TheytookDavidintotheparlorandthecatwriggledfromitsowner’sarms，jumpeduponthetable，knockedthecasecontainingthechessmentothefloor，andnotonlybroketheglassbutdecapitatedoneofthewhiteknights。
EventhemildMr。HamiltonwasincensedwhenIsaiahtoldthenewsatsuppertime。AndCaptainShad，whohadboughtthosechessmenatSingaporefromthesavingsofasecondmate’swages，lostpatienceentirely。
“Didn’tItellyouyoung-onesnottogointothatparlor？“hedemanded。
“Yes，sir，“admittedMary-’Gusta，contritely。
“Yes，byfire，Idid！Andyouwentjustthesame。“
“Yes，sir。“
“Andyoufetchedthateverlastin’——er——Goliathinthere，too。Don’tyouknowyou’vebeenabadgirl？“
“Ye——yes，sir。“
Zoethprotested。“Sheain’tabadgirl，Shadrach，“hesaid。“Youknowsheain’t。“
“Well——er——maybesheain’t，generallyspeakin’。Ical’late’twasthatBacheldorbratthatwasresponsible；butjustthesameIain’tgoin’tohaveithappenanymore。Mary-’Gusta，ifyouandthatconsarned——what’s-his-name——Jimmie——gointothatparloragain，unlessIsaiahoroneofusarewithyou，I——I——bythejumpin’Judas，meandZoethwon’tletyougototheSundayschoolpicnic。There！
ImeanthatandsodoesZoeth。Shutup，Zoeth！Youdomeanit，too。Youknowmightywelleitheryourdadorminewouldhaveskinnedusaliveifwe’ddonesuchathingwhenwewasyoung-ones。
And，“turningtotheculprit，“ifyoufetchthatcatinthere，I’ll——
I’ll——Idon’tknowwhatI’lldo。“
TheSundayschoolpicnicwastobeheldonthesecondSaturdayinJuneandMary-’Gustawishedtoattendit。Shehadneverbeentoarealpicnic，thoughtheotherchildreninOstablehaddescribedsuchoutingsinglowingcolors。Now，althoughshe，avisitor，wasnotaregularmemberoftheSouthHarnissMethodistSundayschool，thesuperintendentpersonallyhadinvitedhertogoandZoethandtheCaptainhadgiventheirconsent。Nottogowouldbeaheart-
breakingcalamity。Shefinallyresolvedtobevery，verygoodandobedientfromthattimeon。
Butgoodresolutionsarebrokenoccasionally，evenbygrown-ups，andinchildhoodmuchcanbeforgotteninninedays。So，ontheafternoonofthetenthday，whichwasthedaybeforethepicnic，Mary-’GustawalkingaloneinthefieldwhichseparatedtheGould-
HamiltonpropertyfromthatofAbnerBacheldor，Jimmie’sfather——
Mary’-Gusta，walkinginthatfield，wasdepressedandmelancholy。
Herstateofmindwasindicatedbythefactthatshehadleftallherdolls，evenRoseandRosette，athome。Shefeltguiltyandwickedandconscience-stricken。Shehadbeenabadgirl；onlyoneotherknewhowbadshebadbeenandhe，beingguiltylikewise，wouldnotbetrayher。ButathomeIsaiahChasewas，ashesaid，“heatin’
himselftoabile“bakingappleturnoversforhertotaketothepicnic。AndCaptainShadrachhadannouncedhisintentionofbringingher，fromthestore，candyandbananastogointothelunchbasketwiththeturnoversandsandwichesandcake。AndtheCaptainhadthatverydaycalledheragoodgirl。Ifheonlyknew！
Therehadbeenaflurryofexcitementinthekitchenjustafterdinner。Mr。Bacheldorhadappearedatthedoorwiththerequestthathemight“borrertheloanofCap’nGould’sshotgun。“Thedaybefore，ataquarterafterfour——Mr。Bacheldorwascertainastothetimebecausehehadbeen“layin’downtwoorthreeminutesonthesofyaforegoin’outtolookatsomewoodtherewastocutintheshed，andI’djustgotupandlookedattheclockaforeIlookedoutofthesettin’-roomwinder“——lookingoutofthatwindowhehadseenacatrunningfromhishenyardwithoneofhisrecentlyhatchedPlymouthRockchickensinitsmouth。
“IfI’dhadagunthen，“declaredAbner，“Icouldhaveblowedthecrittertothunder-and-gone。ButI’llgethimnexttime。Letmehavethegun，willyou，Isaiah？IknowShad’llsayit’sallrightwhenyoutellhim。“
Thatshotgunwasapreciousarm。IthadbeengiventotheCaptainyearsbeforebytheofficersofasinkingschooner，whomShadrach’sboat’screw，ledbyShadrachhimself，hadrescuedatabigriskofftheGreatSouthSchool。IthadtheCaptain’sname，withaninscriptionanddate，onasilverplatefastenedtothestock。
