“Well, I’ll do it! I am not afraid of ’Squire Thompson, nor his big bull dogs either. But, before we go any further, I want one thing understood. If I succeed in getting the horse and wagon, I am going to do all the driving, and you mustn’t expect me to help load the vegetables when we get to the farm.”
The Night-hawks, without hesitation, agreed to this arrangement, for they knew, that in order to succeed in their undertaking, they must allow Tom to have his own way in some things. They were delighted that he had so readily yielded to their demands, and, in high glee, they set out for ’Squire Thompson’s house. They did not all go together, for, as it was only about half past eight o’clock, the streets were not yet deserted, and the Night-hawks did not wish to attract attention by marching through the village in a body.
Tom, accompanied by Johnny Harding and two more of his particular friends, stopped to hold a consultation, when they arrived within a short distance of the house, while the others kept on up the road and sat down by the fence, to wait until Tom should bring out the horse and wagon. After a few moments’ whispered conversation, Tom and Johnny decided that their first care must be to reconnoiter the premises, and ascertain exactly where the ’squire’s team was kept. The coast was not altogether clear, for a light shone from the windows of the house, showing that the ’squire’s family had not yet retired; and, as Tom and his companions approached, a loud, fierce bark told them that the dogs were on the watch. The stable was but a short distance from the house, and in the same yard, and Tom knew that his only chance for success was to devise some plan to occupy the attention of the dogs until he could perform the work allotted to him. The dogs evidently suspected that something unusual was going on, for they followed the Night-hawks as they moved down the fence, barking fierce and loud, as if to warn them that they intended to keep a close watch on all their movements. Tom appeared perfectly unconcerned, but the truth was, he was very glad indeed that there was a high fence between him and the savage brutes.
“To tell what’s a fact, boys,” said he; “I don’t feel much like taking a hand in this business to-night. I have walked a long way through the hot sun to-day, and I’ve got a little touch of the headache. I believe I have sprained my ankle, too,” he added, suddenly beginning to limp, as if he found it exceedingly difficult to walk. “I can hardly move.”
“That’s too bad,” said Johnny, offering his arm to support Tom. “But, Newcombe, I know you are too spunky to allow a sprained ankle or a little headache to stand between you and such fun as we are going to have to-night.”
“It will soon wear off,” said the others.
The Night-hawks understood the motives of their chief as well as he did himself, and it was plain that they did not intend to give him an opportunity to back out. Tom, being well aware of this, and seeing no possible chance for escape, again formed a reckless determination to go through with his part of the work, if within the bounds of possibility. They kept on down the fence until they reached the stable, and, as they walked slowly along, Tom made a close but rapid examination of the premises, and, to his delight, found the two principal obstacles which he had imagined would stand in his way removed. The horse had not been confined in the stable, but was quietly grazing in a small pasture adjoining the barn-yard. The wagon stood just inside the gate, and the harness lay upon the seat, where the ’squire had thrown it before turning out his horse. If the Night-hawks had had a faithful friend in the ’squire’s family, who had been instructed to have every thing in readiness for the expedition, he could not have arranged matters more to Tom’s liking.
“That’s lucky, isn’t it, fellows?” whispered Johnny, when he had noticed these two points. “It’s just as we want it.”
“O, it’s all the same to me!” replied Tom, carelessly. “If the horse and the wagon were both in the barn and locked up, I know I could get them out!”
Tom’s courage always arose or fell in proportion to the number of obstacles he found in his way. Up to this moment he had been impatiently asking himself the question, how should he shirk his part of the work if he found the horse and wagon locked up in the stable? Had they been safe under lock and key, it is probable that Tom would have refused to proceed further on account of his lame ankle and severe headache; but when he found that they were in a position to be secured with very little difficulty, he forgot to limp, his headache left him as suddenly as it had come, and he became very courageous.