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over； hissed into the child's ear：
‘‘Remember what I tol' yer： if yer
utter a sound； I'll kill yer。''
The sailing party meantime had reached
the landing and stepped ashore。 Sandy
and the other three boys lowered the sail；
rolled and carried it into the boat…house。
The whole party then； marching three
abreast； with steady step； went up the
graveled walk of the old magazine road；
singing in unison：
‘‘HepHep
Shoot that ni**er if he don't keep step。
HepHep
Shoot that ni**er if he don't keep step。''
While its cadence was continued by
Colonel Franklin and the Jedge； the four
boys； in marching rhythm； sang out
cheerily into the crisp cold night：
‘‘When other lips and other hearts；
Their tales of love shall tell；
In accents whose excess imparts
The power they feel so well。
There may； perhaps； in such a scene；
Some recollection be；
Of days that have as happy been；
And you'll remember me。''
The three scoundrels listened； as the
voices rose and fell on the air。 The
child； with the fear of death before her；
and in the clutches of her horrible captor；
gave one convulsive sob and sank swooning
at his feet。
Foley picked her up and； walking
quickly； placed her in the very boat her
father and friends had left but a moment
before。 He wrapped her in a ragged
coat； loosened the hasp of the door on the
boat…house； and took out the oars。
Quickly the captors pushed the craft
into deep water； and with muffled stroke
moved through the inky waves； a somber
specter sneaking along the banks of the
sleeping marches。
When they neared the upper bridge；
Foley ran the boat ashore and abandoned
it。 Picking up the exhausted and benumbed
child； he led his two companions
along the causeway and over the road
leading to the bridge。
The wind came out of the north；
howling through the leafless boughs of
the mighty monarchs of the forest。 The
last flickering light of the town was left
far behind； and darkness； like a great
shroud； enveloped river； valley and woods。
In due time Colonel Franklin and his
party reached home； hungry after their fine
sail on the river； and all in high spirits。
‘‘Jedge； you and the boys sit right
down； and we'll have supper in a jiffy。''
The guests thoroughly enjoyed the
evening meal。 The repast was about
concluded when Edith； who had just
returned from the parsonage； came in；
and called cheerily：
‘‘Hurry up； Lily； it's time to go to the
festival。 They're going to light up thet
tree at half…past eight； and it's nearly
that now。''
‘‘Why； chil'； Lily ain't here。 She's
wif yo' folks；'' exclaimed Delia。
‘‘With us？ She hasn't been with us
at all；'' responded Edith。
‘‘It's likely she's at one of the
neighbors；'' ventured the Colonel。
‘‘I'll fin' her； Muster Franklin； an'
I'se gwine to scol' her good an' hard fo'
worryin' her ol' mammy。 At this she
put a shawl over her head and shoulderst
and started in search of the absent one
‘‘Suppose I go too；'' suggested Gilbert； rising。
‘‘I don't think that's necessary；''
interposed the Colonel。
‘‘It'll only take me a minute；'' assured
the son； as he began to put on his overcoat。
‘‘Go if you like then；'' consented the Colonel。
‘‘An' if yer don't mind； Miss Deed；''
volunteered Sandy； ‘‘I'll go up to church
with yer； an' then come back an' fetch
Lily and Gil。''
‘‘That's a good idea；'' answered Edith；
‘‘bring her right over to the church； and
I'll be waiting for you there。''
‘‘I guess I'll go up to my house an'
look。 Mebbe Lily is playin' with Zorah；
an' if she is； I'll come right back an' tell
yer；'' put in Dink。
Edith； Delia and the three boys
departed； leaving the Colonel and the
Jedge alone； smoking their pipes and
discussing the sensational events of the week；
in which Dennis Foley was the central
figure。
The conversation was stopped by the
appearance of Delia and Gilbert； who
declared that not one of the neighbors
had seen Lillian that afternoon。
‘‘It seems almost incredible that she
could be lost；'' said the father； ‘‘she must
be somewhere about here。 Perhaps she
went to the church； and fell asleep in
one of the pews。''
The searching party set out once more；
this time accompanied by the Colonel
himself； and by the Jedge。 At the church
they heard from Sandy and Dink that
