despoiled of more than their money. A girl also disappeared; a buxom
lass with yellow hair and blue eyes, about whom half the country
bumpkins had gone nearly wild.'

Our hero shuddered at the recital; but the robber heeded not his
emotion.

'Then came indisputable proof that only persons living in the jolly
swamp could have stolen the girl, taken the money, and cracked the
few numb-skulls; so they resolved, in the words of the newspapers of
Muddy York, to "clean out the odious nest."

'A force of twenty constables, with about an equal number of
citizens, turned out and approached the swamp. The force here
numbered ten in all. Ah! but we were a sturdy band then. Well, as I
have said, they came, the intrusive damned fools, to the swamp, and
scattered their forces about. They found nothing; and this is the
only fact they ascertained: that when they assembled at Reynold's
inn, of the force of twenty-one that entered the swamp, only nine
returned. They waited till the morrow for their missing comrades, but
they came not. Yet not a cry was heard, though there was no wind
among the leaves, and when murders are done the people say, "you year
shrill screams." Neither was a pistol shot heard, or so much as the
clang of a dagger. Ah! but it was the sport to see bow discreetly the
thing was managed! I see, young man, you would like to find out the
modes. Well, history not infrequently repeats itself in this dark
wood; and I have little doubt that you will have an opportunity of
discovering how we accomplish our ends, and why the _silence_.'

'Strange to say,' the robber went on, 'the good people of York took