bout
Crooked Creek.

And then it must be remembered, too, that most of these interested
people were "stockholders." That was something entirely novel, and it is
no wonder that they were anxious to see their property.

"I hopes, Mah'sr John," said Aunt Judy to Mr. Loudon, "dat dem dar
merchines ain't a-goin' to bust up when dey're lef' h'yar all alone by
theyselves."

"Oh, there's no danger, Aunt Judy," said Mr. Loudon, "if you don't
meddle with them. But I suppose you can't do that, if the boys are going
to case them up, as they told me they intended doing."

"Why, bress your soul, Mah'sr John, ye needn't be 'fraid o' my techin'
'em off. I wouldn't no more put a finger on 'em dan I'd pull de trigger
ov a hoss pistol."

"There isn't really any danger in having these instruments in the house,
is there, father?" asked Kate, when she and Mr. Loudon had stepped out
of the cabin where Aunt Judy was busy sweeping and "putting things to
rights" in honor of the expected arrival.

"That depends upon circumstances," said Mr. Loudon. "If the boys are
careful to disconnect the instruments and the wires when they leave the
cabins, there is no more danger than there would be in a brass clock.
But if they leave the wires attached to the instruments, lightning might
be attracted into the cabins during a thunder-storm, and Aunt Judy might
find the 'merchines' quite as dangerous as a horse-pistol."

"But they mustn't leave the wires that way," said Kate. "I sha'n't let
Harry forget it. Why, it would be awful to have Aunt Judy and poor old
Lewston banged out of their beds in the middle of the night."

"I should think so," said Mr. Loudon; "but the boys--I am sure about
Harry--understand their business, to that extent, at least. I don't
apprehend any accidents of that kind."

Kate was just about to ask her father if he feared accidents of any
kind, when a shout was heard from the negroes by the roadside.

"Dar dey come!" sang out half-a-dozen voices, and, sure enough, there
was the wagon slowly turning an angle of the road, with the mounted
members of the Board riding close by its side.

All now was bustle and eagerness. Everybody wanted to do something, and
everybody wanted to see. The wagon was driven up as close to the cabin
as the trees would allow; the boys jumped down from their seats and
saddles the horses' bridles were fastened to branches overhead; white,
black, and yellow folks clustered around the wagon; and some twe