The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-01-07

eat. There was not crust, and not q
crust had been there for years. lie
! went 10 the stairs leading down into
the cellar. but the door separating the
cellar and main floor was fastened.
He tried to kick IL open. but failed to
make any impression on IL.
| 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 In?
There were no marks of wheels on the
entrance road. Indeed, the grass grew
on 1t us well as on the lawn. The
chain and lock OH the gate gave no
evidence Of having been moved in u
long while. Toward the ocean dis
lance of several hundred yards there
were 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
formed the shore. Here he was more
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-
sccnded 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 it extended.
He couldn't tell without going in un-
der the rock. and this was impossible
without boat or raft unless he
swan. and the water was too cold for
swimming.
The boy pondered on what he should
do. Should he 20 on home or remain
and try to solve the mystery? Curiosity
held him. He would go back to the
house and see IL 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
overhanging rock. and he went back
to have another look mt 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 it
again.
lie resolved to improve the interval
by securing boat or building Il raft to
use In his investigations. Going to IA
wood near by, he saw plenty of fallen
timber. and after walking several
miles to Il house where he was given
some breakfast he returned and car
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 I'm 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 ut
every tide, was SO rusty that he could
not move it, He scuttled out, got a
stone. returned and by hammering
opened the door. There before him lay
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
tc 90 on home and consult with some
one about his find. He was not sure
but that there was something in it for
him. and he wished to find a way TO
get it out.
John was secretive boy. and. though
he told about his experiences in the
city. he said nothing about the house
b.. the sea. In few days, armed
with some carpenters tools and a
candle. he went back to 1t 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 a storage depot for |
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 a depot for |
goods. He was too smart to |
give any clew to It till he had made
terms with the government. This neces-
STATED some correspondence between
the officials and the government. and
Il was finally agreed that Of any SNUG
gled goods that John should point out
to the revenue officers half the amount
by confscation should go to
him.
These preliminaries 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 Il watch in the house
and waited for them to come again.