“Yes,” replied Mr. Ross, quietly, “Mr. Drasnoe is quite satisfied. He likes the man I’ve picked to take my place.” Denny’s interest was at once awakened.
“And who might that be?”
Ross hesitated. “It’s hardly time to talk about it yet.”
“Oh, all right. I wasn’t meaning to pry.”
They arranged to divide the night into watches Denny was to sleep until twelve, then Ross would rouse him and sleep till four.
At about one o’clock, while Ross, lying at the foot of a tree, was sleeping, the marauders came. Denny saw them as they climbed over the fence by the roadside. He awakened Ross, and said:
“They’re coming. You’d better leave this to me—as constable. If they see you, they’ll get ugly. You go in behind that thicket and wait.”
Ross protested. “You can come out if you’re needed,” Denny said; and the superintendent reluctantly withdrew. Denny put out his lantern, and stepping behind a great oak, awaited the approach.
There were a dozen men, carrying lanterns, mattocks and spades; they passed close by where Denny stood.
“Spread out, now—and rip it up all along!” cried one; and he lifted his mattock and brought it down upon the earth.