rn in as
constables.

Long Tom's case was peculiar. We will let him put it in his own
drawling tones: "Friens, it am like dis. Though I has bin a Christian
for months, I could not bring myself to gib away de hidin' places of my
ol' pals. It looked too much like treachery and betrayal. P'raps I'm
wrong but, if so, you'uns will pardon me. But now de case am diffrunt.
Thar hidin' place am knowd, an' it is for de good of de neighborhood
an' der own good dat dese men should be caught an' der bizness brok up,
an' I'm willin' to be one to bring dis about. So I jine yer company,
not to kill dose men, but to try to save der souls."

It was decided to divide the attacking company into two parts, one to
approach the large opening of the cave and the other the smaller one.
Larkin, Grimes and the Hester men were with the former crowd, and Long
Tom, Jasper Very, George LeMonde, and Hans Schmidt with the latter. All
felt that the best way to begin the attack was to take the moonshiners
by surprise, and it was thought that early morning was the most
favorable hour, when the outlaws would probably be asleep.

Soon after midnight of a Wednesday morning the men gathered noiselessly
at the knob's base, having left their horses far up the road. Just as
the first streaks of day were appearing the two groups of men about one
hundred feet apart began climbing the steep elevation. The slope was
fully forty-five degrees, and in some parts much steeper. The men had
to brace their feet against trees and saplings, and near the top to
pull themselves up by holding on to branches of trees and shrubs above
them.

At last the larger party reached the level, which, extending inward,
formed the floor of the cave. The revenue officer peered over the top
and saw a man with a rifle by his side asleep with his back braced
against a wall. He was near the cave's mouth. Farther he could dimly
behold the forms of men lying along the sides of the cave. A smoldering
fire was beneath the still, which stood some fifteen feet from the
entrance.

The officer gave the signal to advance, and sprang upon the ledge with
several others. At the same instant the sleeping sentinel awoke, taking
in the situation at a glance, seized his rifle and attempted to fire
it; but before he could do so the revenue officer was upon him like a
tiger upon his prey. Though he could prevent the firing, he could not
control the voice, and the man gave one mighty shout, which awoke every