Year: 1865

We lived in terrace at the time in
which our tale is laid, in what we may
term a sub-district of London, for we
were within FIVE miles Of Charing
Cross, and the dark month of Decem-
bcr was upon us. Robberies had been
quite frequent in our neighborhood,
and no less than three houses out of
the ten in the terrace had been entered
by burglars and robbed, and yet no
discovery of the thieves had taken
place. SO ably, also, had the work of
entry been accomplished, that, ia no
case, had the inmates been alarmed !;
and it was not until the servants de-
scended in the morning that tho dis
covery of a robbery was made.


In two Of these cases an entry had
been effected through pantry win
dow, by removing pane of glass, and
cutting small hole in the shutter.-
This window was on the ground floor
and conld easily be reached, therefore,
from outside. In the third robbery,
an upper window was entered by
means Of knife, which forced back
the fastening, and of course, allowed
the sash TO be raised.


So rapidly had the robberies occur
red, that the whole neighborhood was
alarmed. The police shook their
heads, and looked knowing. but did
nothing, and what was much to be
lamented, failed to find any clue to the
robbers, who, they at the time asserted,
were evidently not regular cracksmen.


Affairs had reached such n stage,
that we used W sleep with a revolver
close to our heads, when we happened
to have friend who came to stay with
us few days. This friend was an
old Jungle hunter, and was az fat at
every artifce by which the animal
creation might be captured. He was
delighted at the idea of having an
adventure with burglars, and scorned
the belief that they were more than a
match in cunning for even the average
bush hunter. 1t was in vain that we
assured him il was an axiom that an
accomplished robber could effect an
entrance into any house; and that in
struments were used of such nature
as to cut holes in doors without noise,
and in fact, that through roofs and
skylights, down chimneys, and up
waterspouts, an accomplished burglar
could easily enter the best defended
house in the kingdom.


Our friends argument was that a
burglar was man on watch, who
took advantage of tho residents being
asleep and unsuspecting; "but" said
he, "let my suspicious be raised, and
l will defy any burglar to enter my
house without my having due warnings
because, although may be asleep,
still i lear his approach, and then can
make my arrangements to welcome
him."


Although we were not desirons Of
having our house robbed, yet we
wished much that our friends conn
dence should be taken out of him.


A few days after this conversation
the police informed us that several
suspicious characters had been seer
about, and recommended us to be OF
the alert. Here was, then, good
opportunity to test my friends skill
and wakefulness; so having informed
him of the policeman's warning
asked him if he felt confident enough
to undertake the defense of the house


Certainly" he replied; al onl.
demand dark lantern, and stipulat'
that you have a pair of golosnes besid
your bed. / also must go to bed last
and no servant is to go down stair
before me in the morning.; nor is an,
one to walk about during the night
thcn / will defy burglars"


Thus it was agreed that my frien


was to act the part of guardian, an


was to commence his charge on tn
ensuing night.


Three nights had passed and n
}. alarms had occurred, and no robberlt
!. taken place. We began to think ou


alarms had been groundless; but on
friend said that now was the time
be most guarded, for that no wiz