Comrades in Crime 



a little absurd. It was as though I had procured 

 a cannon to belch forth at my entrance when even 

 against the most reckless intruder, the crack of 

 a pistol, a mere watchman's rattle were the domes- 

 tic indication of nerves. One full-handed volley 

 and they would be routed, decamping at an un- 

 seemly and not the proverbial pace. 



In reality I had been given the weapon of a 

 sharpshooter against enemies who in the daytime 

 lay snugly entrenched. There was no picking 

 them off without so much as a glimpse of their 

 heads. And at night, since they worked without 

 lanterns, I needed a searchlight to make certain 

 my aim. Of course, I could leave munitions 

 about. But Shellover and Creep had a horn out 

 for powder and they circumvented my "dumps." 

 It was not long before they had made off with 

 more of my treasm-e; parsley, spinach, even my 

 tough little marigolds carried as indiscriminate 

 loot securely inside. 



With a faihng heart I went forth again to the 

 encoimter, leaving a white wake behind me from 

 a full bag of hme. To be sure, my coniBdence 

 grew as with each liberal handful I sputtered 



[253] 



