Chapter XIV. A Raid Upon the Pig-Pen

by Horatio Alger

　　The more Dick thought of the enterprise which he had undertaken,the more he disliked it. He relished fun as much as any one, buthe could not conceal from himself that he would be subjectingFrank to a great deal of trouble and annoyance. As he had toldJohn, Frank had always treated him well, and this thought madethe scheme disagreeable to him.Still, John had promised him two dollars for his co-operation,and this, in his circumstances, was an important consideration.Unfortunately, Dick had contracted a fondness for smoking--ahabit which his scanty supply of pocket-money rarely enabled himto indulge. This windfall would keep him in cigars for some time.It was this reflection which finally turned the wavering scale ofDick's irresolution, and determined him to embrace John's offer.The moon was now at the full, and the nights were bright andbeautiful. Dick decided that it would be best to defer theaccomplishment of his purpose till later in the month, whendarker nights would serve as a screen, and render detection moredifficult.By and by a night came which he thought suitable. A few starswere out, but they gave only a faint glimmer of light, not morethan was necessary.Dick went to bed at nine o'clock, as usual. By an effort hesucceeded in keeping awake, feeling that if he once yielded todrowsiness, he should probably sleep on till morning. Athalf-past nine all in the house were abed. It was not tilleleven, however, that Dick felt it safe to leave the house. Hedressed himself expeditiously and in silence, occasionallylistening to see if he could detect any sound in the room above,where his parents slept. Finally he raised the window softly, andjumped out. He crept out to the road, and swiftly bent his stepstoward Mr. Frost's house.As this was not more than a third of a mile distant, a very fewminutes sufficed to bring him to his destination. Dick's feelingswere not the most comfortable. Though he repeatedly assuredhimself that it was only fun he was engaged in, he felt very muchlike a burglar about to enter a house.Arrived before the farmhouse, he looked cautiously up to thewindows, but could see no light burning."The coast is clear," he thought. "I wish it were all over, and Iwere on my way home."Dick had not reconnoitered thoroughly. There was a light burningin a window at the other end of the house.The pig-pen was a small, rough, unpainted building, with a yardopening from it. Around the yard was a stone wall, whichprevented the pigs from making their escape. They were now, asDick could with difficulty see, stretched out upon the floor ofthe pen, asleep.Dick proceeded to remove a portion of the stones forming thewall. It was not very easy or agreeable work, the stones beinglarge and heavy. At length he effected a gap which he thoughtwould be large enough for the pigs to pass through. He nextconsidered whether it would be better to disturb the slumbers ofthe pigs by poking them with a hoe, or wait and let them find outthe avenue of escape in the morning. He finally decided to stirthem up. He accordingly went round to the door and, seizing ahoe, commenced punching one of the pigs vigorously.The pig whose slumbers were thus rudely disturbed awoke with aloud grunt, and probably would have looked astonished andindignant if nature had given him the power of expressing suchemotions."Get out, there, you lazy beast," exclaimed Dick.The pig, as was perhaps only natural under the circumstances,seemed reluctant to get up, and was by no means backward ingrunting his discontent. Dick was earnestly engaged in overcominghis repugnance to locomotion, when he was startled by hearing thedoor of the building, which he had carefully closed, open slowly.Looking up hastily, the hoe still in his hand, his dismayedglance fell upon Frank Frost, entering with a lantern.A half-exclamation of surprise and dismay escaped him. Thiscalled the attention of Frank, who till that moment wasunsuspicious of Dick's presence."Dick Bumstead!" he exclaimed, as soon as he recognized theintruder. "What brings you here at this time of night?""A mean errand, Frank," returned Dick, with a wholesome feelingof shame. He had made up his mind to a confession."You didn't come here to--to----" Here Frank stopped short."No, not to steal. I ain't quite so mean as that comes to. I cometo let out your pigs, so that in the morning you would have along chase after them.""But what could put such a thing into your head, Dick?" askedFrank, in great surprise."I thought it would be a good joke.""It wouldn't have been much of a joke to me," said Frank."No; and to tell the truth it wouldn't have been to me. The factis, and I don't mind telling it, that I should never have thoughtof such a thing if somebody else hadn't put it into my head.""Somebody else?""Yes; I'd a little rather not tell who that somebody is, for Idon't believe he would like to have you know.""Why didn't he come himself?" asked Frank. "It seems to me