effect upon
the terrified Joe was startling.

Full as his mind was of burglars, he fancied that it was something a
great deal more deadly that had struck him.

"Oh, Abigail! I'm shot through the brain!" he moaned in anguish, as he
poked in his head and fell back upon the floor.

"What do you mean, Joe?" asked his wife, in alarm, as she hastened to
her prostrate husband, whose hand was pressed convulsively upon the
injured organ, which, naturally ached badly with the force of the blow.

"I'm a dead man!" moaned Mr. Tucker; "and it's all your fault. You made
me go to the window."

"I don't believe you're shot at all! I didn't hear any report," said
Mrs. Tucker. "Let me see your face."

Mr. Tucker withdrew his hand mournfully.

"You've only been struck with a rock or something," said she, after a
careful examination.

"It's bleeding!" groaned Joe, seeing a dark stain on his night-dress.

"Suppose it is--it won't kill you. I'll look out myself."

But she saw nothing. Philip and Frank had immediately taken to flight,
and vanished in the darkness.

"They've run away!" announced Mrs. Tucker. "My spoons are safe."

"But my nose isn't," groaned Mr. Tucker.

"You won't die this time," said Mrs. Tucker, not very sympathetically.
"Soak your nose in the wash-basin, and you'll be all right in the
morning."

The two boys were destined to have another adventure that night.

CHAPTER XVI. A NIGHT ADVENTURE.

"I didn't mean to hit him," said Frank, as he and Philip hurried away
from the poorhouse, "I only intended to give him a fright."

"I think you have. I wonder whether he recognized us!"

"I don't believe it. He had hardly got his head out of the window before
I let drive."

"Then he won't imagine I have escaped."

"What are your plans, Phil? Suppose they try to take you back to the
poorhouse?"

"They won't get the chance. Before five o'clock to-morrow morning I
shall leave Norton."

"Leave town?" exclaimed Frank, in surprise. "And so soon?"

"Yes. There is nothing for me to do here."

"Father would like to have you stay and assist him on the farm. He said
so to me. He wouldn't be able to pay much, but I think we would have a
good time together."

Philip pressed his friend's hand warmly.

"I know we should, Frank," he said, "but if I remained here, it would
only remind me of my poor father. I would rather go out into the world
and try my fortune."

"Isn't it risky, Phil?" objected Frank dou