Part 23 (1/2)

”Six or seven miles!” exclaimed Harry. ”When shall I get there!”

”Now don't hurry and git yese'f all in a heat,” said Charity. ”Jist keep along dis path fru de woods till ye strike de road, and that'll take ye straight to de bridge. Wish I had a mule to len' ye.”

”Good-by, Charity,” cried Harry. ”I'm ever so much obliged.” And hurriedly searching his vest pockets, he found a ten-cent note and a few pennies, which he gave to the children, who grinned in silent delight, and then he started off on a run.

But he did not run all the way.

Before long he began to tire a little, and then he settled down into a fast walk. He felt that he must hurry along as fast as he was able. The fortunes of the Crooked Creek Telegraph Company depended upon him. If the company failed in this, its first opportunity, there was no hope for it.

So on he walked, and before very long he struck the main road. Here he thought he should be able to get along faster, but there was no particular reason for it. In fact, the open road was rather rougher than that through the woods. But it was cooler here than under the heavy, overhanging trees.

And now Harry first noticed that the sun was not s.h.i.+ning. At least, it was behind the western hills. It must be growing very late, he thought.

On he went, for a mile or two, and then it began to grow dusky. Night was surely coming on.

At a turn in the wood, he met a negro boy with a tin bucket on his head.

Harry knew him. It was Tom Haskins.

”h.e.l.lo, Tom!” said Harry, stopping for a moment; ”I want you.”

”What you want, Mah'sr Harry?” asked Tom.

”I want you to come to Aunt Judy's cabin and carry some messages over to Hetertown for me.”

”When you want me?” said Tom; ”to-morrer mornin'?”

”No; I want you to-night. This minute. I'll pay you.”

”To-night?” cried the astonished Tom. ”Go ober dar in de dark! Can't do dat, Mah'sr Harry. Ise 'fraid to go fru de woods in de dark.”

”Nonsense,” cried Harry. ”Nothing's going to hurt you. Come on over.”

”Can't do it, Mah'sr Harry, no how,” said Tom. ”Ise got ter tote dis hyar b.u.t.termilk home; dey's a-waitin' fur it now. But p'r'aps Jim'll go fur you. He kin borrer a mule and go fur you, Mah'sr Harry, I 'spects.”

”Well, tell Jim to get a mule and come to Aunt Judy's just as quick as he can. I'll pay him right well.”

”Dat's so, Mah'sr Harry; Jim'll go 'long fur ye. I'll tell him.”

”Now be quick about it,” cried Harry. ”I'm in a great hurry.” And off he started again.

But as he hurried along, his legs began to feel stiff and his feet were sore. He had walked very fast, so far, but now he was obliged to slacken his pace.

And it grew darker and darker. Harry thought he had never seen night come on so fast. It was certainly a long distance from Charity's cabin to Aunt Judy's.

At last he reached the well-known woods near the bridge, and off in a little opening he saw Aunt Judy's cabin. It was so dark now that he would not have known it was a cabin, had he not been so familiar with it.

Curiously enough, there was no light to be seen in the house. Harry hurried to the door and found it shut. He tried to open it, and it was locked. Had Aunt Judy gone away? She never went away; it was foolish to suppose such a thing.

He knocked upon the door, and receiving no answer, he knocked louder, and then he kicked. In a minute or two, during which he kept up a continual banging and calling on the old woman, he heard a slight movement inside. Then he knocked and shouted, ”Aunt Judy!”

”Who dar!” said a voice within.