Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-01-16

cellar and main floor was fastened
He tried to kick it open, but failed to
make any impression ON 1t.
Leaving the house by the window
through which he had entered, he
looked about the brickwork below the
first floor. There were but two small
windows, over both of which boards
had been placed on the inside. There
was not crack through which he
could look within.
How were the goods taken INF
There were no marks of wheels on the
entrance road Indeed, the grass grew
on 1t as well as ON the lawn. The
chain and lock on the gate gave no
evidence of having been moved In II
long while. Toward the ocean dis
lance of several hundred yards there
We're no tracks of any kind. There
was no opening from the cellar except
within the house. This matter of the
storage Of goods was mystery.
John walked out to the rocks which
at home, for he had been brought up
near the water Naturally his eyes fell
upon the irregularity that marked the
shore. There were many protuber-
ances, many indentations, He de-
scended to the sea level and. the tide
being at the ebb, noticed place where
the water washed In under the rocks.
John wondered how far in 1t extended.
He couldn't tell without going in un-
der tho rock, and this was impossible
without boat or a raft unless he
swan, and the water was too cold for
swimming.
The boy pondered on what he should
do. Should he go on home or remain
and try to solve the mystery2 Curiosity
held him. He would go back to the
house and see II he could not look
into the cellar through the crack at
which he had listened. He did so, but
the cellar was too dark for him to see
anything, His mind reverted to the
overhangng rock, and he went back
10 have another look at It. The rising
tide had partly covered the place, and
he knew that 1t would be nearly
twelve hours before the water would
give him an opportunity to examine 1t
again.
He resolved to improve the interval
by securing boat or building raft to
use In his Investigations. Going to a
wood near by, he saw plenty Of fallen
timber, and after walking several
miles to house where he was given
hpna Il fouf lto
ried sufficient wood to the shore to
make float He laced the pieces to
gether with twigs and when the tide
subsidized in the afternoon put his raft
into the water and padded to the
rock In question. Lying fat, he pulled
himself in under the land some twenty
feet, when he came to an Iron door.
1t was fastened with an iron latch,
which, being covered by water at
every tide, was 30 rusty that he could
not move It. He scuttled out, got
stone, returned and by hammering
opened the door. There before him lay
a subterranean passage leading in the
direction of the house
Not having light, the young discov-
erer did not attempt to Investigate any
further Besides, he had no mind to
be caught In trap by an incoming
tide He got out as quickly as possible
and, sitting on rock, bethought him
self what next to do He concluded
TO go on home and consult with some
one about his find. He was not sure
but that there was something in 1t for
him, and he wished to find a way to
get 1t out.
John was a secretive boy, and, though
he told about his experiences In the
city, he said nothing about the house
by the sea. In a few days, armed
with some carpenters tools and
candle, he went back to IL and, closing
the shutter behind him through which
he entered, took up a part Of the floor,
went down into the celler and found
It full OF boxes and bales.
BY this time 1t occurred to the boy |
that the house was n storage depot for |
smugglers. He found door In the
celler leading into the passage to the
water and presumed that the goods
were carried In by that route. Re
placing everything as he had left 1t, he
made his way TO the nearest port of
entry and, calling for the collector. told
him that he had discovered depot for
goods. He was too smart TO
give any clew to II till he had made
terms with the government. This neces-
STATED some correspondence between
the officials and the government. and
It was finally agreed that Of any Snug
gled goods that John should point out
to the revenue officers half the amount
accruing by con6scation should go to
him.
These prelimlnaries having been set
tied, John led the officers to the house
and showed them the goods. But,
being DESTROYS OF capturing the Snug
glers, they placed a watch in tho house
and waited for them to come again.
II was several weeks before the I'M
men fell into the trap.
When they did they found both the
egress by the passage to the sea and
the one up into the house stopped.
They were all taken Just after they
had deposited n new. valuable boat.
load Of goods
Johnny received small fortune for
his information. He decided 10 go 10
college and is now a lawyer with a
good practice. Inquiries as TO the
lonely house resulted In his learning
That the parties owning II had gone
abroad many years before and left II
10 be sold as It stood. It changed
hands several times without being oc-
cupied and was finally bought by the
Crawford mentioned by the smngglers
rs an available depot for smuggIed
goods. He had grown rich by this