Crowded Out o' Crofield; or, The Boy who made his Way

. She seemed very placidly to take it for granted that things were going properly in the Eagle office. Her husba

ally about town news. He's afraid the Inquirer '

e him,"

al items, Mary. Society Notes-the flood-logs-bridges-dams-fires.

his supper," said Mary. "He'll find all there is

aid the sick man, despondently. "You'll fill the p

er sleeve. The three were soon seated at the table, and ha

ing, and Mrs. Potter. They wanted you to go riding, and there's a lawn-tennis party coming. I told them all that Mr. Murdoch was sick, and you were editing the Eagle,

pidly, and Mary needed only to say she

the logs had hit the bridge while we w

ugh for one day. Mrs. Murdoch, however, told her of a "Union Church Sociable," to be held at the house of Mrs. Edwards, th

eager to set out upon h

he said to Mary. "We'll see whether I can't

but soon ceased to walk fast a

up," he said, as he turned a c

he really had a plan, and the next step

has earned eight dollars and fifty cents to-day. I'm glad y

id Jack. "I'm stay

is slow. All dry fodder. No vinegar. No pickles.

came to being carried over the dam; and what people talked about doing to prevent another flood, and other matters of interest. Then he went among the stable-men, who had been driving all day, and they gave him a num

aged to slip in among knots of idlers, and set t

sn't much worth the time." After a few moments he exclaim

he houses were dilapidated. Jack was thinking that Mary might write something about improvin

!-fire!-murder!-r

crack in it that made it sound as if tw

just as two very short men dashed through

ey were likely to get a

ere were people coming from the opposite direction, but he pa

er hand on his right shoulder, and suddenly he foun

him,

e got

him

gag him. Tie him ti

s, while the other two pinioned his arms, all the whil

des, he was too much astonished to talk easily, and all the while an unceasing torre

ara! He can't get away thi

house, indade," said Mrs. McNam

ed one of his captors. "I don't know wh

ou young thief?" ste

. The next idea was, that he never met four more stupid-looking men in Mertonville, nor anywhere else.

me, and he won't pache. The joodge'll have to mak him

t, Deacon

"We can lock him up in the back room of my

eir prisoner on the way as

o the dwelling o

not been so late, and if more of the household had been there to see him. As it was, doors opened, candle

an't have that ruffian here

leadingly. "We'll lock him in the back room, and Barney and Pettigre

more children began to cry, but J

the way they secured Jack Ogden. They backed a chair against a bedpost and made him s

ment more Jack heard the key turn in the lock, and he was left in

tting his teeth and squirming on his chair. "It's pretty hard. May be I

rt him a little, but it was

om under me," he said to him

a tug, and then J

re loose," he said, "and lift the loops ov

oment he was standing in the middle of the

he thought, "if I can f

rough edge on the head of it, and after a few

ine," said he. "Now

dow and looked out

kitchen," he said, "and

d out crept Jack upon that roof. It was steep, but h

reach that longest branch, and swing

d to gather all his courage to make the attempt; but he slid down and reached

id Jack t

g the branch, before it had time to break, but his third gr

id. "Somebody is strikin

on he was going down the trunk; and then the window (which he had

ut this way, could he?

his feet reached the ground. "This

en, climbed over another fence, ran through a lot, and

ght on. They don't expect me at Murdoch's to-night. If I ca

he next corner. Open went the nearest gate, and in w

d Jack, as he once more came out into a street. "No

ver, and he did not really feel secure until he was

e said to himself, laughing. "I'

t "news-item" brought out the color in h

, "just as if you were the re

etter keep shady for a day or so.

ey won't come here after you. The paper's ne

the moment he was told by Mary, at tea-time, that she had found editing no trouble at all. He was glad, he said, that all had been so quiet, and that nobody had called at the editor's office, and that people did not know he was sick. As to that, however,

in," he remarked to Mary, "they wouldn't k

laughed Mary. "Don't I wish I knew

s papers were printed, the distribution of them followed. It was a very creditable Eagle, but Ma

what will they think of me?-and what will Miss

es in the paper would affect other people. Before noon, there was such a rush for Eagles, at the front office, that Mr. Black got out another ream of paper to print a second edition, and Mr. Bones had almost to fight to keep the excited crowd from going up-stairs to

e possible that anything's the matter with the Eagle? Mary Ogden

sday, and the excitement over the

t o

ack, at supper. "Bones says he has sol

d, "and I'll tell Mr. Murdo

led faintly and with an

suppose they wanted to

club in his hand had inquired for the editor; nor that Deacon Abrams, and the Town Constable, and three other men, and a lawyer had called to see the ed

ut me howlin'? Wudn't ony woman spake

r anything have mentioned it to Miss Ogden. She therefore had only good news to tell at the hou

he said, "and he may slee

out for him," said Jack,

arted without anxiety; but they had hardly entered the Edwards's hous

ard, after Mrs. Edwards had w

eetly and benevolently. "My dear! Why di

work," said Mary. "I had

y and escape was

are right, Elder Holloway! When a leading journal like the Eagle finds it needful to denounce so sternly the state

n from a New York paper, and had cut down to fit t

ce on her le

he hotel-men and innkeepers of

e the high-license editorial

ailing corruption is terrible. There's a storm rising. The Republican Committee has called a special meeting to consider

" thought Mary; "the last part was from that

ozen times that evening, and she wished

is face fairly glowing red with the interest he took in something spread out upon the table before hi