The crabbed old man shook his head as he hastened to reply to this question.
“I’m on my way straight to the office of the Chief of Police, to swear out warrants against three boys of this town, who entered my house late last night, forcing a window just like ordinary burglars. It’s high time the perverted natures of our boys were checked. I’ll see to it these three are put under bonds to behave themselves. I’ve stood enough, and this outrage is the last straw that breaks the patient camel’s back.”
“Who are the three lads, Deacon Nocker?” asked Mr. Holwell, with deep anxiety in his voice, for he loved all boys, and believed in them.
“I found this cap on my floor after I’d frightened the lot off, and it’s marked Dick Horner,” the old man hastened to say, triumphantly flourishing the head gear as he spoke. “Then I recognized two other young scamps as Elmer Jones and Daniel Fenwick. I’m going to have the law on them for breaking in. The rest of the crowd had some silly sort of white gowns like sheets on, so I didn’t see their faces. But the police will find out who they were, never fear.”
“They must have been trying to play ghost, thinking to frighten you, Mr. Nocker!” exclaimed Harry, trying hard to repress the smile he felt creeping over his face, for possibly he may have been guilty of some such prank in his younger days.
“No matter what they meant to do,” retorted the old man, angrily. “It was next door to a crime to break into a private house as they did. And trying to frighten any one through such outrageous means might end in serious results, in case the victim were afflicted with heart trouble, as I am. I shall see that Dick Horner and his companions are made to suffer for their escapade.”
He was about to move on when Mr. Holwell caught his arm.
“Please wait a minute, Deacon Nocker,” said the minister, seriously. “You might in your calmer moments regret having caused the Widow Horner additional sorrow. We all know she has seen enough, as it is. If you will listen to my advice it may not be necessary for you to proceed to such extreme measures as to cause the arrest of those good-hearted, but reckless, lads.”
“Boys should be taken in hand and treated severely if you want them to amount to anything, Mr. Holwell,” protested the storekeeper, who, nevertheless, entertained considerable respect for his pastor, and consequently did not break away from his gentle, detaining grasp.
“I know that has always been your policy, Deacon,” said the other. “But some of us believe boys are more sinned against than sinning. I myself fancy there is some good in every boy, if only you can find it. The trouble is we go about it the wrong way. It is a case of the fierce wind failing to tear the traveler’s cloak off, when the warm, genial sunshine soon caused him to shed it.”