nor Andros. When it ended, the governor
of New York declared:

"I have waited as long as I will. I demand the charter at once. As
governor of New York, this being a part of my dominion, I will have it."

"Wait----" began the president.

[Illustration: Charles Stevens, at one sweep, snuffed out every candle
on the table.]

"No; already I have waited too long. Bring it at once."

There have been so many stories told of the Charter Oak that the author
here feels justified in stepping aside from the narrative to quote from
the journal for June 15, 1687, the following entry:

"Sundry of the court, desiring that the patent or charter might be
brought into the court, the secretary sent for it, and informed the
governor and court that he had the charter, and showed it to the court,
and the governor bid him put it into the box again, and lay it on the
table, and leave the key in the box, which he did, forthwith."

Affairs had proceeded to this point, when Charles Stevens, who had crept
quite close to the table, with a long stick, at one sweep, snuffed out
every candle on the table.

"Treason! treason!" cried Andros, and at this moment the two remaining
candles on the wall were extinguished.

"Lights! lights!" cried a voice, and at the same moment, Andros shouted:

"The boy did it! kill the boy and seize the box!" His hand was
outstretched to take the box from the table, when the same stick which
had extinguished the lights gave his knuckles such a rap that he uttered
a yell of pain. Though the lights were extinguished, through the windows
the faint starlight dimly illuminated the scene. Charles Stevens saw
the outline of his uncle, who seized the box and hurried with it from
the meeting-house.

He followed him as rapidly as he could. A terrible uproar and confusion
inside attracted the attention of everybody, so Captain Wadsworth
escaped without being noticed, with the precious document under his arm.
The youth was close behind him and, when they were outside, seized his
arm.

"Unhand me!" cried Captain Wadsworth, snatching his sword from its
sheath.

"Uncle!"

"Charles, it is you? Marry! boy, have a care how you approach me. Why! I
was about to run you through."

"Have you got it?"

"Whist! Charles, the governor's soldiers are near. They may hear you."

"They have enough to do in there," answered the boy, pointing toward the
meeting-house, in which pandemonium seemed to reign.

The voice of Governor Andr