Brave Tom; Or, The Battle That Won

g to note several suggestive occurrences

pestiferous class of vagrants known as tramps. They sat apart, after taking a drink in the bar-room, and with scowling but interested looks listened to the chatter going on around them. It did not take them lo

ppeared, his friends bes

the money, Tom?

ly did not wish to appear too m

fference; "he paid me the hundred dollars lik

?" asked a mischievous acquaintance; "buy a

mother," replied Tom, with a compression

man; "you couldn't put it into safer hands,

he road in the direction of Tom Gordon's home. In the flurry of the moment no one n

our house?" was the inquiring

at the tiger with it, but I didn't hu

these times. There are plenty of people that would break into your hou

t these words, and one

ave such people abo

; I've been robbed myself when I hadn't a

hurry home to his mother and aunt with the good news, he remained talking with his friends and trying to act as though he had forgotten about his great fortune, until the long summer day ended and twilight began closing in. Then when he start

kes me feel kind of pokerish; why didn't I think to bring my gun along? If the folks he t

r it only increased his uneasiness. Every minute or two he pressed one of his hands against his breast to make sure the precious package was there. Then he glanced back again in the

n caused him almost

ill get the man to let me ride, an

. An old gentleman sat on the front seat of the open vehicle which was jolting along at an easy rate. It was too dark to see the driver's fea

follow quite a stretch of road where there was woods on both sides. This deep

ing for me," he mused, "

ed acres, was bisected by the highway, and the detour would be long. Still he decided to try it, for, somehow or other, the conviction was strong with him that dange

y a short distance behind him. Afraid to meet him face to f

was his thought, "I'll slip over the

ased upon discovering that the man had also quickened his footsteps, so that i

oppression of the situation. The lad was on the point of breaking into a ru

sonny! don't be

a loping trot, still keeping his attention to the rear, and prepared to break into a dead run th

sonny? If you don't w

e mean to have the company of the ras

ng into a swifter pace; "I'm glad it's nig

! what's your

he saw a burly fellow, standing within ten feet of him in the middle of the road, so nigh indeed, that, despite the d

me effort, he address

nt, that you st

e, "that's good; why I want to make the acquaintan

the boy, seeing nothing to be

icans to make so much fuss over me; I have enough of that at home, where they're not s

n accepted the grimy palm w

"him and me have got tired of the frivolities of court life, and are making

rival; "for I called to him two or three times, but then, he couldn't have kn

n on our luck just now, and would like you

lking so as to forestall any attempt

y to lend you," stu

equer?" continued the count; "'cause if you haven'

to free himself of the presence of these miscreants. Wo

er. His mother had taught him that a lie wa

oney," he said, "but that

, addressing his companion, "that we shall be under the necessi

tleman was paid a hundred dollars this afternoon for his bravery in throwing a royal Bengal tige

n about the reward from the moment he received it. They had planne

to me for helping to catch the tige

rstocked with first-class mothers. But bear in mind, sonny, that we're only borering this for si

essly, making a move of his hand as if to

philosophically, and be ready to e

the boy darted to one side, and made a desperate at

the act of clambering over, when he was seized in the iron grip of Count De Buf

ou!" he said, choking and shaking the boy; "we m

hree moved several paces along the highway. Nor did he cease

commanded the count, when th

it!" was the

then we'll d

amps searched him thoroughly from head

nd if it had done you any good we'd do so; but we understand it

sponse of the boy, "all you've

im fast till I get it, and

search for the package, which he was convinced had been throw

for you," growled the duke,

utal treatment. He had been struck several times, but could not believe the ruffians would dar

?" called the duke, forgett

I don't know whe

g it?" demanded the

ll you; you may

ell; ta

quick leap, freed himself of the grip of his

he made the effort; but he chose to let him go wh

at the boy, who must have reached home long before, would bring friends back, the

scamps departed. Then, when the moon had risen, he stole back again, and, remembering quite well where he had thrown the package of m