ee
ain't good for nawthin', but she's the best I could think up. Course,
the thieves they hain't fotchin' no lantern along, 'cause they'd be
afeared we'd see a movin' light. Then ag'in I don't b'lieve sich
slinkers ever does own a lantern."

"That's right, Johnny," remarked Toby, impatiently, "let's take it for
granted then they come in the dark. What will they do next?"

"Huh! what'd any feller do when he sees sech a nice box awaitin' for
him to git up on, so's to grab the nigh turk?" demanded Johnny. "Now,
if yuh watch me yuh'll git the ijee in a jiffy."

A stout rope seemed to be hanging from the limb overhead. It had a
running noose at the end, which the bound boy was now adjusting on the
top of the drygoods box.

Elmer chuckled as he began to grasp the scheme; it seemed pretty smart
to him, and he was ready to give the bound boy credit for a bright idea.

"Now," continued Johnny, "jest tuh show yuh how she works I'm agoin'
tuh make a wat yuh calls it, a martin o' myself. Hold the lantern,
Elmer, and gimme room."

He climbed up on the big box. The turkeys were craning their necks and
observing him with evident wonder, though they were undoubtedly on
friendly terms with Johnny who had fed and driven them since hatching
time, and knew his raspy voice.

"Yuh see, in the dark he don't notice the loop any," continued the
inventor of the trap, "and when he gits real busy with the turks why
there's a good chanct o' his foot gittin' caught in the loop. She on'y
needs a leetle jerk this-aways!"

He gave the required pull, and instantly a most surprising event came
to pass. That jerk at the rope must have set a hair-trigger going, for
there followed a sudden rattling noise, the loop was instantly
tightened around his ankle, and in a trice Johnny was hanging head
down, as helpless as a snared rabbit.

The scouts clapped their hands in glee.

"Great scheme, Johnny!"

"It sure does you credit!"

"My! what a cwack when your feet hit the limb!"

So the scouts kept giving their views, while Johnny swung there, vainly
trying to reach up and catch hold of the limb, with the turkeys
twittering, and showing more or less alarm.

"Elmer, git me daown outen this, please!" begged the prisoner.

"But how can we do it, Johnny, when we don't know the combination of
the racket?" demanded Lil Artha.

"Foller the rope, and shove the hogshead up the rise agin!" explained
the suspended boy, who was probably already be