ems to
think," said the boy----

"Well, there was," interrupted Marcy. "They came to our house, and made
preparations to hang me up by the neck, when the----"

"Oh, get out!" exclaimed Allison and Goodwin in concert.

Marcy had pushed his hat on the back of his head and squared himself to
tell the story of his adventure; but when these words fell upon his ear,
he put his hands into his pockets and started for the post-office.

"Hold on," cried Tom, catching at his arm. "Don't go off that way. Tell
us all about it."

"I will, if you will ride home with me so that I can prove my story,"
said Marcy. "When you see the chandelier that was pulled out of its
place in the ceiling by the rope----"

"Were you hanging to the rope when it pulled out?" exclaimed the
impatient boys.

"No. If I had been I would have a broken head now. One of the robbers
put his weight upon the rope to see if it would hold me up, when the
thing came down on his head and knocked him senseless."

"Well now, I am beat! Did they go off without getting any money?"
inquired Tom, who would not have asked the question if he had been in a
calmer mood.

"They certainly did. They never took a cent."

"And they didn't fire your house afterward?"

"Not that we know of. Our house is standing this morning."

"Who were the robbers?"

"That's a conundrum to give up," replied Marcy. "All I know is that they
were white men who had made a bungling attempt to disguise themselves as
negroes; but they did not put black enough on their hands and faces."

Tom Allison looked at his friend Mark, and when he moved away Mark
followed him. As soon as they were beyond ear-shot of the rest of the
group, Tom said:

"Let's shake those fellows, and wait for a chance to speak to Marcy
alone. What do you think you make of the situation just as it stands?"

"I don't make anything of it," answered Mark. "I can't see through it,
and I don't believe Marcy told the truth."

"I do. In the first place he is not given to lying, and besides he asked
us to go home with him. He wouldn't have done that if he had been
telling us a funny story. I believe Beardsley sent those robbers to Mrs.
Gray's house and then took himself off so that he could say he wasn't at
home when the robbery was committed, just as Marcy and Jack could say
they were not at home when their overseer was abducted."

"There may be something in that," said Mark reflectively. "But the
captain made a mighty poor