Fred and Teddy failed to share his enthusiasm, and Mrs. Rushton shivered
slightly.

But, taken as a whole, the letter met the views of Mr. Mansfield
Rushton, and when the family council broke up, it was definitely settled
that the boys should go to Rally Hall.

Old Martha was "dead sot," as she put it, against the whole plan.

"Ain' no good goin' to kum uv it," she grumbled to herself, as she
jammed her hands viciously into the dough. "House'll seem like a
graveyard wen dose po' boys get shunted off ter dat ole bo'din' school.
Like enuf dey won't giv' um half enuf ter eat. An' all on 'count uv dat
ole w'ited sepulker," she wound up disgustedly.

But Uncle Aaron, wholly indifferent to Martha's views even if he had
known them, was in high feather. He had carried his point, and, in the
satisfaction this gave him, he became almost good-natured. He could even
allow himself a wintry smile at times, as he reflected that the
boys--the "pests," as he called them to himself--were to get a taste of
the discipline that their souls needed.

"He'll show them what's what," he chuckled. "He'll either bend 'em or
break 'em. I know Hardach Rally."

As for Fred and Teddy themselves, they hardly knew whether to be glad or
sorry.

They loved their home and their parents, and then, too, they hated to
leave their boy friends with whom they had grown up in the home town.

But, on the other hand, there was the attraction of new sights and
places and all the adventures that might come to them. It was another
world into which they were going, and it was not in boy nature that they
should not be thrilled by the prospect of "fresh fields and pastures
new."

But before the time came for their departure, Oldtown had a sensation
that turned it topsy-turvy.

The village store was robbed!

The first thing the boys knew about it was when they heard a whistle
under their windows that they recognized as that of Jack Youmans. They
stuck sleepy heads out to see what had brought him there at that early
hour.

"Hurry up, fellows!" he cried excitedly. "Get your clothes on and come
down. There's something doing."

"What is it?" they asked in chorus.

"Never you mind," answered Jack, swelling with a sense of his
importance. "You get a move on and come down."

They slipped into their clothes and in less than three minutes were down
beside him. He made them beg a little before he finally gave up his
secret.

"The store was robbed last night,"