CHAPTER XIV. A RAID UPON THE PIG-PEN
The more Dick thought of the enterprise which he had undertaken, themore he disliked it. He relished fun as much as any one, but he couldnot conceal from himself that he would be subjecting Frank to a greatdeal of trouble and annoyance. As he had told John, Frank had alwaystreated him well, and this thought made the scheme disagreeable to him.
Still, John had promised him two dollars for his co-operation, and this,in his circumstances, was an important consideration. Unfortunately,Dick had contracted a fondness for smoking--a habit which his scantysupply of pocket-money rarely enabled him to indulge. This windfallwould keep him in cigars for some time. It was this reflection whichfinally turned the wavering scale of Dick's irresolution, and determinedhim to embrace John's offer.
The moon was now at the full, and the nights were bright and beautiful.Dick decided that it would be best to defer the accomplishment of hispurpose till later in the month, when darker nights would serve as ascreen, and render detection more difficult.
By and by a night came which he thought suitable. A few stars wereout, but they gave only a faint glimmer of light, not more than wasnecessary.
Dick went to bed at nine o'clock, as usual. By an effort he succeeded inkeeping awake, feeling that if he once yielded to drowsiness, he shouldprobably sleep on till morning. At half-past nine all in the house wereabed. It was not till eleven, however, that Dick felt it safe to leavethe house. He dressed himself expeditiously and in silence, occasionallylistening to see if he could detect any sound in the room above, wherehis parents slept. Finally he raised the window softly, and jumped out.He crept out to the road, and swiftly bent his steps toward Mr. Frost'shouse.
As this was not more than a third of a mile distant, a very few minutessufficed to bring him to his destination. Dick's feelings were not themost comfortable. Though he repeatedly assured himself that it was onlyfun he was engaged in, he felt very much like a burglar about to enter ahouse.
Arrived before the farmhouse, he looked cautiously up to the windows,but could see no light burning.
"The coast is clear," he thought. "I wish it were all over, and I wereon my way home."
Dick had not reconnoitered thoroughly. There was a light burning in awindow at the other end of the house.
The pig-pen was a small, rough, unpainted building, with a yard openingfrom it. Around the yard was a stone wall, which prevented the pigs frommaking their escape. They were now, as Dick could with difficulty see,stretched out upon the floor of the pen, asleep.
Dick proceeded to remove a portion of the stones forming the wall. Itwas not very easy or agreeable work, the stones being large and heavy.At length he effected a gap which he thought would be large enough forthe pigs to pass through. He next considered whether it would be betterto disturb the slumbers of the pigs by poking them with a hoe, or waitand let them find out the avenue of escape in the morning. He finallydecided to stir them up. He accordingly went round to the door and,seizing a hoe, commenced punching one of the pigs vigorously.
The pig whose slumbers were thus rudely disturbed awoke with a loudgrunt, and probably would have looked astonished and indignant if naturehad given him the power of expressing such emotions.
"Get out, there, you lazy beast," exclaimed Dick.
The pig, as was perhaps only natural under the circumstances, seemedreluctant to get up, and was by no means backward in grunting hisdiscontent. Dick was earnestly engaged in overcoming his repugnance tolocomotion, when he was startled by hearing the door of the building,which he had carefully closed, open slowly. Looking up hastily, the hoestill in his hand, his dismayed glance fell upon Frank Frost, enteringwith a lantern.
A half-exclamation of surprise and dismay escaped him. This called theattention of Frank, who till that moment was unsuspicious of Dick'spresence.
"Dick Bumstead!" he exclaimed, as soon as he recognized the intruder."What brings you here at this time of night?"
"A mean errand, Frank," returned Dick, with a wholesome feeling ofshame. He had made up his mind to a confession.
"You didn't come here to--to----" Here Frank stopped short.
"No, not to steal. I ain't quite so mean as that comes to. I come to letout your pigs, so that in the morning you would have a long chase afterthem."
"But what could put such a thing into your head, Dick?" asked Frank, ingreat surprise.
"I thought it would be a good joke."
"It wouldn't have been much of a joke to me," said Frank.
"No; and to tell the truth it wouldn't have been to me. The fact is,and I don't mind telling it, that I should never have thought of such athing if somebody else hadn't put it into my head."
"Somebody else?"
"Yes; I'd a little rather not tell who that somebody is, for I don'tbelieve he would like to have you know."
"Why didn't he come himself?" asked Frank. "It seems to me he's beenmaking a catspaw of you."
"A catspaw?"
