From Farm to Fortune | Page 7

get cheated out of his eyes--so my
father says."
"They won't cheat me," said Nat, decidedly.
"Father says every big city is full of sharpers, on the watch for
greenies."
"Well, they shan't catch me for a greeny," answered Nat.
Alas for poor Nat! Little did he dream of what was in store for him, and
of the little trap into which he was to fall as soon as he arrived in New
York City.
CHAPTER IV
ABNER BALBERRY'S DISCOVERY
"Nat!"
Abner Balberry uttered the name in a loud, clear voice and waited fully
a minute for an answer.
"Nat!" he repeated. "I want you to answer me, do you hear? Nat!"

Still there was no reply, and now, in some alarm, Abner Balberry
turned back into his bedchamber and donned part of his clothing.
"If that boy is moving around this house I'm goin' to know it," he
murmured to himself, as he felt his way toward Nat's room. Coming to
the door, he threw it open and took a step toward the bed.
As we already know, it was empty. The discovery was something of a
shock to the farmer and for the moment he stood stock-still, gazing at
the bed and feeling under the covers to make certain that his nephew
was not really there.
"Gone!" he muttered at last. "He must be downstairs. More'n likely he
went down to git somethin' to eat. Wait till I catch him! I'll tan him
well!"
Hoping to catch Nat unawares, he tiptoed his way down the stairs and
entered the living room. Then he passed to the kitchen and the shed,
and came back to peer into the parlor. Not a trace of the lad was to be
found anywhere.
"I certainly heard him," he reasoned. "I certainly did."
"Mr. Balberry!" The call came from the housekeeper. "Are you up?"
"Yes, I am."
"Oh, all right."
"But it ain't all right! Nat's up too."
"Is he down there with you?"
"No, I don't know at all where he is. I'm a-lookin' fer him."
By this time Mrs. Felton's curiosity was aroused and she lost no time in
slipping on her wrapper. When she came down she brought with her a
lamp.

"Where do you suppose he went?" she asked.
"How do I know?" snarled Abner Balberry.
The housekeeper happened to glance into the pantry. She was about to
utter an exclamation, but checked herself.
"What did you say, Mrs. Felton?"
"I--I didn't say anything."
"He ain't in there, is he?"
"No."
"Has he been at the victuals?"
"Not--not very much," stammered the housekeeper.
"Humph! I guess he ate as much as he wanted. Jest wait till I catch
him--I'll tan him harder than he was ever tanned before!"
"Maybe he went to bed again."
"No, I jest looked into his room."
Abner Balberry unlocked the kitchen door and stepped out into the
dooryard. As he did this he caught sight of somebody running swiftly
down the road.
"Hi! Stop!" he yelled. "Stop, Nat, do you hear?"
To this there was no answer, and the fleeing individual merely ran the
faster.
"Was it Nat?" asked the housekeeper.
"To be sure it was. Oh, wait till I lay my hands on him!" And the
farmer shook his fist at the figure that was fast disappearing in the

gloom.
"What's that light in the barn?" demanded Mrs. Felton, an instant later.
"Light? Where?"
"Up in the haymow."
Abner Balberry gave a glance toward the structure.
"The barn's afire!" he screamed. "Thet good-fer-nuthin' boy has set the
place on fire!"
"Oh! oh!" screamed the housekeeper, and began to tremble from head
to feet, for to her mind a fire was the most dreadful thing that could
happen.
"I've got to git thet fire out," said the farmer, and ran toward the barn
with all speed.
"Be careful, or you'll be burnt up!" screamed Mrs. Felton.
"Go on an' git the water pails!" said the farmer. "Fill everything with
water. An' bring a rag carpet, an' I'll soak thet too!"
He already had an old patch of carpet used at the doorstep in his hand,
and this he soused in the watering trough as he passed. Then he ran into
the open barn and mounted to the loft.
The fire was in a patch of hay at one end of the loft, close to an open
window. Regardless of his personal safety, Abner Balberry leaped in
and threw part of the hay out of the window. Then he began to beat out
the fire with the water-soaked carpet.
"Here's some water," came timidly from below, and Mrs. Felton
appeared with two pails full to the brim. He took these upstairs and
dashed them on the flames.
"You look out or you'll be burnt up!" cried the housekeeper.