reath from their rapid running when the three intruders appeared.

me to stay,"

asked,

doors loc

ven in the same low whisper. "I fortunately att

ied the kitchen door, but it wit

ith the lantern. "You could get in easily eno

ested one of his companions, cautiously. "T

rn so that its rays fell on the heap; "but if there is anyone h

who has not yet come hom

leader; and he stepped to the o

it is with a stick just above it. Tom, hand me your c

the ring of metallic tools striking together; then the searcher seemed to f

scratching sound, followed by a jingle of

ened the window; and tossing in his gripsack, he

ensively for the next words the men should speak, for they now suspected the chara

. These things weren't here at all a few mo

nd we'll look around. Perhaps we'll find something worth taking,

listening boys, Budd caug

n," he whispered into his

other men to Tom's suggestion, and

in was lowered, but not quite far enough to reach the sill, and through this narrow opening he gave a quick look at

years, and he is as big a rascal as there is outside of prison-walls. If I only had him in my power I'd wring a confession

mation that led the boys to again look through the window into the room. The man called Tom stood by the center-ta

tter?" asked h

he said savagely to them; and lo

rom his mothe

f it?" asked

ew he'd left Boston, but didn't suppose he had come down t

same man who ha

ick that sent the father to prison, where he is to-day, and he is a

e a fear

her. All I fear is he may see me and recognize me; then the little job we contemplate will have to be gi

he lad returns, and then drop him off th

kely as not there is a family living here, and they may have gone over to one of the villa

over to Hope Island and make a stay there over Sunday, or until

's summer residence,

ou afraid o

t, I'd like to ransack the house over

st see what there is for us here. Jed had better run down by the

out of his way, and so worked cautiously back to the west side of the island, where they co

ear the wharf Judd

off before they make a very extended search of

ming down the path toward the wharf. It was evidently

t tones. "We have found just the jollies

iately joined the speaker, and the t

Judd, as the two men disappeared. "I confess, aft

r than they got into it--see if they don't," answered Budd. "You just stay right here a few minut

dd's father, and which the boys kept on the sloop, having an occasional use for it, as t

Judd; and again the bo

re behind the wood-pile, Bud

some one in the house!

n-table eating when he cried out, and each grabbing up his gripsack, sprung for the window. As they t

wo boys followed them to the shore, and Budd again fired into the air as the light craft swiftly disappeared in the darkness--not, however, until the

nd sitting-room nothing had been disturbed; and in the kitchen the broken window, the lighted la

ered the sitting-room. Budd sat down by the center-table and took up the Bible that had caused the robber Tom so much surp

. You also heard him allude to my father. In justice to that father's memory, and also that you may know who

had hung over him ever since he had appeared in that neighborhood, an