Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 January 1875 — HOW BOB WATCHED THE ORCHARD. [ARTICLE]

HOW BOB WATCHED THE ORCHARD.

Bob, Jamie and Lina were visiting at Uncle Blair’s. It was always pleasant there; in maple-sugar time, at the strawberry season, or in the winter even; tut the children thought no time like this autumn, when the forests looked like giant bouquets of scarlet, yellow and brown, and the orchards blushed with ruddy fruit. They made a daily expedition with Peleg, the hired man, for windfalls in the “ far orchard,” lying a mile and a half up the hillside, and looked forward with delight to the time when the regular applegathering should begin. The “ near orchard” was quite close to the house and contained many choice young trees just coming into bearing. Uncle Blair was very proud of this fruit and Bob sympathized with him so heartily as to almost feel that the apples were a particular credit to himself. So his wrath was great one day when he heard Peleg saying: “ Well, ’Squire Blair, them Squantum Hill boys have got an idea of the near orchard this year. Seems they stole’ the best part of the high bough sweets last night.” “Tut, tut!” said Uncle Blair, mildly. “ That’s very bad. What did the poor fellows want to plague me so for?” “ ’Cause your apples are best in town, I expect,” drawled Peleg, and Bob exclaimed : “ It’s a blazing shame, uncle ! Won’t you put them in jail?” “It would be difficult to prove what boys were guilty, Bob. We must be patient and keep a closer watch on the trees,” said his uncle. Bob thought this remark too easy, as he rushed away to tell Jamie the bad news. “ It’s stealing, and awfully mean,” he said. “ Maybe they don’t know any better,” said Lina, who hated to hear anyone blamed for any cause whatever, “And everybody doesn’t call it steal* ing to take fruit,” said Jamie, who always sided with Lina. “ Don’t you remember Sanford Miles said the college boys used to go out and rob people’s orchards just for a joke?” “ Then I’ll never go to college if it’s going to turn me into a sneak and $ thief!” hotly replied Bob, who had valiantly attacked the Latin grammar last term at school, and looked with admiration on the first class, who were to enter Y ale next year. “ Anyhow, I should not think you'd excuse those Squantum Hill boys when they were stealing Uncle Blair’s apples!” Bob pleaded to share Peleg’s watch that night, but whether the rogues suspected a trap or whether they had other trees on hand they came no more nor for several nights. “ Scared, maybe,” said Peleg. “/’d scare ’em if you would only let me have your gun and sit up,” said Bob. “And shoot yourself? That wouldn’t pay,” answered Peleg, provokingly. “lean fire a gun; papa taught me, and I’m not such a noodle as to point it at anyone, unloaded or not,” said Bob rather grandly. “My father believes in teaching and trusting his boys.” But zeal burned in Bob’s heart to distinguish himself and disconcert the Squantum boys, who, he felt sure; had not made their only raid on the near orchard. So one night, when he tossed wakefully on his little white bed thinking of it, it came into his mind to get up softly and just *look to see if all was right. To think was to act with Bob. He? slipped into his clothes, crept downstairs and let himself out at the side door. ,t« A few steps onward the fence of the near orchard loomed up in the starlight. All was still, the trees stood shadowy and dark in the gloom, and Bob was just turning back /when he heard a rustle and stealthily-approaching footsteps. It was a moment’s work to'dash to the house, up into Peleg’s room, and shake that worthy man from his first slumbers. “ Wake up—the near orchard’s stealing the Squantum boys—get your shoot and gun ’em!” roared Bob, dancing about in excitement. “ Ugh! eh? apples? yes, sir! grunted Peleg, but in less time than it takes to write it be was awake, dressed, and hurried out, closely followed by Bob the bold. A dark figure ran along under the trees and climbed the farther fence just as Peleg came up. “ Hoh! stop there!” he shouted, giving chase at once; and Bob, knowing that his legs would not be sufficient for the race, clapped his hands in glee and went back to explain matters to the awakened family, It w r as an hour before Peleg came back. “Did you catch him?” asked Bob, eagerly. “ Catch him! I’ll catch you," began Peleg, fiercely; and then goodnature overcame wrath and he uttered a peal of sonorous laughter. “ It was old Deacon Fales going home across lots from seeing the sick Wellmans up on the hill,” he explained as soon as he could speak. “He thought my yell was some Squantum roughs and was scared. So he ran and I after him, bumping up against trees, sloshing into the mud—there! Such a chase you never saw. Finally I collared him and we were just the surprisedest pair then! I had to go clear home with him,Tor the poor old man was all beat out running.” N . There was great laughter over Peleg’s storv and the result of Bob’s zeal. “1 should think you could have told Deacon Fales’ broad back from a Squantum boy if it was dark,” said Bob, full of mirth. “Never mind; I’ll be even with you yet,” said Peleg, and with this mysterious threat he went to bed again and so did the others, though Bob awoke Jamie twice by over the mistaken chase. ” A few days went by, and the apples in the near orchard were ready for gather-

