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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