At last a black mark was found upon our door, and a great panic ensued, for we felt that now our time had come.
"That night we put a tub of water at the bottom of the back-stairs, and a pile of tin pans at the top of the front stairs, so that any attempt to come up would produce a splash or a rattle.

Bells were hung on door handles, sticks of wood piled up in dark corners for robbers to fall over, and the family retired, all armed and all provided with lamps and matches.
"Jack and I left our doors open, and kept asking one another if we did n't hear something, till he fell asleep.

I was wakeful and lay listening to the crickets till the clock struck twelve; then I got drowsy, and was just dropping off when the sound of steps outside woke me up staring wide awake.

Creeping to the window I was in time to see by the dim moonlight a shadow glide round the corner and disappear.

A queer little thrill went over me, but I resolved to keep quiet till I was sure something was wrong, for I had given so many false alarms, I did n't want Jack to laugh at me again.