bunch of interlopers above him
clamored for his life.
While puzzled my dizzy think-fac.
tory for way out of the dilemma
there came terrific knock at the door
and Tacks promptly opened it.
Have you got him? Have you got
him? inquired the elongated and
cadaverous specimen of humanity who
burst into the hall and stared at us.
Il seen him early this evening a
hanging around these here premises
and ups and chases him twicet, but
the skunk outrun me-" the newcomer
gurgled, as he excitedly swung a no.
lfceman's billy the size of a fence
rail.
Then I seen the lights here and
says I, they has him!' Perduce the
maleyfactor till trot him to the lock:
up" and with this the minion of the
law rolled up his sleeves and pre-,
pared for action.
L presume you are the chief of DO.
lice?" inquired Uncle Peter, with an
affable smile.
I'm all the police they is and my
name rs Harmony Diggs. and they's
no buggular Twin can get out'n my
clutches oncet gifts these boys on
him." the visitor shouted, waving an
antiQuated pair of handouts excitedly
in the air.
II caught him!" Tacks cried in ex.
ultant tones when the village copper
looked his way; "he's down there"
Down there, eh?" snorted the coun.
try Sherlock, getting on his knees and
peering into the depths, but just then
Bunch handed him handful of hard
mud which located temporarily over
Harmony's left eye and put his optic
on the blink.
With the other eye, however, Mr..
Digs caught a glimpse of step-lad.
der, which he Immediately lowered
through the trap, and drawing a muir.
derous looking revolver from his
pocket commanded Bunch to come uu
or be shot.
Bunch decided to come up. I didn't
hold the watch on him, but figure
1t took him about seven-sixteenths Of
second to make the decision.
As the criminal slowly emerged
from the cellar the spectators stood
back, spellbound and breathless: Aunt
Martha with long tin dipper raised
In an attitude Of defense, and Uncle
Peter with the bow and arrow ready
for instant use.
Bunch looked at me reproachfully.
but never opened his head. Say! II
ever there was dead game sport.
Bunch Jefferson is the answer. f
He didn't even whimper when the
village Hawkshaw snapped the brace.
let's on his wrist and said: "Come on.
Mr.. Buggular! This here's q fine
nights work for everybody in this
neighborhood because you've been q
source Of pesterment around here for