Army and Navy Weekly — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

1068 ing what seemed to him a prodigious clatter. He Jay quiet for a brief period, then not hearing any sounds, rose to his feet and once more moved in the general direction of the house. He knew that somewhere in the black- ness in front was the tree, but of its exact location he was ignorant. Suddenly a twinkling light appeared through the gloom. It gleamed for a moment, then van- ished. ‘“Guess they have gone to bed,’’ mut- téred. Clif. | The thought gave him confidence, and he proceeded with less caution. The cadet had no desire to be discovered prowling about the Windom grounds. Explana- tions would be awkward, especially if the robber up the tree proved to be some marauding cat or restless fowl. Clif was not so positive in his belief now. ‘The simple fact that the limb had been snapped from the tree was no longer a convincing evidence that something _ underhand was in progress, and he pro- ceeded in a half-hearted manner, almost decided to turn back. Presently his feet touched gravel, and he knew that he had gained the path leading to the gate. He paused and glanced about, at the same time listening intently. The only sounds came from Nature’s voice in the chirping of night insects and the distant murmuring of the city. ‘Everything seems all right here,’’ muttered Clif. ‘‘I guess I was mistaken after all. I think J] will—+—” He ceased speaking and glanced up- ward, attracted by a rustling among the leaves of a tree under which he was standing. : Before he could move or cry out, a heavy object dropped swiftly upon him, and he sprawled headlong upon the path unconscious ! Out in the street Joy paved up and down impatiently in the shadows of the trees: As the ininutes passed without sign or sound of Clif the lanky plebe becaine un- easy, and he reproached himself for per- mitting his friend to make the venture alone. ARMY AND NAVY ‘There was no sense in it anyway,”’ he muttered. ‘‘I could have gone along just as well as not. If he don’t come out in three seconds I'll follow.”? Joy’s “‘three seconds’’ soon elapsed, and the plebe made good his word by boldly scaling the wall. This he did by propping a piece of wood against the brick barrier, thus gaining the ironwork at the top. Dropping lightly upon the soft earth on the other side he started across the grounds, He had barely taken a- dozen steps when there came through the night air a crash of splintering glass, then a scream of terror. A moufent of breathless silence, then a hoarse murmuring of excited voices, in- terspersed by occasional shouts. By that time Joy, armed with a stout stick, was bounding in the direction of the uproar. The intense blackness of the night had given way to a subdued light from the rising moon, whose silvery rim was even then showing above the city. Suddenly, outlined in this faint illumi- nation, Joy saw the figure of a man dash away from the house. As the plebe turned to follow, shout-. ing at the top of his voice, another figure rose up in front of the fugitive and grap- pled with him. The two were struggling fiercely when Joy reached the spot. There was light enough for him to recognize in one of the combatants his chum, Clif Faraday. That was enough for the brave lad. Calling out encouragingly, he sprang upon the back of the other. The cadets found their hands full, The stranger fought like one possessed, He bit and kicked and rained blows upon his antagonists, but they clung to him with unswerving courage until he at last sank to the ground exhausted. ‘Bring a rope here, quick!’’ gasped Clif, as Mr. Windom, accompanied by a nuinber of servants ran up. ‘‘Bring a rope to tie this fellow. We’ve got a prize.” ‘“My pearls, my pearls!’’ wailed the old merchant, wringing his hands. ‘‘They are gone. Itried to save them, but the robber——”’ ‘"We’ve got the robber all right,” Comicloooks CO