But I had become very apprehensive; and at last, Tom helped me to bring cedar rails and posts from a fence near by to construct a kind of fortress round the sleigh.

We set the posts in the hard snow and made a fence, six rails high--to protect ourselves.

Even then I was afraid it might jump the fence.
"He won't jump much with seven buckshot and a ball in him!" said Tom.
We left the empty sleigh there for three nights in succession; and every morning Tom came over to tell me that the lamb had been taken.
"The plan works just as old Hughy told me it would," he said; "but I've got only one lamb more, so we'll have to watch to-night.

Don't tell anybody, but about bedtime you come over." Tom was full of eagerness.
I was in a feverish state of mind all day, especially as night drew on.
If I had not been ashamed to fail Tom, I think I should have backed out.
At eight o'clock I pretended to start for bed; then, stealing out at the back door, I hurried across the fields to the Edwards place.

A new moon was shining faintly over the woods in the west.
Tom was in the wood-house, loading the gun, an old army rifle, bored out for shot.