Part 14 (1/2)

Billy smiled down from his perch at him and thought he had never met such a pleasant man. If he was such an old friend of his aunt's maybe she would not object to him because he wore pants, he thought. Maybe she might be persuaded to take Mr. Jones for a husband. Billy almost hoped that she would hurry home from the Aid, he wanted to see the two together so.

”Is you much of a cusser?” he asked solemnly, ”'cause if you is you'll hafter cut it out on these premises.”

Mr. Jones seemed much surprised and hurt at the question.

”An oath never pa.s.sed these lips,” replied the truthful gentleman.

”Can you churn?”

”Churn--churn?” with a reminiscent smile, ”I can churn like a top.”

Jimmy was dying of curiosity but the gate was too far away for him to do more than catch a word now and then. It was also out of Sarah Jane's visual line, so she knew nothing of the stranger's advent.

”And you're here all by yourself?” insinuated Billy's new friend. ”And the folks next door, where are they?”

”Mrs. Garner's at the Aid an' Mr. Garner's gone to Memphis. That is they little boy a-settin' in they yard on they gra.s.s,” answered the child.

”I've come to fix your Aunt Minerva's water pipe,” said truth-loving Mr.

Jones. ”Come, show me the way; I'm the plumber.”

”In the bath-room?” asked the child. ”I did n' know it needed no fixin'.”

He led the agreeable plumber through the hall, down the long back-porch to the bathroom, remarking ”I'll jes' watch you work.” And he seated himself in the only chair.

Here is where Billy received one of the greatest surprises of his life.

The fascinating stranger grabbed him with a rough hand and hissed:

”Don't you dare open your mouth or I'll crack your head open and scatter your brains. I'll eat you alive.”

The fierce, bloodshot eyes, which had seemed so laughing and merry before, now glared into those of the little boy as the man took a stout cord from his pocket, bound Billy to the chair, and gagged him with a large bath towel. Energetic Mr. Jones took the key out of the door, shook his fist at the child, went out, and locked the door behind him.

Jimmy, seeing no hope of eluding Sarah Jane's vigilance, resorted to strategy and deceit.

”'Tain't no fun setting out here,” he called to her, ”so I 'm going in the house and take a nap.”

She willingly consented, as she was through with her ironing and thought to s.n.a.t.c.h a few winks of sleep herself.

The little boy slipped quietly through the house, noiselessly across the back-yard and into his father's big garden, which was separated from that of his neighbor by a high board-fence. He quickly climbed the fence, flew across Miss Minerva's tomato patch and tiptoed up her back steps to the back porch, his little bare feet giving no sign of his presence. Hearing curious noises coming from the bad-room, where Billy was b.u.mping the chair up and down in his efforts to release his mouth, he made for that spot, promptly unlocked the door, and walked in. Billy by scuffling and tugging had freed his mouth from the towel that bound it at that moment.

”Hus.h.!.+” he whispered as Jimmy opened the door, ”you'll get eat up alive if you don't look out.” His tone was so mysterious and thrilling and he looked so scared tied to the chair that the younger boy's blood almost froze in his veins.

”What you doing all tied up so?” he asked in low, frightened tones.

”Mr. Algernon Jones done it. I spec' he's a robber an' is jes'

a-robberin' right now,” answered Billy.

”I'll untie you,” said his chum.

”Naw; you better not,” said Billy bravely. ”He might git away. You leave me jes' like he fixed me so's you can try to ketch him. I hear him in the dinin'-room now. You leave me right here an' step over to yo' house an' 'phone to some mens to come and git him quick. Shet the do' ag'in an' don't make no noise. Fly, now!”