“Did he ever say anything to ye about the bar’l?”
“Yes; he said just enough to make me think that the barrel is there. I pumped him to-day, and he said in so many words that Jordan hid a barrel of stuff somewhere, and hinted that none of the family ever dug it up. I heard enough to make me determined to go ahead, even if I have to dig up the whole of that potato-patch by myself. If you are ready we’ll go. I have placed a couple of shovels where I can find them.”
So saying Clarence led the way toward the potato-patch, and Godfrey tremblingly followed. The shovels were found, and the two, after walking a short distance along the fence that separated the garden from the potato-patch, were about to climb over into the field where their operations were to be conducted, when Godfrey suddenly laid his hand on his companion’s arm.
“Laws a massy! What’s that, Mr. Clarence?” said he, in a suppressed whisper.
“What’s what?” demanded the boy, who, in spite of his boasted courage, shivered as if he had been unexpectedly plunged into a bath of ice-water.
“Hark a minute!” said Godfrey. “Don’t ye hear it now?”
Clarence held his breath and listened intently.