Year: 1872




no one gave any more heeo to her.


As the night wore on the men found il
rather cold work to sit so still and quiel
on horseback.


"Hutess! it is go very cold" said one,
and beat his arms croeswise.


That it is, said ano,her, "lfreeze SO
that my teeth chatter"


IF we only hsss qnid to chew. said
a third.


Well there was one who had an ounce
or two; so they shared it between them.
though it wasn't much after all that each
got; so they chewed and spat. and spat
and chewed. This helped them some
what; but in a little while they were
just as bad as ever.


"Hutetu !" said one. and shivered and
shook


"Hutetu T. said the old woman, and
shivered so that every tooth in her head
chartered Then che pulled out the aa-k
with brandy in it and her hand shook SO
that the spirit splashed about in the aArk,
and then she took such gulph. that it
went "b"p" in her throat.


"What ls that you have got in your
flask old girl q said one Of the grooms.


"Oh !" it's only a drop Of brandy.
old man" said she.


brandy! Well. never! Do let
me have a DROP screamed the whole
twelve. one after anothrr.
:Oh ! out it is such little drop"
mumbied the old woman, lit will not
even wet your mouths round But they
mu.t and would have it; there was no
help for it; and so she pulled ont the
flask with the sleeping drink in it. aud
put it to the first mans lips then she
shook no more. but guided the flask so
that each of them got what he wanted.
aud the twelfth had not done drinking
before the first sat and suored Then the
Master Thief threw off his brggar's rags.
aud took one groom after the Other so
softly off their horses. and Sat them
asiride on the beam. between the stalls !;
and so lie called his eleven men. and rode
off with the Squire twelve horses


But when the Squire got up in the
morning and went tol ok after his gsooms.
they had jus, begun to come to; and
some of them fell to spnrring the beams
with their spurs. till the splinters flew.
and some fell IN. and some st,ll hung on
and sat there looking like fools.


"Ho ho !" said the Squire; Il see
very well who has been here; but as for
you, pretty set Of blockheads you must
be to sit here and let the Master Thief
steal the horses from between your legs


So they all got good leathering be-
cause they had not kept sharper look
out.


Further on in the day came the Mas
ter Thief again, and told how he had
managed the matter, aud a-ked for the
Squire's daughter. as he had promised :
but the Squire gave him one hundred
dollars down aud said he must do some
thing better still


"Do you think now" said lie, "yoa
can steal the horse from under me while
| am out riding on his back T.


40, yes, dare say | could" said the
Master Thief. If l were really sure of
getting your daughter.


We'll. well. the Squire would zee
what he could do; and he told the Mas
ter Thief day when he would be taking
ride on great common where they
drilled the troops. So the Master Thief
soon got hold of All old worn out jade of
mare, AMI ret to work ani made traces
and collar of wiihes and broom twigs,
aud bought an old beggarly cart and
great cask. After he had said to an old
beggar woman that he would give her
ten dollars if she would get into the cask,
and keep her mouth agape over the tap
hole into which he was going to stick
his finger. No harm should happen to
her she should ouly be driven about a
little; aud if took his 6"ger out more
than once she was to have ten dollars
more. Then he threw a few rags aud
tatters over himself, and stuffed himself
out and put Oh wig and great beard
Of goats hair, so that no one could know
him again. aud ret IF for the common.
where the Squire had already been riding
about good while. When be reached
the place, be went along so softly and
slowly that he scarce made an iuch OF
way. Gee up! gee up and 80 be went
on little then he stood rtOck stll. aud
so on little again and altogether the
pace was 20 miserable that it never came
into the Squire head that this could be
the Master Thief


At last the Squire lode right mp to
him aud asked if he had seen any one
lurking about in the wood ih-reab"uts.
No., said the man. Il haven seen a
soul


.Harkye. now. =" said the Squire, {" if
you have q mind to ride into the wood.
and hunt about and ste it you can fall
upon any one king about there, you
shall have tue loan of my horse and a
shilling into the bargain. TO drink my
health for your pains.