Her husband responded by an inarticulate murmur, but did not wake.
“Mr. Tucker!” she exclaimed, in a louder voice, giving him a still more vigorous shake.
“Eh! What! What’s the matter?” said Tucker, opening his eyes at last, and staring vacantly at his wife.
“What’s the matter!” retorted his wife impatiently. “The matter is that there’s burglars outside!”
“Let ’em stay outside!” said Joe Tucker, in a sleepy tone.
“Did any one ever hear such a fool?” exclaimed Mrs. Tucker, exasperated. “They’re trying to get in. Do you hear that, Mr. Tucker?”
“Trying to get in! Is the door locked?” asked Joe, a little alarmed.
“You must get up and defend the house,” continued Mrs. Tucker.
Now, Mr. Tucker was not a brave man. He had no fancy for having a hand-to-hand conflict with burglars, who might be presumed to be desperate men. It occurred to him that it would be decidedly better to stay where he was and run no risk.
“Never mind, Abigail,” he said, soothingly. “The burglars can’t do us any harm. They can’t do any more than carry off a pauper or two, and I don’t, believe they’ll do that.”