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Chapter 4
“You’re a calf,” was his polite reply to Tom as he vaulted over the fence. “Who’s goin’ to foller me?”

They all followed, even Tom Parker. They advanced cautiously. Willie’s temerity was moderating and he waited for the rest to come up with him. They advanced in a semicircle. As the wavering line was within ten yards of the box that object seemed to lift itself from the ground and a deep groan arose as from the bowels of the earth. Oh what a fright was that—my Faithful Banders! In a moment the fence seemed alive with terrified [44] and struggling boys. Mr. Murphy crawled out of his cramped quarters and went home.

The boys had, of course, been properly sworn to secrecy, but somehow, the next day an uneasy feeling pervaded the village. No one seemed to possess any definite information, but there were rumors to the effect that there were peculiar folks now in the neighborhood; people weren’t really safe and Mrs. White could tell a good deal if she would. That lady had exercised a good deal of prudence and had said very little about the Boulbys, but the day after the boys’ adventure she was credited with volumes.

It was not long before the strong minded mother of a member of the Faithful Band had obtained from him enough to warrant her sending to all the matrons of the village a pressing invitation to tea that afternoon. It was a formidable group that foregathered that afternoon. The discoveries and adventures of the Band were duly narrated and embellished.

Out of the chaos of frightful tales that flourished exceedingly and waxed more and more fearful, one could have deduced the fact that the Boulbys were nothing more or less than modern Blue-Beards.

Well, their families had to be protected, and if they told the men all they knew it would be all over the country in no time, and for some reason [45] they didn’t think that would be well. As far as they could see the best thing to be done was for them to investigate for themselves that very night.

And so it was that for the third time the Boulbys were to undergo a night attack.

Miss Katherine was not the sort of woman to be caught sleeping. She had been unable to continue the excavation, owing to a slight attack of rheumatism. She felt uneasy about so vast a treasure lying unguarded and begged Joseph to make himself some sort of shelter in the garden and keep watch during the night.

“You wouldn’t have to keep awake all the time,” she said, “you’d hear any noise in your sleep and it would do you good to sleep out in the fresh air.”

But Joseph was not a fresh air enthusiast, and the very idea of sleeping in the garden gave him rheumatic twinges. However, Miss Katherine was not to be balked. She took the faithful old dog Bruno by the collar and led him to the garden where she pointed out the box and explained his duty to him. Bruno understood and consented.

“A woman has always one she can depend on, if she has a dog,” Miss Katherine cuttingly remarked as she re-entered the house.

Just a word about Mr. Murphy before we proceed with the night attack.

[46] He had been very busy all day, walking about the village, chatting with the boys and gossiping with the women. There might have been method in his gossip, as he seemed to elicit just what he desired. Towards evening he took a walk along the shore and held communion with himself.

“I don’t think she’d call it chivalrous to scare them. But she’d rate it pretty high if I kept watch to come to the rescue of the besieged or the besiegers, whichever needs help.”

As Mr. Murphy has reached this satisfactory conclusion we will leave him and return to follow the female posse across the fields to the Boulbys’ garden.

When the group of trembling females had reached the garden fence they beheld the confirmation of the boy’s story.

There was a whispered discussion of the advisability of further investigation. The pros won and the means to this end now stared them in the face.

The picket fence had presented no difficulties to the boys but it was a great obstacle to their mothers. To climb it was impossible. The only other way was to make a breach wide enough to admit a portly form. One picket was gone and they began loosening several on each side of the opening. It was difficult to do this and prevent the loosening [47] nails from screeching. The process was a very slow one as such care had to be exercised.

Meanwhile Bruno was quite cognizant of their presence and with bristling hair and bared teeth was crouching for an attack when further provocation should be given.

The Boulbys had retired early, as neither was feeling very well, but towards midnight Miss Katherine awoke and began to think of poor old Bruno. She thought she would get up and peek out to see if he were all right.

The trespassers were making sure but slow progress and were still hanging on the pickets with their whole weight as Miss Katherine looked out of the window. She was not at all alarmed. She understood her own sex, her faithful dog and her own resources.

The heaviest of the group had now been pressed into service as weights on the loosening pickets which suddenly surrendered with a frightful wrenching sound. Simultaneously with this noise there arose from the box a savage growl and a great, black beast threw himself into the air like an imprisoned spirit released from Hades. From the window had come a sharp report and from the opposite fence a yell that must have been emitted from a savage throat.

At the too sudden surrender of the pickets four heavy females were precipitated against their [48] companions and the whole posse fell in an inextricable mass upon the ground.

Miss Katherine let the burst paper bag flutter to the ground as she hung upon the window curtain, helpless with laughter.

Mr. Murphy scudded away from behind the fence ejaculating,

“Bully for her! She doesn’t need a protector. It’s no wonder she’s set her heart on a romantic man.”

When morning came and they could speak more calmly concerning their bruises the same females were again met in conclave.

Some were for placing the matter in the hands of the constable, but this did not meet with unanimous approval.

“Poor old constable Wilson couldn’t get up enough courage to go there,” said one.

“It would be a shame to ask him,” said another. “Everybody knows he isn’t expected to look after anything dangerous. Such a thing as this was never heard of before in this neighborhood, so they just put in old man Wilson for he could keep the boys out of the orchards and ’tend pound and that’s about all there is to do in this neighborhood. Now isn’t there somebody that could handle them Boulbys?”

“I’ve got a plan,” began an earnest faced matron. “I think Mr. Horton’s the man to see to this. [49] If he can’t exhort the evil spirit to come out of them Boulbys, nobody can. And he ain’t afraid of anything either. It’s his duty, too, to look after things like this, for we all know that the Evil One has taken control of the Boulbys, body and soul. But we won’t have to do any urging to get Mr. Horton to do his duty. Just last Sunday he said in his sermon that the scent of the battle and the battle cry was like perfume to his nostrils and music in his ears, when he could wage war upon the forces of evil.”

“That’s a good plan,” agreed a sister in the church. “You’re right in saying he ain’t afraid of anything. His sermon last Sunday was a splendid one. I thought he’d break the old pulpit to pieces, he was that earnest. He preached about Gideon and Gideon always makes a good subject. Do you remember that he said that when he felt he was armed with the sword of the Lord and of Gideon he could face ten thousand foes?”

It was agreed that this fearless spirit would be undaunted by this task and a committee was appointed to place the matter before him.

Mr. Horton was a man, who, had he been of another religious persuasion, would have made one of Alva’s fiercest bloodhounds. He was untiring in his zeal for the cause he espoused. He knew not mercy and he gave no quarter in the battle. And so he listened with hardening face to the tale poured [50] forth by the suffering females, the most faithful of his flock. No need to urge him forward on the path of duty. He gave his word that he would go forth without delay to wrestle with the evil spirit that possessed these unfortunate people.

And thus it was that Joseph caught sight of the ministerial form stalking up the walk just as his sister was concluding a recital of the events of the night before.

“The minister’s coming,” he warned Miss Katherine. “Don’t let him hear you laughing about scaring those women—likely it’s that he’s coming about.”

“Nonsense!” exclaimed his sister. “I’d pretty soon tell him to mind his own business.”

Grim and undaunted Mr. Horton stood upon the verandah, awaiting admittance. Not even the pleasant, welcoming smile upon Joseph’s mild and open countenance softened his austerity.

“A wolf in sheep’s clothing, no doubt,” he said to himself.

It was well that he had steeled his heart, for Miss Katherine was at her pleasantest this morning, and she was very charming in that mood. But even she ............
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