ing. “It shall be done to-morrow of the next day," said Uncle Blair, and Peleg carried out baskets and ladders, that the work might begin in the early morning. Then Bob sought Jamie, excited with a grand scheme. “Those fellows will be sure to come to-night/’ he said. “They took half Mr. Hall’s ' fruit the veiy night before he meant to pick it. Let’s watch the orchard.” , , “How? Auntie'will never let us stay out doors all night,” said Jamie, interested but doubtful. 1 ———- Bob’s wit foresaw this, and it was his plan to spend the night in the tool-house chamber, an-unfurnished room given up to the boys for a rainy-day play place, with a square window looking out aireetly into the near orchard. It took much coaxing to gain consent to this, but at last Bob carried up his small bed and a pair of blankets, set the window wide open, and surveyed the scene with satisfaction. “ You can lie down and I’ll take the first watch,” he said to his brother. “ Uncle wouldn’t let me put anything but powder in this pistol, but the noise will frighten them, and Peleg agreed to come out when he heard it. It will be moonlight, but the window is in shadow, so I can see and not be seen.” Nine o’clock found the boys at their posts, Jamie protesting he would never fall asleep, Bob sitting on a cushion under the window, his head on a level with the sill, and his eyes very bright and wide open. The moon must have laughed at the picture it saw as it struggled through the clouds and sailed across the sky, but moon and clouds had disappeared when the rising sun flung a handful of rays right in Bob’s face, and with a great start he awoke. “I say, Jamie!” he cried, springing up, and then he rubbed his eyes and stared about. The useless pistol lay where it fell from his hand. Jamie slept peacefully, curled up iu a blanket, and on the trees before the window, the trees so loaded twelve hours before, not an apple hung! A few scattered ones and the trodden,;, turf told the story of some skillful midnight marauders, unseen and unheard by the little watchmaff. To say that Bob danced with rage as he had once danced with glee is to feebly picture his state; but he was a sensible boy, and soon grew calm, awoke his brother, and, outwardly composed, went down to meet the family. “ Didn’t hear any pistol last night," said Peleg, who was lingering near the door as the hoys came in. “Welcome, brave watchman!” said Uncle Blair. “ After breakfast you will deserve a lion’s share in the apple-gath-ering.” Bob coughed; the words choked him; then he said, red but manful : “ Uncle—l—the truth is—l was such a baby as to go to sleep—and the apples are picked by somebody. I’m so ashamed I shan’t mind what anybpdy says.” “ Ha, ha, ha!” roared Peleg, while two tears of pride and shame rose to Bob’s eyes. He would not let them fall, however. “Bravo!” said Uncle Blair. “You don’t deserve any longer triaL Come here, Bob.” He led the wondering boy to the large store-house, and there, lying each kind in its bin, was the fruit from the near orchard. There was no mistaking it, rosy and golden and fragrant, the family royal of apples. “Ho, ho! hg, ha, ha!” and Peleg doubled up with laughter again. “ I said I’d be even with you, didn’t I ?*’ “ Did you do it?” gasped Bob, thinking himself in a dream. “ Well, I did—l and the men. Worked like beavers in the moonlight, and didn’t make a mite of noise. Fact is, I went out and found you asleep, and couldn’t help joking you, ’cause I owed you for chasing Deacon Fales, you know. I will say you’ve got good grit to take a joke,” added Peleg, candidly. “ I don’t care now,” said Bob, flinging his head down and his heels up with a squeal of delight. “As long as those Squantum fellows haven’t really got them I can stand it. Good for you, Peleg; you’ve beaten me this time." — Christian Union.