"Dear, oh dear, listen to them!" Poor mother covered her ears with her hands. "He’ll kill the woman, Edward. For mercy’s sake go and stop them! Oh do—do!"
"If he kills her, my dear," drawled the Governor, "we'll arrest him withont a warrant, and try him in the school, and hang him here on the station ourselves, and save the Government ali the trouble and expense."
"Will y’, father? And how will y’ hang him— an’ when will y’—to-morrer?" And gad, didn’t Ted's face light up at the prospect of seeing old Harry’s execution.
"We'll swing him up on the gallows of the killing yard," replied the Governer, "Same as we do the bullocks, my boy."
"An’ can we come and help to pull him up?" and Ted’s eyes glistened more, and his jaws rattled with enthusiasm. And, of course, I had a word to say in approbation,
"Whatever are you putting such things into the boys' heads for, Edward?"
But ere the Governor could answer mother, there was a shriek, followed by screams of "murder!"
Mother half fainted. My heart stood still, if anyone's ever did, Ted got under the table. It was even more than the Governor could stand. He gave a start and bumped the table.
"Dern the fellow!" he broke out, Jumping to his feet. "What does he mean?"
Then off to the kitchen he hurried, Ted and I, despite mother’s entreaties to "stop here, boys," crept excitedly after him.
