Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-09-09

the sons of the rich have books OF
learning. How came you by such
knowledge"
Then Toney related his good for
tune, and went so far as to show
the silver button to the sailor. The
sailor asked to have 1t in his own
hand for moment. Toney gave 1t
to him. They were just turning the
corner Of the street where stood the
old empty building. The sailor thrust
the button into his pocket and grab.
bed up Toney and covered his mouth
with his thick hand and darted into
the empty building with him. He
ran to the very cellar-a sort of dun.
geon-beneath the old house and
there he placed Toney on the ground.
"Now, my fine lad" said the sailor,
81 mean to use this button tonight.
So until have had what use Of it |
need shall keep you here q prisoner.
You shall come to no harm, my fine
scholar, I promise you that. Tomor-
row morning YOUR father will find Il
letter under his door telling him
where to find his son. shall be far
out at sea then. mean to gag you
and tie your hands and feet so that
you can't move. But before do SO
shall allow you to speak, If you
promise not to scream. But if you
make an outcry, off comes your
head" And the sailor looked fierce.
Toney had been half-suffocated, but
when he could speak he asked, What
do you mean to do with the button?"
"Why, might as we'll tell you, my
friends, for you'll know it all tomor-
row. l mean to rob the mobiles pal
ace of it's gold and silver plate, its
rare treasures, such as gems of great
price. Also l shall carry away any
coins that may be hidden there. Now
you know why I want the button"
Poor Toney's heart was heavy. Oh,
to think that he-whom te good
gentleman was treating with such
kindness-should be responsible for
his benefactor's loss! He began to
weep and to beg on his knees that
the man would not do so wicked a
thing. The sailor soon hushed him
up, however, by putting wooden
tied the poor little fellows hands, be-
hind him and his feet tightly to-
gether. Then, the wicked fellow hur-
ried out of the cellar and went off
towards the palace. But he did not
carry the button in his pocket-as he
thought he was doing. While in the
act of tying the boys feet the button
had slipped from the sailors greasy
pocket and lay hidden beneath Toney's
jacket.
After the man had gone, Toney be-
gan trying to loosen his hands from
the hard rope which held them. (The
sailor had had the rope and gag in
his pocket, for he always carried
such things, being very dangerous
fellow. But in vain did the child
struggled, he could not loosen the cord.
But Just as he was on the point of
giving up in despair something bright
rolled from under the edge OF his
jacket. Toney's eyes bulged. AS
sure as fate, it was the button the
good gentleman had given him. How
could the sailor happen to drop
it? Toney began wriggling towards
the button when of sudden his
hands became loosened and he drew
them from the knotted rope Then it
took but a moment to undo his feet
and to pick up the precious button
and leave the horrible place. He ran
down side street towards his fathers
shop, holding the button tightly in his
hand and against his breast. His
father was on the point of starting
home, supposing his son had gone
there from the mobiles library instead
Of coming to the shop as was his habit.
Toney excitedly told his father the
story of his short Imprisonment and
how the wicked sailor had in some
way dropped the button. The good
Canni was more excited than his sor,
and ran out and called to a bailiff to
accompany him at once to the palace
of the nobleman. AS the three hurried
along, little Toney relating the story
in detail, they saw dark form SLOUGH.
ing along close to the wall Of the
palace. Toney pointed him out and
said in a whisper to his father: -
There's the sailor now. He hasn't
discovered the loss OF the button vel"
Then the bailiff and Toney's father
and Toney himself crept into the
shadow of some trees and waited. The
sailor went to the palace gate and rang
the bell. A man let him in. Then the
bailiff and Canni and Toney. also went
to the gate and Toney, who knew the
gatekeeper well, peeped through the
sentiners window and called softly to
the man. He opened the gate without
asking a single question, for Toney
was allowed to enter at any time that
he wished. The three entered the
courtyard and went to the door Of
the palace. There they saw the sailor
standing, fumbling in his pockets as IL
trying to get something. He did not
see the little boy he had left in the Gel
lar gagged and bound, nor his two COM
panions. They had crept in too quietly.
So when the sailor said to the door
keeper, II have the mobiles button
here in my pocket, and you are to
admit me to the palace" the doorkeep-
er replied:
IL you can present to me one of