been there before was the leader. I kept behind. We had to find

out first where the dog was. As we worked our way close up to the orchard and the dog did not bark we concluded he was in the house or asleep. The night was dark but we could see the people in the house, while they could not see out. The leader found the tree with the sweet apples, but we could not reach them from the ground. The orchard had a high rail fence around it and a recent rain made it slip- pery. We got up on the fence and were filling our pockets with juicy apples; some of the boys put them under their jumpers when they got their pockets full. I kept to the rear. I was too much afraid to do much picking. Not a sound was heard save a slight rustle of the leaves. All seemed going well when suddenly down came the fence, with a rattle that startled the people in the house. Immediately the door opened and out came the dog. The boys who tumbled down on the orchard side of the fence had to scramble over the fallen rails with their loads of apples. I came down outside and, not being heavily loaded, I got started before the others. We struck out at our utmost speed for the mainroad in the woods. We separated far apart; each one ran by himself, and. for his life. I got to the road and ran, or crawled, under a small bridge. I knew if our pursuers followed us they would cross the bridge; they might also expect some of us to hide there and find us. To be there alone in the dark and dread, was no fun; it took the taste of apples out of my mouth. After waiting there a short time, and no footfalls were heard, I came out. When I got: a little way on the road in the woods, I met my French chum coming back to hunt. for me; he did not know but I had been captured. We did not see the other boys for some nights after. When they came to the shop, we related our experiences. We could not explain why the dog did not pursue us, unless he got confused. We scattered so far apart over the field he probably got distracted; we could hear him barking savagely. It was a narrow escape, we were all well scared. I was more scared of being caught than of anything else. There was more danger of my being captured than of any of the others; they were much older. I felt it would be a disgrace to me if it were known I was in a gang of apple thieves. It would grieve mother, for she taught me to be strictly honest; that was what kept my conscience sen-

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