“No, Kitty; I’m after them. Say, I want all the blank paper you have in the house. Anything will do, so long as it will hold a lead-pencil mark.”
“A copy book--such as the children use in school?”
In less than a minute the energetic girl had all the materials he required ready for him in the front room. Yates threw off his coat, and went to work as if he were in his own den in the _Argus_ building.
“This is a ---- of a vacation,” he muttered to himself, as he drove his pencil at lightning speed over the surface of the paper. He took no note of the time until he had finished; then he roused himself and sprang to his feet.
“What in thunder has become of that telegraph boy?” he cried. “Well, it doesn’t matter; I’ll take the horse without his permission.”
He gathered up his sheets, and rushed for the kitchen. He was somewhat surprised to see the boy sitting there, gorging himself with the good things which that kitchen always afforded.
“Hello, youngster! how long have you been here?”
“I wouldn’t let him go in to disturb you while you were writing,” said Kitty, the boy’s mouth being too full to permit of a reply.
“Ah, that was right. Now, sonny, gulp that down and come in here; I want to talk to you for a minute.”
The boy followed him into the front room.
“Well, my son, I want to borrow your horse for the rest of the day.”
“You can’t have it,” said the boy promptly.
“Can’t have it? I must have it. Why, I’ll take it. You don’t imagine you can stop me, do you?”
The boy drew himself up, and folded his arms across his breast.
“What do you want with the horse, Mr. Yates?” he asked.
“I want to get to the nearest telegraph office. I’ll pay you well for it.”
“Why, to eat, of course. They’ll feed you high while you wait.”
“It’s no good, Mr. Yates. Them Canadians couldn’t telegraph all you’ve written in two weeks. I know ‘em,” said the boy with infinite scorn. “Besides, the Government has got hold of all the wires, and you can’t get a private message through till it gets over its fright.”
“By George!” cried Yates, taken aback, “I hadn’t thought of that. Are you sure, boy?”
“Then what’s to be done? I must get through to Buffalo.”
“You can’t. United States troops won’t let you. They’re stopping everybody--except me,” he added, drawing himself up, as if he were the one individual who stood in with the United States Government.