The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-23

7 HEN Hal and Ned were told that they might pay a two weeks visit to their Grand :" parents who lived on a big farm about forty miles distant from the city in which they dwelt, they were delighted. But when their fla ther consented to their making the trip on their new bicycles, their joy seemed to know no bounds. Mother was by no means enthusi- astic, for she imagined any number of things that might happen on the ride. And she feared that the boys would lose their way and maybe have to spend all night in the woods. But Father assured her that Hal and Ned were perfectly capable of taking care l of themselves and that forty miles, after all. isn't very great distance for two strong. healthy boys to cover I in a single day.
 l Hal and Ned bought small pocket
 maps of the country they would pass
 through and Father carefully marked l off the route for them in red ink and
 made number of suggestions as to
 where and how long they should rest l Finally the morning set for their departure arrived. though 1t had seemed to both lads that it never,
 never would come. It was early spring and the air was soft and balmy with the bright sunshine flooding everything
 Mother had fixed a splendid lunch for them, which they wrapped in two packages and tied securely on their handle-bars. They fastened their
 coats on the seats and made certain their tool kits were equipped for emergencies. Then, looking back and waving their hands at their Mother, who was standing on the front steps all but weeping, they ped alled joyfully down the street, happy in the thought of all that lay before them.
 After reaching the open country they took turns "setting the pace" and they reeled off the miles rapidly Past farm houses, with the dogs bark ing In their yards, past wagons toil- ing toward town with their loads of produce for the market, and through little villages with their general store blacksmith shop and scattering houses, the boys pedalled. d spring trickling down from a wooded embankment at the side of the road and decided to stop there for lunch The bundles were quickly united from the handle-bars and the lunch spread before them in the shade. Hal caught K a glimpse of a farm house way back H in the trees and, leaving Ned to watch + out for the lunch, set off for 1t to se- \ cure, if possible, pitcher of cold |I milk.
 \ He returned presently having + braved the danger of frisky. barking \ dog, with a stone jug filled to the fl brim with rich cold milk. The farm II er's wife had refused to take even so f much as a five-cent piece for it, but she had insisted upon the return of Il her jar.
 The boys ate until but little of the Il lunch was left and the milk had dis Then Ned carried the jar Fl back to the farmhouse, thanked the l woman for her kindness and returned. He found Hal sprawled on his back In the shade, his arms outstretched N and his cap pulled down over his E eyes. Ned followed suit immediately,
 A for he, too, felt drowsy
 ! They had been resting about twenty U minutes when the bushes suddenly parted behind them. a dirty, unshaven face peered forth and rough voice q exclaimed:
 Hello kids, give us bite"
 Both boys sat up instantly and
 watched the man-quite evidently d dtramp-emerge from the bushes and A flop down on the ground beside the 4 remains of their lunch. If the truth 2 be told, they were a little frightened. 'Hfor the intruder was certainly rough-looking customer. But they
 \ tried valtantly to give no sign of it E md to tact natural"
 "Sure." said Hal. more cheerfully E than he really felt, Come on. help 4 yourself.'
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