no trace of the child had been found；
so the father requested the minister to
inquire of the congregation if the missing
one had been seen anywhere。 There was no
response from those present； and the family
and friends began to show grave concern。
Another effort at finding her was
immediately made。 The police sergeant was
notified； and he sent out a general alarm。
All night long； and all the next day the
hunt was continued。 Wells were explored；
basements； cellars and out…of…the…way
places were ransacked； lumber yards and
coal yards were gone through most carefully。
In fact； not a foot of the town was
left unsearched； but all to no avail； and
the once happy home of the Franklins
was steeped in sorrow and despair。
The morning after Lillian's disappearance；
Mrs。 Foley inquired of the boys
in the neighborhood if they had seen
anything of her son Tom； who； she
declared； had been gone since the
previous morning。
From Sandy she learned that Tom
had taken dinner at Gilbert's the day
before； but that when the party had
started for the river he had dropped
out； claiming he was too down…hearted
to join in the pleasure。
‘‘That's the way he acted at home；''
said the widow； ‘‘and it seemed to me
it was almost unnacheral for him to
talk against his father； as he did。
However； I'm not bothered about him； for
he comes and goes just as he pleases；
and when he gets good and ready he'll
turn up； like a bad penny。 I've stopped
worryin' about him years an' years ago。''
‘‘If I see Tom；'' volunteered the boy；
‘‘I'll tell him yer want him；''and he
hurried away。
The next morning Sandy left home
earlier than usual； and on his own account
began a search for Lillian。 A new theory
had taken possession of him； and he
started at once for the river。 At the
magazine gate he chatted with the sentry
about the mysterious disappearance； and
passed on。 When he reached the shore
half a mile beyond； he was surprised to
find that the padlock on the door of the
shed had been pried off； and that his
boat was missing。
Opening the door he saw that his
oars and blankets were gone； and he began
to feel that his theory might lead him
to important discoveries。 For fully five
minutes he stood motionless； and gazed
into the river； buried deep in his own
thoughts。 Then he soliloquized： ‘‘I
wonder if Lily's been stolen？ S'pose；
while we've been searchin' fer her high
an' low； Foley an' the galoot what
whacked me jest took the little girl an'
carried her off in my boat？ That 'ere
story 'bout Dennis Foley buyin' a ticket
for Philadelphy struck me as fishy when
I fust heerd it； an' now I don't believe
it a t'all。 They couldn't git through the
magazine gate 'thout the guards seein'
them； an' whoever took my boat either
came up the shore or down the shore。
'Tain't likely they came from up shore；
'cause they could 'a' found a hundred
boats 'tween here an' the upper bridge。''
Turning around； Sandy started down
the beach toward the cemetery。 He was
studying carefully the ground beyond the
point of high tide； and in a few moments
reached the ravine where； two nights
before； the three abductors had stopped；
upon hearing Colonel Franklin and his
sailing party approach。
‘‘Well； I'll be durned；'' he exclaimed；
for in the sand before his very eyes was
the impress of four pairs of shoes。 Two
were evidently those of men； one small
enough to be that of a boy； and one so tiny
as to convince him it was that of a child。
‘‘This is the way they come；'' he con…
tinued； ‘‘and there wuz three of 'em in
the gang besides the little one； an' I'm
sure er that。''
He followed the footprints until he
reached the old wharf。 Peering through
the rotten timbers； he said：
‘‘That's a rum ol' hole。 I don't
believe Satan hisself would go in there；
but I'm goin'； an' see what I kin see。''
Sandy had no difficulty in entering the
cave； which he found strewn with whisky
bottles； pieces of bread and newly…picked
bones； evidence enough that some one
had been there but a short time before。
Penetrating deeper in his search； he
made a find of the utmost importance。
Lying at one side； and near a bed of
rags； was an envelop addressed to
Dennis Foley； and； on a peg which had
been driven into the wall； was hanging
an old hat； which he had often seen on
Hildey's head。
Elated at the r