remost boys uttered a
yell and made a furious onslaught upon me.

They were too late, for in an instant I had seen the object of their
advance. There was no doubt about it. They were keeping my attention
from what was going on upon the other side, where one of their
companions had been stealing along under cover of some baskets, and was
just in the act of untying one of the coils of nearly new rope, which
had not been required and hung from the ladder.

The young thief had that moment finished, and slipped his arm through,
catching sight of me at the same time, and darting off.

I did not stop to think. In one flash I realised that I had been left
in charge of the cart, and had been so poor a sentry that I had allowed
the enemy to get possession of something that I ought to have protected,
and thinking of what Ike would say, and later on of Old Brownsmith, I
ran off after the thief.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

AN EXCITING CHASE.

But not without shouting to Shock, whom I suddenly remembered.

"Shock--Shock!" I cried; "look out for the cart." Not that I supposed
that the boys I left behind would run off with it and the old horse; but
there were more coils of rope swinging from the ladder, and there were
the sacks and Ike's old coat and whip.

I thought of all this in an instant as I ran, followed by the yells of
the young plunderer's companions.

I was not far behind, but he was barefoot, used to the place, knew every
inch of the ground, and while I slipped and nearly went down twice over,
he ran easily and well, pad--pad--pad--pad over the stones. He doubled
here and went in and out of the carts and wagons, dodged round a stack
of baskets there, threaded his way easily among the people, while I
tried to imitate him, and only blundered against them and got thrust
aside. Then I nearly knocked over a basket of peas built up on the top
of other baskets like a pillar, and at last nearly lost my quarry, for
he darted in at the door of a herbalist's shop; and as I went panting
up, sure now of catching him, I suddenly awakened to the fact that there
was a door on the other side out by which he had passed.

As luck had it, when I darted round I just caught sight of him
disappearing behind a cabbage wagon.

This time, as he disappeared, I tried to bring a little strategy to
bear, and running round another way by which I felt sure he would go, I
was able to make up all my lost ground, for I came plump upon him.

"