Isaiahwasnottoowillingtolendit，butchickenstealingisacapitaloffenseinSouthHarniss，asitisinmostruralcommunities，andthecatcaughtintheactissummarilyexecuted。
SoMr。ChasewenttotheCaptain’sroomandreturnedwiththegun。
“Thereyoube，Ab，“hesaid。“Hopeyougetthecritter。“
“Oh，I’llgethimallright，don’tyoufret。Say，Isaiah——er——er——“
Mr。Bacheldorhesitated。“Say，“hewenton，“youcouldn’tletmehavetwoorthreecartridges，couldyou？Iain’tgotnoneinthehouse。“
Isaiahlookedmoredoubtfulthanever，buthebroughtthecartridges。Aftermakingsure，byinquiryandinspection，thattheywereloaded，theborrowerstartedtogo。
“Oh，Isay，Ab，“Mr。Chasecalledafterhim；“knowwhosecat’twas？“
Mr。Bacheldordidnotappeartohear，sothequestionwasrepeated。
Abneransweredwithoutturning。
“Iknow，“hedeclared。“Iknowallright，“andhurriedon。Isaiahlookedafterhimandsniffeddisdainfully。
“Anybodyonearthbutthatfeller，“hesaid，“wouldhavebeenashamedtobegcartridgesafterbeggin’thegun，butnotAbBacheldor，nosir！Wonderhedidn’twanttoborrermySundayhattopracticeshootin’at。“
Mary-’Gustaconsideredshootingacattheheightofcrueltyanddreadfulnessbutshewasawareoftheuniversalcondemnationofchickenstealingandkeptherthoughttoherself。Besides，shehadherownwickednesstoconsider。
Shewalkedslowlyonacrossthefield，boundnowhereinparticular，thinkinghardandfeelingverywretchedandmiserable。Thepleasureofthenextday，thedayshehadbeenanticipating，wasspoiledalreadyforher。Ifshewenttothatpicnicwithoutmakingafullandfreeconfessionsheknewshewouldfeelasmeanandmiserableasshewasfeelingnow。Andifshedidconfess，whythen——
Hermeditationswereinterruptedinastartlingmanner。Shewasmidwayofthefield，upontheothersideofwhichwasatumbledownstonewall，andaclusterofwildcherrytreesandbayberrybushesmarkingtheboundaryoftheBacheldorland。Frombehindthewallandbushessoundedtheloudreportofagun；thenthetrampofrunningfeetandanexcitedshouting：
“Youmissedhim，“screamedavoice。“Youneverhithimatall。
Therehegoes！Therehegoes！Givehimt’otherbarrelquick！“
Mary-’Gusta，whohadbeenstartlednearlyoutofhersensesbytheshotandtheshouting，stoodperfectlystill，toosurprisedandfrightenedeventorun。Andthenoutofthebushesbeforeherdartedascaredtortoise-shellcat，franticallyrushinginherdirection。ThecatwasDavid。
“He’shidin’inthembushes，“shoutedthevoiceagain。“Staywhereyoube，Pop。I’llscarehimoutandthenyougiveittohim。“
Mary-’Gustastoodstillnolonger。Thesightofheridolizedpetrunningforhislifewasenoughtomakeherforgetfrightandeverythingelse。Shetooran，butnottowardhome。
“David！“shescreamed。“Oh，David！Comehere！David！“
Davidmayhaverecognizedthevoice，butifsotherecognitionmadenodifference。Thecatkeptstraighton。Thegirlranacrossitspath。Itdodgedanddartedintoabeachplumthicket，acul-de-sacoftangledbranchesandthickgrass。BeforetheanimalcouldextricateitselfMary-’Gustahadseizeditinherarms。Itstruggledandfoughtforfreedombutthechildheldittight。
“David！“shepanted。“Oh，don’t，David！Pleasebestill！Theyshan’thurtyou；Iwon’tlet’em。Please！“
ThroughthebushesabovethewallappearedthefreckledfaceofCon——
christenedCornelius——Bacheldor。ConwasJimmie’selderbrother。
“Hemusthavegotthrough，“heshouted。“He——no，thereheis。
She’sgothim，Pop。Makeherputhimdown。“
Mr。AbnerBacheldorcrashedthroughtohisson’sside。Hewascarryingagun。
“Youputthatcatdown，“screamedCon，threateningly。
Mary-’Gustasaidnothing。HerheartwasbeatingwildlybutsheheldthestrugglingDavidfast。
“It’sthatkidovertoShadGould’s，“declaredCon。“Makehergiveyouashot，Pop。“
Mr。AbnerBacheldortookcommandofthesituation。
“Here，you！“heordered。“Fetchthatcritterhere。Iwanthim。“
StillMary-’Gustadidnotanswer。Shewaspaleandhersmallkneesshook，butsheneitherspokenormovedfromwhereshestood。Andhergripuponthecattightened。
“Fetchthatcathere，“repeatedAbner。“We’regoin’toshoothim；
he’sbeenstealin’ourchickens。“