"Yes, haven't you read the story? A monkey wanted to draw some chestnutsout of the hot ashes, but, feeling a decided objection to burning hisown paws in the operation, drew a cat to the fire and thrust her pawin."
"I don't know but it's been so in my case," said Dick. "I didn't want todo it, and that's a fact. I felt as mean as could be when I first cameinto your yard to-night. But he offered me two dollars to do it, andit's so seldom I see money that it tempted me."
Frank looked puzzled. "I don't see," he said thoughtfully, "how anybodyshould think it worth while to pay two dollars for such a piece ofmischief."
"Perhaps he don't like you, and wanted to plague you," suggested Dick.
The thought at once flashed upon Frank that John Haynes must beimplicated. He was the only boy who was likely to have two dollarsto invest in this way, and the suggestion offered by Dick of personalenmity was sufficient to supply a motive for his action.
"I believe I know who it is, now, Dick," he said quietly. "However, Iwon't ask you to tell me. There is one boy in the village who thinkshe has cause of complaint against me, though I have never intentionallyinjured him."
"What shall you do about it, Frank?" asked Dick, a little awkwardly, forhe did not want his own agency made public.
"Nothing," answered Frank. "I would rather take no notice of it."
"At any rate, I hope you won't think hard of me," said Dick. "You havealways treated me well, and I didn't want to trouble you. But the moneytempted me. I meant to buy cigars with it."
"You don't smoke, Dick?"
"Yes, when I get a chance."
"I wouldn't if I were you. It isn't good for boys like you and me. It isan expensive habit, and injurious, too."
"I don't know but you are right, Frank," said Dick candidly.
"I know I am. You can leave off now, Dick, better than when you areolder."
At this moment a voice was heard from the house, calling "Frank!"
"I came out for some herbs," said Frank hurriedly. "Jacob isn't verywell, and mother is going to make him some herb tea. I won't mentionthat I have seen you."
"All right. Thank you, Frank."
A minute later Frank went into the house, leaving Dick by himself.
"Now," thought Dick, "I must try to remedy the mischief I have done. I'mafraid I've got a job before me."
He went round to the gap in the wall, and began to lay it again as wellas he could. In lifting the heavy stones he began to realize how mucheasier it is to make mischief than to repair damages afterward. Hepulled and tugged, but it took him a good half-hour, and by that time hefelt very tired.
"My clothes must be precious dirty," he said to himself. "At any rate,my hands are. I wonder where the pump is. But then it won't do to pump;it'll make too much noise. Oh, here's some water in the trough."
Dick succeeded in getting some of the dirt off his hands, which he driedon his handkerchief. Then with a feeling of relief, he took the roadtoward home.
Although he may be said to have failed most signally
in his design, hefelt considerably better than if he had succeeded.
"Frank's a good fellow," he said to himself. "Some boys would have beenmad, and made a great fuss. But he didn't seem angry at all, not evenwith John Haynes, and did all he could to screen me. Well I'm glad Ididn't succeed."
Dick reached home without any further mischance, and succeeded incrawling in at the window without making any sound loud enough to wakeup his parents.
The next day John, who had been informed of his intention to make theattempt the evening previous, contrived to meet him.
"Well, Dick," he said eagerly, "what success last night?"
"None at all," answered Dick.
"Didn't you try?"
"Yes."
"What prevented your succeeding, then?"
"Frank came out to get some herbs to make tea for the hired man, and socaught me."
"You didn't tell him who put you up to it?" said John apprehensively.
"No," said Dick coolly; "I don't do such things."
"That's good," said John, relieved. "Was he mad?"
"No, he didn't make any fuss. He asked what made me do it, and I toldhim somebody else put it into my head."
"You did! I thought you said you didn't."
"I didn't tell who that somebody was, but Frank said he could guess."
"He can't prove it," said John hastily.
"I don't think he'll try," said Dick. "The fact is, John, Frank's a goodfellow, and if you want to get anybody to do him any mischief hereafter,you'd better not apply to me."
"I don't know as he's any better than other boys," said John, sneering.He did not enjoy hearing Frank's praises.
"He's better than either of us, I'm sure of that," said Dick decidedly.
"Speak for yourself, Dick Bumstead," said John haughtily. "I wouldn'tlower myself by a comparison with him. He's only a laborer, and willgrow up a clodhopper."
"He's my friend, John Haynes," said Dick stoutly, "and if you've gotanything else to say against him, you'll oblige me by going fartheroff."
John left in high dudgeon.
That day, to his father's surprise, Dick worked with steady industry,and did not make a single attempt to shirk.