t he heard
the hen-house door creak, and was conscious even in the darkness that
it was being pushed slowly open.

"Here's one, Willy," he shouted, at the same time putting his gun to
his shoulder and pulling the trigger. The hammer fell with a sharp
"click" just as the door was snatched to with a bang. The cap had
failed to explode, or the chicken-eating days of the individual in the
hen-house would have ended then and there.

The boys stood for some moments with their guns pointed at the door of
the hen-house expecting the person within to attempt to burst out; but
the click of the hammer and their hurried conference without, in which
it was promptly agreed to let him have both barrels if he appeared,
reconciled him to remaining within.

After some time it was decided to go and wake Uncle Balla, and confer
with him as to the proper disposition of their captive. Accordingly,
Frank went off to obtain help, while Willy remained to watch the
hen-house. As Frank left he called back:

"Willy, you take good aim at him, and if he pokes his head out--let
him have it!"

This Willy solemnly promised to do.

Frank was hardly out of hearing before Willy was surprised to hear the
prisoner call him by name in the most friendly and familiar manner,
although the voice was a strange one.

"Willy, is that you?" called the person inside.

"Yes."

"Where's Frank?"

"Gone to get Uncle Balla."

"Did you see that other fellow?"

"Yes."

"I wish you'd shot him. He brought me here and played a joke on me. He
told me this was a house I could sleep in, and shut me up in
here,--and blest if I don't b'lieve it's nothin' but a hen-house. Let
me out here a minute," he continued, after a pause, cajolingly.

"No, I won't," said Willy firmly, getting his gun ready.

There was a pause, and then from the depths of the hen-house issued
the most awful groan:

"Umm! Ummm!! Ummmm!!!"

Willy was frightened.

"Umm! Umm!" was repeated.

"What's the matter with you?" asked Willy, feeling sorry in spite of
himself.

"Oh! Oh! Oh! I'm so sick," groaned the man in the hen-house.

"How? What's the matter?"

"That man that fooled me in here gave me something to drink, and it's
pizened me; oh! oh! oh! I'm dying."

It was a horrible groan.

Willy's heart relented. He moved to the door and was just about to
open it to look in when a light flashed across the yard from Uncle
Balla's house, and he saw him coming with a flaming light-wood k