was not just now in a situation to render much
assistance.

Although he had arrived unseen at the window, he did not retire
undiscovered. He had run but a short distance when a gruff voice ordered
him to stop. He had a way, however, of misunderstanding English when he
chose, and interpreted the command to mean, run faster. Receiving it in
that sense, he obeyed. Somebody behind him began to run too. In short,
it was a chase; and Carl, glancing backwards, saw long-legged Silas
Ropes, one of the ringleaders of the mob, taking appalling strides after
him, across the open field.

There were some woods about a quarter of a mile away, and Carl made for
them, trusting to their shelter and the shades of night to favor his
escape. He was fifteen years old, strong, and an excellent runner. He
did not again look behind to see if Silas was gaining on him, but
attended strictly to his own business, which was, to get into the
thickets as soon as possible. His success seemed almost certain; a few
rods more, and the undergrowth would be reached; and he was
congratulating himself on having thus led away from the schoolmaster one
of his most desperate enemies, when he rushed suddenly almost into the
arms of two men,--or rather, into a feather-bed, which they were
fetching by the corner of the wood lot.

"Ketch that Dutchman!" roared Silas. And they "ketched" him.

"What's the Dutchman done?" said one of the men, throwing himself lazily
on the feather-bed, while his companion held Carl for his pursuer.

"I don't know," said Carl, opening his eyes with placid wonder. "I
tought he vas vanting to run a race mit me."

"A race, you fool!" said Silas, seizing and shaking him. "Didn't you
hear me tell ye to stop?"

"Did you say _shtop_?" asked Carl, with a broad smile. "It ish wery
queer! Ven it sounded so much as if you said _shtep_! so I _shtepped_
just as fast as I could."

"What was you thar at the winder fur?"

"Vot vinder?" said Carl.

"Of the Academy," said Silas.

"O! to pe sure! I vas there," said Carl. "Pecause I left my books in
there last week, and I vas going to get 'em. But I saw somebody in the
house, and I vas afraid."

"Wasn't it the schoolmaster?"

"I shouldn't be wery much surprised if it vas the schoolmaster," said
Carl, with blooming simplicity.

"You lying rascal! what did you say to him through the winder?"

Carl looked all around with an expression of mild wonder, as if
expecting somebody else to answe