he'sbeen making a catspaw of you.""A catspaw?""Yes, haven't you read the story? A monkey wanted to draw somechestnuts out of the hot ashes, but, feeling a decided objectionto burning his own paws in the operation, drew a cat to the fireand thrust her paw in.""I don't know but it's been so in my case," said Dick. "I didn'twant to do it, and that's a fact. I felt as mean as could be whenI first came into your yard to-night. But he offered me twodollars to do it, and it's so seldom I see money that it temptedme."Frank looked puzzled. "I don't see," he said thoughtfully, "howanybody should think it worth while to pay two dollars for such apiece of mischief.""Perhaps he don't like you, and wanted to plague you," suggestedDick.The thought at once flashed upon Frank that John Haynes must beimplicated. He was the only boy who was likely to have twodollars to invest in this way, and the suggestion offered by Dickof personal enmity was sufficient to supply a motive for hisaction."I believe I know who it is, now, Dick," he said quietly."However, I won't ask you to tell me. There is one boy in thevillage who thinks he has cause of complaint against me, though Ihave never intentionally injured him.""What shall you do about it, Frank?" asked Dick, a littleawkwardly, for he did not want his own agency made public."Nothing," answered Frank. "I would rather take no notice of it.""At any rate, I hope you won't think hard of me," said Dick. "Youhave always treated me well, and I didn't want to trouble you.But the money tempted me. I meant to buy cigars with it.""You don't smoke, Dick?""Yes, when I get a chance.""I wouldn't if I were you. It isn't good for boys like you andme. It is an expensive habit, and injurious, too.""I don't know but you are right, Frank," said Dick candidly."I know I am. You can leave off now, Dick, better than when youare older."At this moment a voice was heard from the house, calling "Frank!""I came out for some herbs," said Frank hurriedly. "Jacob isn'tvery well, and mother is going to make him some herb tea. I won'tmention that I have seen you.""All right. Thank you, Frank."A minute later Frank went into the house, leaving Dick byhimself."Now," thought Dick, "I must try to remedy the mischief I havedone. I'm afraid I've got a job before me."He went round to the gap in the wall, and began to lay it againas well as he could. In lifting the heavy stones he began torealize how much easier it is to make mischief than to repairdamages afterward. He pulled and tugged, but it took him a goodhalf-hour, and by that time he felt very tired."My clothes must be precious dirty," he said to himself. "At anyrate, my hands are. I wonder where the pump is. But then it won'tdo to pump; it'll make too much noise. Oh, here's some water inthe trough."Dick succeeded in getting some of the dirt off his hands, whichhe dried on his handkerchief. Then with a feeling of relief, hetook the road toward home.Although he may be said to have failed most signally in hisdesign, he felt considerably better than if he had succeeded."Frank's a good fellow," he said to himself. "Some boys wouldhave been mad, and made a great fuss. But he didn't seem angry atall, not even with John Haynes, and did all he could to screenme. Well I'm glad I didn't succeed."Dick reached home without any further mischance, and succeeded incrawling in at the window without making any sound loud enough towake up his parents.The next day John, who had been informed of his intention to makethe attempt the evening previous, contrived to meet him."Well, Dick," he said eagerly, "what success last night?""None at all," answered Dick."Didn't you try?""Yes.""What prevented your succeeding, then?""Frank came out to get some herbs to make tea for the hired man,and so caught me.""You didn't tell him who put you up to it?" said Johnapprehensively."No," said Dick coolly; "I don't do such things.""That's good," said John, relieved. "Was he mad?""No, he didn't make any fuss. He asked what made me do it, and Itold him somebody else put it into my head.""You did! I thought you said you didn't.""I didn't tell who that somebody was, but Frank said he couldguess.""He can't prove it," said John hastily."I don't think he'll try," said Dick. "The fact is, John, Frank'sa good fellow, and if you want to get anybody to do him anymischief hereafter, you'd better not apply to me.""I don't know as he's any better than other boys," said John,sneering. He did not enjoy hearing Frank's praises."He's better than either of us, I'm sure of that," said Dickdecidedly."Speak for yourself, Dick Bumstead," said John haughtily. "Iwouldn't lower myself by a comparison with him. He's only alaborer, and will grow up a clodhopper.""He's my friend, John Haynes," said Dick stoutly, "and if you'vegot anything else to say against him, you'll oblige me by goingfarther off."John left in high dudgeon.That day, to his father's surprise, Dick worked with steadyindustry, and did not make a single attempt to shirk.