t is
getting late now, and your continual talking has bothered me so that I
have only written one page during the last half hour, and on that page
I have written four times the word "burglar" instead of "bravery."'

"Bidding him good-night we went up stairs, and were soon fast asleep.

"About midnight I awoke with the consciousness of having been aroused
by some unusual noise. Slightly raising my head I listened, and heard
a scraping sound at the back hall window.

"We three boys occupied the front room on the third floor, the same
that you and Atkinson had at one time. It was a bright moonlight
night. Glancing towards the Kobbs' bed, I saw them both sitting up.
The noise had aroused them also.

"'There's some one trying to get in that hall window,' said Al, in a
whisper. 'I'm going to see.'

"'Wait and listen awhile,' urged Fred.

"'And give the fellow a chance to get in?' exclaimed Al. 'No; we
better stop him where he is.'

"'Let's call the doctor,' said Fred.

"'There isn't time for that. Don't you hear him unfastening the
window-bolt? Come, hurry! I'm going to take the old-musket; you take
the bat.'

"'The gun isn't loaded,' said Fred; and his voice actually trembled.
Whether he was shivering from cold or fright, I don't know.

"'It will scare him just the same,' said Al; and taking down the rusty
firearm, he hurried out into the hall, followed at a little distance by
his brother, armed with the base-ball bat.

"I was never very brave, and therefore I took good care to keep as far
behind Fred as he was behind his brother; in fact to be more honest, I
merely ventured as far as the door, and there peeped into the hall.

"A man's form was crawling through the window, but he seemed to be so
occupied by keeping the sash up that he had not as yet noticed the two
boys. As he threw one leg over the sill, he thrust his hand into his
breast pocket and drew out a small, dark object.

"'Murder! he's drawing a pistol!' roared Fred in terror; and turning
hastily to fly, he ran against me in the doorway, and we both fell
sprawling upon the floor.

"'Robbers! fire!' shrieked Fred. 'Here's another one!' and darting
into an opposite room, he crawled under the bed there.

"'Move another inch and I'll fire!' cried Al, pointing the musket at
the man's breast.

"Och!--murther! Masther Al, don't be afther a-shootin' me!' came a
familiar voice in broad Hibernian accents.

"It was Pat, the doctor's man.

"